Director, Corporate Development & Strategy

Artiva Biotherapeutics Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Artiva Biotherapeutics Inc. in California is seeking a Director of Corporate Development & Strategy to shape long-range strategy as NK cell therapies move toward potential commercialization.

The role reports to the VP of Corporate Development and blends scientific fluency with commercial acumen to prepare materials for investors, partners, and the board. The position requires leadership across clinical development, medical affairs, finance, and IR, with a focus on strategic planning,

Qualifications

• Advanced scientific degree strongly preferred (PhD, PharmD, MD, or MS in life sciences). MBA a plus.
• Typically 8+ years in biopharmaceutical industry within a corporate, commercial, or strategy function, and/or at top-tier life sciences strategy consultancy.
• Demonstrated experience in commercial strategy/planning, corporate strategy, or business development. Experience in immunology, autoimmune disease, hematology/oncology, or cell therapy is a strong plus.
• Strong scientific fluency with the ability to translate complex data into strategy and narrative; exceptional written and verbal communication; advanced presentation (PowerPoint) and quantitative/financial modeling (Excel) skills.
• Ability to travel as needed for scientific congresses, partnering meetings, and investor events.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the company\u2019s corporate development and long-range strategic plans; conduct competitive intelligence and market analyses.
• Support early-stage commercial planning for programs many years from potential launch, including market sizing, epidemiology, and pricing considerations.
• Partner with clinical/scientific teams to develop publication and scientific communications strategy.
• Build and refine executive, board, and investor-facing presentations and narratives.
• Support financing activities, including investor materials, targeting, and diligence.
• Support business development, partnering, and deal-modeling inputs.
• Collaborate across leadership functions and represent corporate development in cross-functional planning.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Executive communication

Financial modeling

AI tools in research

Education

Advanced scientific degree (PhD/MD/PharmD/MS)

MBA or equivalent business training

Tools

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

About Artiva:

We are a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing natural killer (NK) cell-based therapies. Our mission is to develop effective, safe, and accessible cell therapies for patients with devastating autoimmune diseases. We aim to develop therapies that patients and physicians can utilize in a community setting. Our lead product candidate, AlloNK®, is a non-genetically modified, cryopreserved NK cell therapy being evaluated in combination with B-cell targeted monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). We believe the compelling cell killing properties of NK cells, when combined with mAbs for targeting, creates an opportunity to generate potentially transformative therapies.

For more information, visit www.artivabio.com.

Job Summary

The Director, Corporate Development & Strategy is a senior, cross-functional role responsible for shaping and advancing Artiva’s long-range corporate strategy as the company progresses its allogeneic NK cell therapy programs toward potential commercialization. Reporting to the Vice President of Corporate Development, the Director will support foundational commercial planning well ahead of launch, support publication and scientific communications strategy, and develop board-, investor-, and partner-ready materials that articulate Artiva’s scientific and commercial value proposition. The role blends scientific fluency with commercial and strategic acumen, and supports fundraising and business development activities including diligence, partnering, and strategic transactions. This individual operates with a high degree of autonomy, partnering closely with executive leadership, clinical development, medical affairs, finance, and investor relations. Success requires translating complex scientific and market data into clear, actionable strategy and compelling narratives for both internal and external stakeholders.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Corporate development & strategy: Develop and maintain the company’s corporate development and long-range strategic plans; conduct competitive intelligence, landscape analyses, and market assessments to inform pipeline, portfolio, and prioritization decisions.
• Commercial planning (pre-launch): Support early-stage commercial planning and launch-readiness work, in partnership with the broader commercial and strategy organization, for programs that are several years from potential launch, including market sizing, epidemiology and patient-flow modeling, forecasting, and early pricing, reimbursement, and access considerations.
• Publication planning: Partner with clinical and medical teams to develop and execute the publication and scientific communications strategy, including congress/abstract planning, manuscript timelines, and alignment of data disclosures with corporate milestones.
• Strategic communications & presentations: Build and refine executive-, board-, and investor-facing presentations and narratives; ensure accurate, consistent, and compelling messaging across corporate materials.
• Fundraising: Support financing activities (e.g., equity raises and strategic investments), including preparation of investor materials, narrative development, investor targeting, and diligence support.
• Business development: Support partnering and BD activities, including opportunity identification and evaluation, scientific and commercial due diligence, valuation and deal-modeling inputs, and transaction support.
• Cross-functional leadership: Collaborate across executive leadership, clinical development, regulatory, medical affairs, finance, and IR, and represent corporate development in cross-functional planning forums.

Requirements

• Advanced scientific degree strongly preferred (PhD, PharmD, MD, or MS in a life sciences discipline); MBA or equivalent business training a plus.
• Typically 8+ years in the biopharmaceutical industry within a corporate, commercial, or strategy function, and/or at a top-tier life sciences strategy consultancy. Demonstrated experience in commercial strategy/planning, corporate strategy, or business development. Experience in immunology, autoimmune disease, hematology/oncology, or cell therapy is a strong plus given Artiva’s pipeline.
• Strong scientific fluency with the ability to translate complex data into strategy and narrative; exceptional written and verbal communication; advanced presentation (PowerPoint) and quantitative/financial modeling (Excel) skills; structured, strategic problem-solving; the ability to effectively leverage artificial intelligence tools to enhance research, analysis, and productivity; sound judgment and executive presence; and the ability to operate autonomously and thrive amid ambiguity in a fast-paced, clinical-stage environment.
• Ability to travel as needed for scientific congresses, partnering meetings, and investor events.

In addition to a great culture, we offer:

• A beautiful facility
• An entrepreneurial, highly collaborative, and innovative environment
• Comprehensive benefits, including:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Group Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability (LTD)
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Company paid holidays, including the year-end holiday week
• Our recognition program, Bonus.ly, is where you can trade in points earned for things you want.

If all this speaks to you, come join us on our journey!

Base Salary: $ 200,000- $230,000. Exact compensation may vary based on level, skills and experience