Director, Investor Relations

Kardigan; Princeton (NJ); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Kardigan, a heart health company in Princeton, NJ, seeks a Director of Investor Relations to lead and execute IR strategy, communicate the investment thesis, and engage with institutional investors and analysts. The role collaborates with senior leadership to translate scientific and financial information into compelling narratives and supports quarterly earnings materials.

The ideal candidate will combine a scientific or medical backdrop with strong finance and communications skills, and will

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or higher degree in Biological/Medical or related sciences, Finance, Business, Economics, Accounting, Communications, or a related discipline.
• Experience developing and executing investor relations strategies, preferably within a U.S. publicly traded company.
• Proven ability to develop sophisticated investor communications and translate complex financial, pipeline and business information into compelling investment narratives.
• Experience managing institutional investor and analyst relationships, including direct participation in investor meetings and conferences.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head of Investor Relations in developing and executing the company's investor relations strategy, ensuring consistent communication of the company's investment thesis, business performance, and strategic priorities.
• Build and maintain direct relationships with institutional investors, sell-side analysts, and other capital markets participants, serving as a key representative of the company within the investment community.
• Lead investor and analyst meetings, independently or alongside senior leadership, and provide informed responses to questions regarding pipeline candidates, company performance, strategy, and market developments.
• Participate in investor conferences, non-deal roadshows, investor days, and other engagement activities, including preparing materials, briefing executives, tracking and conducting investor follow-up.
• Develop a strong understanding of shareholder perspectives, analyst expectations, and investor sentiment, sharing relevant insights and feedback with the Head of Investor Relations and senior management.

Skills

Investor relations

Executive presence

Strategic communications

Public company experience

Presentation skills

Education

Biological/Medical sciences

Finance

Business

Economics

Accounting

Communications

Tools

PowerPoint

Excel

IR platforms

Job description

Kardigan is a heart health company working to make cardiovascular disease preventable, curable and no longer the leading cause of death in the world.

It is Kardigan’s mission to develop multiple targeted treatments in parallel that bring people with cardiovascular diseases to the cures they deserve.

Led by Tassos Gianakakos, Jay Edelberg, M.D., Ph.D., and Bob McDowell, Ph.D., Kardigan’s co-founders have reunited after leading MyoKardia to discover and develop mavacamten, the first cardiac myosin inhibitor, resulting in an acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb in 2020.

We have a cutting-edge discovery and translational research platform, a pipeline of late-stage candidates, and an industry-leading team that is driven to improve the lives of patients.

At Kardigan, we are motivated by our values which guide how we work, interact, and achieve our goals. Driven by patients and their families, we are deeply committed to improving the lives of patients and prioritizing their needs above all else. We believe in being authentic—leading with truth to bring out the best in others by creating an environment where every person knows they will be fully accepted. With an eagerness to learn, we encourage the highest levels of curiosity and are open to changing our minds. We are committed to winning as a team with urgency, excellence, and intention, and support each other no matter what role we play or where we sit. Lastly, we strive to enable the impossible because patients are counting on us. We are not afraid to take risks to unlock innovation and advance scientific discoveries.

These values are the foundation of our work, empowering us to make a real difference, every day.

Job Title: Director, Investor Relations

Department: Finance

Hiring Manager: Vice President, Investor Relations

Location: Princeton, NJ

Classification: Hybrid – On-site 4 days per week (Mon to Thurs)

Travel: % of travel required

Job Overview

Kardigan Inc. is seeking an experienced, highly motivated, commercially minded Director, Investor Relations, preferably with a scientific and/or medical background, to support the execution of the company's investor relations strategy and strengthen engagement with the investment community.

Reporting to Head of Investor Relations, the Director will play an important investor-facing role, building and maintaining relationships with institutional investors, sell-side analysts, and other capital markets stakeholders. The Director will work closely with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to communicate the company's business strategy, development candidates, [financial performance, operational progress], and long-term growth opportunities.

The position will have responsibility for key investor relations initiatives and may serve as the primary IR point of contact for designated business categories, products, or strategic priorities.

This includes developing a deep understanding of the relevant business areas, translating complex scientific and medical concepts, operational and financial information into compelling investment narratives, and supporting investor engagement around key business developments and milestones.

The Director will also contribute to quarterly earnings preparation, investor presentations, investor conferences, market intelligence, and broader investor communications.

The ideal candidate will combine strong financial and analytical capabilities with a scientific or medical background as well as excellent communication skills, commercial judgment, and the confidence to engage directly with sophisticated investors and analysts. This role offers significant exposure to executive leadership and the opportunity to take meaningful ownership of investor relationships and strategic IR workstreams.

Key Responsibilities

Investor Relations and Investor Engagement

• Support the Head of Investor Relations in developing and executing the company's investor relations strategy, ensuring consistent communication of the company's investment thesis, business performance, and strategic priorities.
• Build and maintain direct relationships with institutional investors, sell-side analysts, and other capital markets participants, serving as a key representative of the company within the investment community.
• Lead investor and analyst meetings, independently or alongside senior leadership, and provide informed responses to questions regarding pipeline candidates, company performance, strategy, and market developments.
• Participate in investor conferences, non-deal roadshows, investor days, and other engagement activities, including preparing materials, briefing executives, tracking and conducting investor follow-up.
• Develop a strong understanding of shareholder perspectives, analyst expectations, and investor sentiment, sharing relevant insights and feedback with the Head of Investor Relations and senior management.

Investor Communications / Materials

• Develop and maintain a deep understanding of the Company’s pipeline, disease areas and indications, and strategic initiatives, including, competitive positioning, growth drivers, and key milestones.
• Serve as the principal investor relations liaison for assigned business areas, working closely with relevant Medical, Research, and Regulatory, and other cross-functional teams.
• Develop investor-facing narratives, presentations, Q&A materials, and supporting analysis related to assigned business areas.
• Monitor relevant industry trends, competitor activity, market dynamics, and external developments to inform investor messaging and engagement.
• Support investor communications around data readouts, product launches, commercial milestones, strategic developments, and other significant events within assigned areas.
• Identify potential investor questions, areas of market misunderstanding, and opportunities to improve external understanding of the company's business.

Financial Communications and Earnings

• Play a leading role in preparing quarterly and annual earnings communications, including earnings releases, conference call scripts, investor presentations, executive talking points, and Q&A documents.
• Work closely with Medical Affairs, Finance, and other internal stakeholders to develop accurate and compelling messages around medical conferences and quarterly earnings.
• Support the development and refinement of the company's investment narrative and key investor communication materials.
• Ensure materials are aligned with company disclosure policies and applicable regulatory requirements.

Cross-Functional Collaboration and Project Ownership

• Work closely with the Head of Investor Relations and senior leadership to deliver key investor relations priorities.
• Partner with other functions within the Company to ensure accurate and consistent investor messaging.
• Take ownership of assigned investor relations projects and initiatives, managing timelines, stakeholders, and deliverables.
• Provide guidance and support to more junior IR team members, where appropriate.
• Identify opportunities to enhance investor engagement, improve internal IR processes, and strengthen the effectiveness of investor communications.

Required Education, Experience, Skills, and Knowledge

• Bachelor's or higher degree in Biological/Medical or related sciences, Finance, Business, Economics, Accounting, Communications, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing investor relations strategies, preferably within a U.S. publicly traded company.
• Proven ability to develop sophisticated investor communications and translate complex financial, pipeline and business information into compelling investment narratives.
• Experience managing institutional investor and analyst relationships, including direct participation in investor meetings and conferences.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence and executive presence to engage effectively with senior leadership and external stakeholders.
• Strong analytical capabilities and the ability to synthesize financial, operational, and market information into actionable recommendations.
• Demonstrated leadership, project management, and stakeholder management skills.
• High standards of professionalism, integrity, discretion, and judgment when handling confidential or market-sensitive information.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize competing demands, and perform effectively in a dynamic, deadline-driven environment.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, and relevant financial information and investor relations platforms.

Preferred Qualifications

• 8+ years of relevant professional experience preferred in investor relations, equity research, investment banking, corporate finance, financial communications, or related capital markets functions.
• PhD, MD, MBA, CFA designation, or other relevant advanced qualification.
• Previous investor relations leadership experience in the biotechnology / pharmaceutical space at a publicly traded company.
• Established relationships with institutional investors, sell-side analysts, or relevant capital markets participants.
• Familiarity with SEC reporting, Regulation FD, and relevant financial disclosure requirements.
• Familiarity with relevant investor relations CRM platforms, and shareholder analytics tools.
• Experience supporting investor events/capital markets days, strategic corporate initiatives, or major financial communications events.
• Previous experience managing direct reports, agencies, or external investor relations advisors.

Kardigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process.

Exact Compensation may vary based on skills, experience and location.

Pay range

$200,000 - $260,000 USD

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Kardigan’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.