Senior Director, Alliance Management

Syndax Pharmaceuticals; New York (NY); On-site; USD 270,000 - 290,000; Full time

Job summary

Syndax Pharmaceuticals in New York, NY is seeking a Senior Director of Alliance Management to lead and optimize strategic partnerships. The role reports to the SVP, Business Development and sits at the center of cross-functional collaboration across Legal, Finance, R&D, Commercial, and Program Management.

You will drive governance, negotiate terms, monitor progress against research, development, and commercialization plans, and ensure alignment with Syndax’s strategic objectives.

Qualifications

• Graduate level degree preferred; Bachelor’s degree required.
• 10 years’ experience in life sciences Alliance Management.
• Experience in Alliance Management for clinical and commercial stage programs, preferably within global development and co-development partnerships.
• Ability to work closely with Legal to interpret and guide collaboration agreements and term sheets.
• Deep understanding of the R&D and global commercialization process for therapeutics (oncology a plus).
• Strong collaboration, organization, scientific, and strategic skills; ability to present to senior management.
• Demonstrated leadership, cross-functional experience and self-direction.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to lead, negotiate, influence and resolve conflict.
• Demonstrated ability to identify, prioritize and resolve key project and partnership issues.
• Demonstrated ability to interact with and present to senior leadership.
• Attention to detail and excellence in project management; handling multiple priorities in a matrix team.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Preferred: oncology, immunology/inflammation, rare disease, and/or cell therapy.

Responsibilities

• Leading and guiding governance of strategic partnerships; manage governance committees and drive solutions that protect Syndax interests.
• Liaising with Legal, Finance, R&D, Program Management and Commercial to ensure milestones and reports are handled appropriately.
• Set boundaries between internal teams and partner discussions when required.
• Lead internal Syndax team to ensure clear positions on topics for alliance alignment.
• Conduct regular reviews/meetings with senior management and other functions.
• Participate in new partner contract negotiations and provide input on governance structures and alliance kick-off.

Skills

Alliance management

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Negotiation

Communication

Strategic thinking

Project management

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Graduate degree preferred

Job description

Syndax Pharmaceuticals is looking for a Senior Director, Alliance Management

At Syndax, we are determined to realize a future in which people with cancer live longer and better than ever before. Syndax Pharmaceuticals is a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company developing an innovative pipeline of cancer therapies.

The Role:

Responsible for managing, coordinating, and optimizing the alliances among Syndax and our strategic partners, contributing to the definition and development of the Alliance Management function at Syndax, and helping to evaluate and advise on key aspects of potential future alliances or partnered programs.

The ideal candidate will be a hands-on professional with strong partnering and alliance management experience who will drive management, execution, and potential extension of Syndax’s partnerships. This is a high-profile position with significant exposure across the organization, directly reporting to the SVP, Business Development, and tasked with developing the strategy and continued management of future partnerships.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leading and/or guiding the governance of strategic partnerships, including managing governance committees, identifying key issues, driving solutions ensuring the interests of Syndax are well represented within the partnership, and facilitating decision-making
  • Ensuring the Syndax teams are aware of and involved in decision making across functional teams and budget discussions as defined by the partnership agreements
  • Monitoring implementation of and adherence to agreed-upon research, development and commercialization plans
  • Managing issues and addressing hot topics that require immediate attention while working to minimize potential crisis situations
  • Performing regular audits and health checks among the teams
• Liaising with Legal, Finance, R&D, Program Management, Commercial and others as needed to ensure that key contract milestones, financial transactions, progress reports, etc. are handled appropriately and provide information/updates as needed
• Setting and maintaining appropriate boundaries between internal project teams and partner-focused discussions, where required
• Leading the internal Syndax team to ensure clear positions on key topics that will come up for alliance alignment
• Conducting regular reviews/meetings with senior management and other functions as appropriate to communicate key issues, milestones, etc. and gather feedback
• Participating in new partner contract negotiations as appropriate and providing input into partnership execution terms of the contract, in particular governance structures and processes to ensure that an optimal alliance structure is set up for success, and preparing for alliance kick-off

Desired Experience/Education and Personal Attributes:

• Graduate level degree preferred; Bachelor’s degree required
• 10 years’ experience in life sciences Alliance Management or related function
• Experience in Alliance Management for clinical and commercial stage programs, preferably within the context of a global development and co-development partnership
• Ability to work closely with Legal team to interpret and guide existing and prospective collaboration agreements and term sheets
• Deep understanding of the research, development, and global commercialization process for therapeutics (oncology a plus)
• Strong collaboration, organization, scientific, and strategic skills, as well as the ability to prepare and present clear communications for senior management
• Demonstrated strong leadership, cross functional experience and self-direction
• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to lead, interact with, focus, negotiate, influence and resolve conflict
• Demonstrated ability to identify, prioritize and resolve key project and partnership issues
• Demonstrated ability to interact with and to present to senior leadership
• Demonstrated attention to detail and excellence in project management and effectively managing multiple projects/priorities
• Must be able to handle ambiguity well, and operate in a matrix team
• Excellent communication skills with an ability to efficiently and productively communicate both orally and in writing
• Preferred: Knowledge and experience in oncology, immunology/inflammation, rare disease, and/or cell therapy

Location

Syndax’s corporate office is in New York, NY.

Syndax offers a total compensation and rewards package that is among the most competitive in the industry. Base pay is just one element of our package and is determined within a range based on several factors including market data, experience, qualifications, demonstrated skills, relevant education or training, travel requirements and internal equity. Our overall package also includes an equity offering, annual target bonuses, and an outstanding benefits program. The anticipated annualized salary range for this role is $270,000 - $290,000.

About Syndax:

Syndax Pharmaceuticals is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company advancing innovative cancer therapies. Highlights of the Company’s pipeline include a menin inhibitor for R/R acute leukemia and a monoclonal antibody that blocks the CSF-1 receptor for chronic graft-versus-host disease. Fueled by our commitment to reimagining cancer care, Syndax is working to unlock the full potential of its pipeline and is conducting several clinical trials across the continuum of treatment. For more information, please visit www.syndax.com/ or follow the Company on X and LinkedIn.

Syndax Pharmaceuticals is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any classification protected by federal, state, or local law.