VP, Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships

About Us

The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization driving the next generation of cancer treatment by accelerating the development of breakthrough immune therapies to turn all cancers into curable diseases. Founded in 2016 through the vision of Sean Parker, PICI unites the nation’s top cancer centers into a collaborative consortium that fuels high-risk, high-reward science with shared goals, data, and infrastructure. Unlike traditional research models, PICI goes beyond discovery by actively advancing promising innovations through clinical testing, company formation and incubation, and commercialization. PICI has supported more than 1,000 investigators across its network and has a portfolio that includes 17 biotech ventures with over $4B raised in capital. PICI is uniquely positioned to close the gap between scientific discovery and patient access. By integrating scientific excellence with entrepreneurial execution, PICI is reimagining how cures are made, and accelerating their path to the people who need them most. Find out more at parkerici.org and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Overview of the Role

The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) is actively seeking a high-impact, results-driven executive to fill the role of Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategic Partnerships. This is a unique and pivotal leadership position, designed to be strategically situated at the convergence of non-profit mission, transformative drug discovery, and commercial venture creation. This role moves distinctly beyond the scope of conventional non-profit corporate relations.

The successful candidate will be the primary driver responsible for a core PICI strategic objective: Building a Sustainable Financial Engine. This involves the proactive establishment of high-value, mutually beneficial collaborations with the global biopharmaceutical industry and the systematic identification and engagement of institutional investors and corporate entities interested in PICI’s highly curated, consortium-wide innovation pipeline. This executive must possess the sophisticated commercial acumen to translate PICI’s world-class scientific advancements, robust clinical portfolio achievements, and unique network assets into quantifiable, compelling partnership and revenue-generation opportunities that drive the institute's long-term mission and financial sustainability.

Reporting Structure and Team

The VP, Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships reports to Chief Organizational Advancement Officer (COAO)

FLSA Status: Exempt

Key Responsibilities:

Driving Commercial Growth and Strategic Alliances

The VP of Corporate Development and Strategic Partnerships will manage a broad portfolio of strategic initiatives, focusing on both immediate revenue generation and the long-term positioning of PICI as a partner of choice.

1. Industry Partnership Building & Network Positioning:

● Strategic Cultivation: Systematically identify, rigorously vet, and proactively manage executive-level professional relationships with Business Development (BD), Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), and Research & Development (R&D) leaders within the world's leading biopharmaceutical and biotechnology organizations.

● Market Positioning: The central objective is to firmly establish the PICI Network—comprising top academic centers, proprietary data, and clinical trial capabilities—as the preeminent and reliable source of de-risked innovation in cancer immunotherapy.

● Performance Metric: A core, measurable deliverable is the development and management of a formalized pipeline of a minimum of twenty active, high-potential biopharma engagement opportunities within the initial year of tenure.

2. Revenue Generation & Innovative Funding Models:

● Securing Substantial Sponsorships: Lead the effort to secure significant financial sponsorships, strategic research agreements, and master collaboration agreements with industry partners.

● Impact Investing & Venture Philanthropy: Investigate, structure, and execute innovative funding structures that move beyond traditional grants, such as impact investments, venture philanthropy funds, and programmatic royalty-bearing deals. The goal is to strategically align substantial corporate R&D budgets and institutional investment capital with PICI’s mission and operational needs.

3. Innovation Scouting & Venture Liaison:

● Market Intermediation: Act as the critical interface between the external market (biopharma, venture capital, private equity) and PICI’s internal Venture and Business Development teams.

● Asset Monetization: Proactively identify, engage, and manage corporate partners and established venture capital firms with a specific interest in the investment, licensing, or outright acquisition of intellectual property and assets originating from PICI-incubated companies, research programs, or Network discoveries. This includes coordinating due diligence and market scoping activities.

4. Network Commercialization & Asset Packaging:

● Strategic Product Development: Collaborate extensively with the PICI Leadership Team, Scientific Leadership, and Legal Counsel to strategically analyze, package, and structure Network assets into commercially attractive, formalized partnership offerings for external industry engagement.

● Asset Classes: These partnership offerings include, but are not limited to: unique de-identified patient data sharing protocols, highly standardized multi-center clinical trial execution capabilities (Phase I/II), access to proprietary platforms, and distinct, high-potential intellectual property portfolios.

5. Deal Structuring & Execution:

● Negotiation & Finalization: Partner closely with the COAO and internal/external legal department to meticulously draft, negotiate, and finalize a comprehensive array of complex agreements.

● Document Scope: The scope of agreement encompasses, but is not limited to: Master Partnership Agreements, comprehensive Sponsorship Contracts, Licensing Agreements (in/out-licensing), Co-development Partnerships, Exclusive Option Agreements, and detailed Letters of Intent (LOIs) and Term Sheets.

Qualifications: Experience, Acumen, and Scientific Depth

The ideal candidate will possess a compelling blend of commercial success, scientific literacy, and executive leadership capability, with a proven track record operating in the highly competitive life sciences ecosystem.

● Experience Profile: A mandatory minimum of ten (10) years of progressive, senior-level experience in Corporate Development, Business Development, Alliance Management, or Investment Banking specifically within the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or venture-backed life sciences sectors is required.

● Educational Background: A Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution is required. An advanced degree is highly preferred, including but not limited to an MBA, a Master of Science (MS) in a relevant scientific discipline, or a Juris Doctor (JD), or equivalent demonstrable experience in a relevant technical or commercial field.

● Commercialization Track Record: The candidate must provide clear evidence of a proven capacity to successfully commercialize intellectual property, proprietary assets, or complex strategic collaborations derived from academic scientific networks, research consortia, or highly matrixed organizations.

● Scientific & Market Expertise: A comprehensive and profound understanding of the entire drug discovery and development lifecycle, from target identification through clinical development and commercial launch, is essential. Specific, deep domain expertise within the therapeutic areas of Oncology and Immunology is mandatory.

● Financial & Transactional History: A documented history of successfully negotiating and executing high-value transactions—specifically those valued in the six- and seven-figure range (USD) or higher—is a mandatory requirement for this executive role.

● Leadership & Communication: The role demands highly effective Stakeholder Management skills across diverse and powerful constituencies, including leading academic principal investigators, philanthropic donors, scientific leaders, and industry executives. This must be coupled with a capacity for mission-aligned, strategic communication that can articulate complex science into clear commercial value propositions.

Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required to successfully execute the event portfolio.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $349k-374k per year based on experience, location and qualifications
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• 403(b) with company match

Additional Information

• Must be authorized to work in the United States; we do not sponsor work visas
• Local candidates preferred
• No relocation assistance will be provided