Senior Director, Clinical Operations

GondolaBio; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 259,000 - 314,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible PTO

Equity

Health benefits

Career development

Job summary

GondolaBio seeks a strategic clinical operations leader to drive the launch and execution of global clinical trials, with emphasis on phase 2 programs across multiple regions. You will own end-to-end operational strategies, collaborate with regulatory, safety, and translational teams, and guide vendors and sites to deliver high-quality data on time.

The role requires a track record in early development (FIH/SAD/MAD) and the ability to navigate ambiguity with practical, hands-on leadership in a

Qualifications

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for global trials across regions (U.S., Europe, Australia, China).
• Experience in early development (FIH/SAD/MAD) and phase 2; Ph3/registrational preferred but not required.
• Own end-to-end operational strategy, study plans, budgets, and risk mitigation.
• Lead vendor selection, governance, and site engagement with investigators and coordinators.

Responsibilities

• Develop integrated study plans with timelines, budgets, and risk strategies.
• Partner with Clinical Development, Safety, Regulatory, Biometrics, Clinical Supply, CMC, Translational teams to ensure feasibility.
• Drive start-up excellence: country/site feasibility, vendor management, enrollment, data quality, TMF readiness.

Skills

Global clinical trials leadership

Phase 2 expertise

Cross-functional leadership

Vendor governance

Clinical start-up & execution

Education

BA/BS in science or business

Job description

Description

About GondolaBio

GondolaBio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing breakthrough therapeutics for genetic diseases. GondolaBio is an independent sister company to BridgeBio, originally carved out in 2024 after securing $300M in private financing from external investors. GondolaBio aims to leverage cutting-edge biological research to discover, create, test, and deliver transformative medicines to treat patients who suffer from genetic diseases.

Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1), a genetic condition where tumors grow on the nerves and skin, is the focus of a pre-clinical stage program in GondolaBio’s portfolio. NF1 affects multiple organ systems, with a wide range of manifestations ranging from neurofibromas (benign nerve sheath tumors) that carry the risk of malignant transformation, to learning difficulties and bone abnormalities. Despite having two FDA-approved MEK inhibitors for NF1 patients, there is still a huge unmet need in providing safer and more efficacious treatment options to the NF1 patients, and GondolaBio strives to address this gap.

To learn more, visit us at gondolabio.com

Who You Are

You are a strategic and execution-minded clinical operations leader who thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment-and you're at your best when the path isn't fully defined. You bring a strong track record of leading global clinical trials, especially phase 2, and you know how to move quickly without compromising quality. You take ownership of outcomes, not just tasks. You're a self-starter who can independently identify what needs to happen, build an actionable plan, and drive delivery through internal teams and external partners. You communicate crisply, escalates early with solutions, and stay calm and effective when timelines are tight or priorities shift. You are comfortable working quickly on a lean, focused team, willing to be hands on and build a right-sized team if needed.

Requirements

Essential Skills and Function

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the launch and execution of global clinical trials potentially across multiple regions, including the U.S., Europe, Australia, and China. Experience navigating clinical trial start-up and execution in China is highly preferred.
• Experience in early development (FIH/SAD/MAD and phase 2) is a must. Ph3 and registrational experience very preferred but not required
• Take ownership of end-to-end operational strategy and execution for developmental programs, balancing speed, cost, and risk across multiple studies and geographies.
• Develop and maintain integrated study plans, including participating in the design, implementation and review of clinical protocols and study reports for operational accuracy, timelines, budgets, and risk mitigation strategies; ensure milestones are met with quality and attention to detail.
• Select CROs, clinical pharmacology units, and key vendors; build governance and oversight models that drive accountability, performance, and predictable delivery. Support identification, qualification, management, and maintenance of close engagement with clinical trial sites, including collaborating with Principal Investigators and study coordinators
• Partner closely with cross-functional stakeholders (Clinical Development, Safety, Regulatory, Biometrics, Clinical Supply, CMC, Translational) to align on operational feasibility and execution plans.
• Drive study start-up and conduct excellence (country/site feasibility, start-up strategy, vendor management, enrollment execution, data quality, TMF/inspection readiness, closeout and timely study execution. Deliver high-quality clinical study data.
• Proactively navigate ambiguous situations: identify the real problem, propose options, make decisions, and unblock teams to deliver outcomes.
• Establish and continuously improve fit-for-purpose clinical operations processes, templates, and metrics as the organization scales.
• Contribute to pipeline growth activities as needed (operational diligence for new opportunities; integration planning for new programs/vendors).
• Acquire and sustain advanced knowledge of the therapeutic area and product and clinical trial setting.
• Take overall responsibility for role training for the team and work with Quality Assurance to develop, maintain and document appropriate training for compliance with GxP standards.
• Lead or assist in writing, reviewing, and/or approving clinical project deliverables such as core documents and plans
  

Preferred Education And Experience

• BA/BS degree preferred in a scientific or business discipline, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• 10+ years of clinical operations/clinical management experience with increasing scope and responsibility; senior leadership experience managing programs and/or teams.
• Demonstrated success leading international trials and complex vendor ecosystems (CRO oversight, governance, budgets, timelines, and performance management).
• Direct, hands-on experience running Phase 1 and 2 trials, healthy volunteer studies, SAD/MAD/ PoC in US/ex-US
• Strong knowledge of ICH-GCP and global clinical operations best practices; strong quality mindset and inspection readiness experience.
• Proven ability to lead through influence, align diverse stakeholders, and drive execution in a lean environment.
• Track record of operating effectively with high ambiguity-setting direction, making decisions, and taking accountability for delivery.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to prioritize and multi-task with exceptional verbal and written communication skills
• Mandarin language skills preferred
• Possess strategic thinking and proactive identification of issues, excellent judgment, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to operate and cooperate at all levels within a project, from oversight to hands-on management of day-to-day activities
• Willingness to travel as necessary, consistent with project needs.
  

No matter your role at GondolaBio, successful team members are:

• Patient Champions, who put patients first and uphold strict ethical standards
• Entrepreneurial Operators, who drive toward practical solutions and have an ownership mindset
• Truth Seekers, who are detailed, rational, and humble problem solvers
• Individuals Who Inspire Excellence in themselves and those around them
• High-quality executors, who execute against goals and milestones with quality, precision, and speed
  

What We Offer

• Patient Days, where we are fortunate to hear directly from individuals living with the conditions we are seeking to impact throughout the year and learn how we can improve our efforts
• A culture inspired by our values: put patients first, think independently, be radically transparent, every minute counts, and let the science speak
• An unyielding commitment to always putting patients first.
• A de-centralized model that enables our program teams to focus on advancing science and helping patients. Our affiliate structure is designed to eliminate bureaucracy and put decision-making power in the hands of those closest to the science
• A place where you own the vision-both for your program and your own career path
• A collaborative, fast-paced, data-driven environment where we inspire ourselves and each other to always perform at the top of our game
• Access to learning and development resources to help you get in the best professional shape of your life
• Robust and market-competitive compensation & benefits package (Base, Performance Bonus, Equity, health, welfare & retirement programs)
• Flexible PTO
• Rapid career advancement for strong performers
• Potential ability to work on multiple BridgeBio Pharma programs across multiple therapeutic areas over time
• Partnerships with leading institutions
• Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
  

The base pay range for this position is $259,000 to $314,000 per year. The actual compensation offered will be determined based on a number of job-related factors, including experience, skills, qualifications, and location. A bonus plan and equity will also be offered.

GondolaBio ServiceCo is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. Employees of BridgeBio and all affiliated companies should work through their managers to inquire about and learn more about this role.