(Executive) Director, Regulatory Affairs, CMC

Dispatch Bio; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 210,000 - 270,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Medical coverage

401(k)

Life insurance

Flexible PTO

Additional benefits

Job summary

Dispatch Bio is seeking a Director/Executive Director, Regulatory CMC to lead global regulatory CMC strategy for our cell and gene therapy programs. You will serve as the primary CMC lead for interactions with health authorities, author and oversee submissions, and guide manufacturing and analytical strategies across development to post‑approval.

The role requires at least 10 years in regulatory CMC, hands-on submission experience, and strong leadership in a fast‑moving startup environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, chemistry, engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of regulatory CMC experience in biotech/pharma.
• Direct hands-on authoring of CMC sections (IND/BLA/MAA).
• Experience with cell therapy, viral vectors, or ATMP manufacturing.
• Deep knowledge of FDA & ICH CMC regulations for biologics.
• Experience leading health authority interactions and submissions.
• Strong leadership to align cross-functional teams in startup settings.

Responsibilities

• Lead global regulatory CMC strategies from development through licensure.
• Author/review CMC sections of regulatory submissions (INDs, CTAs, BLAs/MAAs).
• Serve as primary CMC liaison to health authorities (FDA/EMA/etc.).
• Collaborate with Process Development, Manufacturing, Analytics, Quality, and external partners.
• Provide regulatory guidance on manufacturing changes, validation, and comparability.
• Mentor and scale regulatory CMC talent as the pipeline grows.
• Represent CMC in cross-functional program teams and updates to leadership.

Skills

Leadership

Regulatory strategy

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

FDA/ICH knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in life sciences or related

MS/PhD preferred

Job description

About us:

Our purpose at Dispatch is to help create a world where all cancer patients can be cured. We’re humbled by the opportunity to work together as a team on some of the most pressing medical challenges of our time.

To achieve our purpose, we are dedicated to engineering a universal treatment across solid tumors. We’re committed to the development of novel therapies, leveraging first-in-class technologies in viral vectors, universal targets, and novel cytokine biology. Our therapeutic approach has the potential to enable us to treat significant numbers of cancer patients and make a real and lasting impact on the world.

Our company was founded on pioneering work carried out in the laboratories of Dr. Carl June (University of Pennsylvania), Dr. Kole Roybal (University of California, San Francisco), Dr. Christopher Garcia (Stanford University) and Dr. Andy Minn (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center).

At our company, you would become one of our early team members— not only playing a role in meeting our ambitious mission but also building our thriving culture. We are determined to deliver with urgency to discover new solutions and we always stay dedicated to scientific rigor; we have an ownership mindset because each and every one of us is integral to our success. Collaboration is core for us because we believe that by bringing people together with diverse perspectives, we make a stronger whole. And, we show we care about our work and each other by sharing feedback - ultimately in service of our vision to empower people to continue forward with their lives – cancer free.

The role:

The Director/Executive Director, Regulatory CMC will lead regulatory CMC strategy and execution for our cell and gene therapy pipeline and will report directly to the Vice President, Head of Regulatory Affairs. This role is both strategic and hands‑on, and will be responsible for the full breadth of CMC regulatory activities across global development programs, from early through late-stage development.

This individual will serve as the primary regulatory CMC point of contact for health authority interactions, author and oversee CMC content for regulatory submissions, and provide regulatory guidance on manufacturing, process, and analytical strategy. This role will work cross-functionally with Process Development, Manufacturing, Analytical Development, Quality, Supply Chain, Clinical Development, and external partners such as CDMOs and testing laboratories.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead the development and execution of global regulatory CMC strategies Dispatch programs, from early development through licensure
• Author, review, and approve CMC sections of regulatory submissions, including INDs, CTAs, BLAs/MAAs, amendments, annual reports, and responses to health authority questions
• Serve as the primary regulatory CMC liaison to health authorities (e.g., FDA, EMA, TGA), leading preparation for and participation in CMC-focused meetings and other health authority interactions
• Partner closely with Process Development, Manufacturing, Analytical Development, and Quality to ensure regulatory compliance and submission readiness across the product lifecycle
• Provide strategic regulatory guidance on manufacturing changes, process validation, comparability protocols, and facility qualification/licensure activities
• Assess regulatory risk associated with CMC and manufacturing decisions, and advise senior leadership on mitigation strategies and health authority engagement
• Track, interpret, and communicate evolving global CMC regulatory guidance and policy trends relevant to cell and gene therapy manufacturing
• Manage regulatory CMC aspects of relationships with CDMOs, contract testing laboratories, and other external manufacturing partners
• Build, mentor, and develop regulatory CMC talent as the team and pipeline grow
• Contribute to and help scale regulatory CMC processes, tools, and templates appropriate for a growing organization
• Represent Regulatory CMC on cross-functional program teams and provide regular updates to senior leadership

Required experience & skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, chemistry, engineering, or a related discipline
• Minimum of 10 years of regulatory CMC experience within the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry
• Direct, hands‑on experience authoring and managing CMC sections of IND, BLA, or MAA submissions
• Direct experience with cell therapy, viral vector, or other advanced therapy medicinal product (ATMP) manufacturing
• Deep working knowledge of FDA and ICH CMC regulations and guidelines applicable to biologics; cell and/or gene therapy experience
• Demonstrated experience leading CMC-focused health authority interactions and correspondence
• Track record managing complex manufacturing regulatory strategy, including comparability assessments and post‑approval/process changes
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to influence and align cross‑functional stakeholders without direct authority
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong attention to detail
• Ability to operate effectively and independently in a fast‑moving, resource‑constrained startup environment

Preferred experience & skills:

• Advanced degree (MS, PhD, PharmD)
• Experience with global CMC regulatory submissions (e.g., EMA or other ex‑U.S. agencies)
• Prior experience supporting solid tumor drug development
• People management experience, with a track record of developing regulatory talent

Our values:

Our values guide everything we do. While capabilities and skills are vital, understanding how a potential new colleague would embody our values is central to our hiring decisions.

Determined to deliver:

By working with focus and passion, we can provide patients with the solutions they need.

Own every outcome:

We can reach new heights when we stay centered on our shared success.

Collaboration at the core:

When we band together, our work is better.

Feedback is fundamental:

Constructive and authentic positive feedback may be difficult to master but it is vital to our success.

Working here:

• We offer a highly competitive compensation package with meaningful ownership through equity
• Excellent coverage for medical, vision, and dental
• 401(k) with generous contribution
• Life insurance
• Flexible PTO policy
• Additional substantial benefits

We are an equal opportunity employer.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, national origin, or any characteristic protected under applicable law.