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(S)VP, Business and Corporate Development

South San Francisco, CA

About the role:

Reporting to insitro's CFO/CBO, we are seeking an experienced senior executive with broad domain knowledge in drug discovery and development to lead, independently and strategically,

insitro's business and corporate development functions. Primary responsibilities include sourcing, evaluating, prioritizing, prosecuting, executing and managing value-creation opportunities with a broad range of potential therapeutic partners. You will manage the corporate development team of professionals in therapeutics, data and technology partnering. You will also lead cross-functional teams across insitro in rigorous scientific and business due diligence. You will leverage your network to source buy-side and sell-side opportunities for insitro to maximize value from our productive platform advancing novel, de-risked therapeutic insights in neurodegeneration, metabolic disease and oncology. You will be a key thought partner to the broader leadership team on a range of strategic and operational matters related to insitro's current and future partnerships and their role in advancing our world-class platform and pipeline.

You have insatiable curiosity, including for understanding the role of generative AI, machine learning (and other computational approaches), and data at scale to transform drug discovery and development. You can think flexibly and creatively across science, technology, business strategy and complex transactions. You are very driven, thrive on turning "no" into "yes", have the deal sheet to prove it, and do it all for the patients who are waiting for better medicines.

This role is based in South San Francisco, with a hybrid approach of at least 3 days per week in the office and the option for the other 1-2 days from home.

You will:

  • Own the development and delivery of a robust and compelling business development strategy to support insitro's corporate and scientific mandate.
  • Spearhead insitro's global therapeutics-focused business development activities and manage a small team of corporate development professionals.
  • Work closely with our executive and scientific leaders, lead global search and evaluation efforts to source opportunities that allow insitro to more rapidly advance therapeutic programs for differentiated, highly credentialed target and therapeutic hypotheses emerging from insitro's AI/ML biology discovery platforms.
  • Lead out-licensing initiatives to identify potential partners for select programs in the insitro portfolio that would be more rapidly or effectively advanced via partnership
  • Identify additional opportunities for insitro to partner with large pharma or biotech partners in constructs that help scale or accelerate insitro's impact.
  • Run partnership discussion processes including direct ownership and oversight of due diligence, drafting and negotiating term sheets, working closely with insitro's legal team and outside counsel on negotiating collaboration agreements, and ensuring internal visibility, input, and alignment.
  • Lead, guide and direct teams responsible for organizing and completing extensive due diligence involving cross-functional teams of internal and external experts including scientific, clinical, manufacturing, regulatory, marketing, financial, legal, and IP experts.
  • Partner with the project management team and scientific leadership to drive best-in-class alliance management capabilities for insitro with current and future partners.
  • Ensure clear and consistent business case development and communications (in compelling slide decks and memos) to insitro's management team and board.
  • As appropriate, work closely with insitro's corporate and strategic finance colleagues and external experts, including investment bankers, and oversee the creation and evolution of financial models that inform the valuation of opportunities.
  • Be an ambassador for insitro at external meetings, conferences, and seminars, in order to access new opportunities and build and expand external networks.

About you:

  • Advanced medical and/or scientific degree (MD, PhD, or both) or equivalent practical experience is required.
  • 15+ years of experience including at least 10 years of experience in business development, including scientific diligence and complex transaction experience across both buy-side and sell-side BD is required - deal sheet must be submitted with application.
  • Strong exposure (either professionally or through personal curiosity and independent study) to advanced computational approaches (including AI and machine learning) is required.
  • Experience in neuroscience, metabolic disease or oncology is a plus.
  • A thorough understanding of the processes of due diligence, asset valuation (including financial models, statements and SEC reporting), and portfolio management, combined with deep scientific and business acumen.
  • Successful track record in independently sourcing, evaluating, prioritizing, pursuing, and onboarding high-value clinical-stage assets, preclinical assets, research platforms.
  • Experience leading or overseeing alliance management in the context of pharma/biotech collaborations.
  • Robust understanding of the broader healthcare data landscape outside of biopharma and inclusive of providers, payors, device, equipment and diagnostics players is required.
  • Strong capabilities in scientific and strategic analysis and communication.
  • Exceptional collaboration skills with a diverse set of stakeholders.
  • Experience leading, mentoring and managing a high performing team of subject matter experts with a service leader posture and strong willingness to roll up your sleeves.
  • Strong network in biopharma, life science, and VC communities in SF or Boston areas.

Compensation & Benefits at insitro

Our target starting salary for successful US-based applicants for this role is $270,000 - $350,000. To determine starting pay, we consider multiple job-related factors including a candidate's skills, education and experience, market demand, business needs, and internal parity. We may also adjust this range in the future based on market data.

This role is eligible for participation in our Annual Performance Bonus Plan (based on company targets by role level and annual company performance) and our Equity Incentive Plan, subject to the terms of those plans and associated policies.

In addition, insitro also provides our employees:

  • 401(k) plan with employer matching for contributions
  • Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage (insitro pays 100% of premiums for employees on our base plans), as well as mental health and well-being support
  • Open, flexible vacation policy
  • Paid parental leave
  • Quarterly budget for books and online courses for self-development
  • Support to occasionally attend professional conferences that are meaningful to your career growth and development
  • New hire stipend for home office setup
  • Monthly cell phone & internet stipend
  • Access to free onsite baristas and cafe with daily lunch and breakfast
  • Access to free onsite fitness center
  • Commuter benefits
About insitro
 
insitro is a drug discovery and development company using machine learning (ML) and data at scale to decode biology for transformative medicines. At the core of insitro’s approach is the convergence of in-house generated multi-modal cellular data and high-content phenotypic human cohort data. We rely on these data to develop ML-driven, predictive disease models that uncover underlying biologic state and elucidate critical drivers of disease. These powerful models rely on extensive biological and computational infrastructure and allow insitro to advance novel targets and patient biomarkers, design therapeutics and inform clinical strategy. insitro is advancing a wholly owned and partnered pipeline of insights and therapeutics in neuroscience, oncology and metabolism. Since launching in 2018, insitro has raised over $700 million from top tech, biotech and crossover investors, and from collaborations with pharmaceutical partners. For more information on insitro, please visit www.insitro.com.

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