EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT

Sutro Biopharma, Inc; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 350,000 - 450,000; Full time

Job summary

Sutro Biopharma, Inc. seeks an Executive Director, Clinical Development to shape the overall clinical strategy for its oncology portfolio.

This physician-lead role partners with global study leads to craft development plans, assess safety data, and drive execution of global programs. Ideal candidates have deep oncology expertise, ADC/targeted therapy experience, strong safety background, and the ability to translate clinical evidence into actionable recommendations while building investigator

Qualifications

• MD or MD/PhD with oncology clinical development experience.
• 10+ years in clinical research and drug development in biotech/pharma.
• Strong safety background with medical monitoring and signal assessment.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the VP to evaluate portfolio opportunities and set strategy.
• Collaborate with global study leads on development plans and endpoints.
• Apply expertise to first-in-human studies and dose optimization.
• Design and interpret clinical studies and communicate findings.

Skills

Oncology clinical development

MD/PhD

Global trials

Safety monitoring

First-in-human studies

Regulatory submissions

GCP knowledge

Leadership

Education

MD or MD/PhD

Job description

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT

Position Overview

Sutro Biopharma is seeking an Executive Director, Clinical Development to serve as a thought partner to the VP, Clinical Development in shaping the overarching clinical strategy for its oncology portfolio. Working collaboratively with global study leads, this physician will develop clinical strategies, strengthen safety assessment, and support the execution of global clinical programs. The role is ideally suited for a physician-scientist with deep oncology expertise and prior experience in ADCs or targeted therapies. This role also requires a strong safety background, experience leading clinical studies, and deep knowledge of early development trials, together with the ability to build trusted investigator relationships and translate clinical evidence into clear recommendations.

Key Responsibilities Clinical strategy and study leadership

• Partner with the VP, Clinical Development to evaluate portfolio opportunities, emerging risks, and development options; provide clinical and scientific perspectives that inform overarching strategy and priorities.
• Collaborate with global study leads to develop and refine clinical development plans and study strategies, integrating patient populations, dose and schedule, endpoints, biomarkers, geographic considerations, and evidence needed for key decisions.
• Apply early development expertise to first-in-human studies, dose escalation, dose optimization, and expansion cohorts; integrate emerging safety, efficacy, pharmacology, and translational data into development recommendations.
• Contribute to the design, conduct, interpretation, and communication of clinical studies, including protocols, amendments, investigator materials, and clinical study reports. Partner with study leads and Clinical Operations to address clinical issues and support study milestones.

Clinical safety and medical monitoring

• Provide strong clinical safety expertise across programs. Partner with global study leads and Pharmacovigilance to review emerging safety data, assess potential signals and benefit-risk, and recommend appropriate follow-up and risk mitigation.
• Serve as a backup medical monitor to global study leads and other designated medical monitors, providing coverage for investigator questions, eligibility assessments, medical review of adverse events, and protocol-related medical decisions.
• Support safety review meetings and clinical interpretation of adverse events and laboratory trends; help translate findings into monitoring recommendations, protocol updates, and clear communication to study teams.

Regulatory and leadership communications

• Support Regulatory Affairs, the VP, Clinical Development, and study leads in preparing clinical content for regulatory submissions, briefing documents, responses to health authority questions, and regulatory meetings; participate in interactions as appropriate.
• Help prepare Board of Directors materials and executive updates, synthesizing clinical progress, safety findings, development options, and key risks into clear, balanced presentations and recommendations.

Investigator engagement and scientific advisory

• Build and maintain relationships across the investigator network, academic centers, and external oncology experts. Travel domestically and internationally for site engagement, investigator meetings, scientific congresses, and advisory discussions as needed.
• Partner with study leads to gather investigator insights on study design, feasibility, enrollment barriers, and clinical practice, and apply those insights to clinical strategy and study execution.
• Help plan and lead scientific advisory boards and expert discussions; develop focused questions, evaluate external input, and translate recommendations into practical development options.

Collaboration and organizational contribution

• Work across Clinical Operations, Pharmacovigilance, Translational Medicine, Biostatistics, Data Management, and Regulatory Affairs to align on clinical questions, resolve issues, and support timely decisions.
• Mentor colleagues, communicate candidly, and contribute to consistent clinical development practices that support patient safety, scientific rigor, data integrity, and quality.

Qualifications

Required

• MD or MD/PhD required with substantial experience in oncology clinical development.
• Approximately 10 or more years of relevant clinical research and drug development experience, including substantial clinical development experience in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry.
• Strong clinical safety background, including medical monitoring, assessment of adverse events and emerging safety signals, benefit-risk evaluation, and collaboration with Pharmacovigilance.
• Prior experience leading interventional clinical studies and direct experience with global trials involving investigators and teams across multiple countries.
• Deep knowledge of early clinical development, including first-in-human studies, dose escalation, dose optimization, and expansion cohorts.
• Ability to partner effectively with senior clinical leaders and global study leads, influence across functions, and translate complex data into sound clinical recommendations.
• Experience contributing to regulatory documents and health authority interactions, with working knowledge of GCP and applicable global clinical trial requirements.
• Strong scientific communication and relationship-building skills, including engagement with investigators and external experts; willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally.

Preferred

• Board certification or eligibility in medical oncology or hematology/oncology; experience in solid tumors and antibody-drug conjugate development.
• Experience preparing executive or Board-level presentations, supporting scientific advisory boards, and working in a lean biotechnology organization.

Sutro Biopharma, Inc. encourages all colleagues to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 prior to the first date of employment.

As an equal opportunity employer, we believe in fostering a culture that is inclusive and values diversity in background and opinions. Sutro Biopharma hires extraordinary individuals into every position in the company and is committed to the diversity of our team. Our company progresses without regard of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, age, disability or citizenship status. We are dedicated to creating a safe environment where our employees can grow and succeed together.

The anticipated salary range for fully qualified candidates applying for this role at Sutro Biopharma’s California based locations will be $354,000 – $30,000 (not including bonus, equity, and benefits). The final salary offered will be dependent on several factors that include and are not limited to relevant previous experience, job responsibilities and duration of experience, the type and length of experience within the industry and education.

About Sutro Biopharma

Sutro Biopharma, Inc., is relentlessly focused on the discovery and development of precisely designed cancer therapeutics to transform what science can do for patients. Sutro’s fit-for-purpose technology, including cell-free XpressCF® provides the opportunity for broader patient benefit and an improved patient experience. Sutro is advancing a robust early-stage pipeline of novel exatecan and dual-payload antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), coupled with high-value collaborations and industry partnerships, which validate our continuous product innovation. Sutro is headquartered in South San Francisco. For more information, follow Sutro on social media @Sutrobio, or visit www.sutrobio.com.