Sr. Director, Pharma Partnerships

Openkrill; United States; Remote; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

CareDx is seeking a Senior Director of Pharma Partnerships to lead the biopharma partner strategy across transplant and oncology diagnostics. You will identify, develop, and close strategic relationships with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to generate biomarker data, trial support, and commercial opportunities.

The role requires 15+ years in biopharma partnerships, outstanding executive-level relationship skills, and the ability to create scalable operating models.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, business, healthcare, or related field.
• 15+ years of experience in biopharma partnerships or related fields.
• Proven success closing complex partnerships with pharma/biotech.
• Experience leading opportunities through evaluation, proposal, negotiation, and contracting.
• Existing senior-level networks with pharma leaders.
• Willingness to travel 25–40%.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the Pharma Partnership strategy across transplant and oncology diagnostics.
• Identify and pursue high-potential biopharma partners and opportunities.
• Lead negotiations, pricing, contracts, and deal closure.
• Build and scale the Pharma Partnerships organization and governance.
• Collaborate with R&D, Medical Affairs, Regulatory, Legal, and Commercial teams.

Skills

Biopharma partnerships

Business development

Strategic accounts

Alliance management

Molecular diagnostics

Precision medicine

Executive relationships

Education

Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, business, healthcare, or related field

MBA or MS/PhD/PharmD/MD preferred

Job description

CareDx is a leading precision medicine diagnostics company advancing care in transplant, specialty oncology, and cell therapy. Through our innovative portfolio of molecular diagnostics, digital health solutions, AI-powered data and analytics, and patient support services, we partner with healthcare providers, patients, and biopharma organizations to help inform clinical decision-making and improve patient outcomes.

At CareDx, every employee has the opportunity to contribute to innovations that help transform patient care and improve lives.

The Senior Director Pharma Partnerships role is responsible for developing and executing CareDx's biopharma partnership strategy across its oncology and transplant diagnostics businesses. This leader will identify, develop, negotiate, and expand strategic relationships with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies seeking biomarker and data generation solutions.

This role serves as CareDx's senior commercial leader for biopharma partnerships and will be responsible for building a sustainable growth engine for pharma partnering, including strategic account development, opportunity creation, pipeline generation, and external relationship expansion. The Senior Director will work closely with executive leadership to shape the long-term vision, strategy, and operating model for CareDx's Pharma Partnerships organization while driving measurable partnership revenue and strategic value creation.

This highly visible role requires scientific and commercial acumen, executive relationship management, and demonstrated success closing complex biopharma partnerships. The successful candidate will be expected to create new partnership opportunities, influence market direction, and establish CareDx as a preferred partner for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies across transplant and oncology.

Core Responsibilities:

Pharma Partnership Strategy

• Define and execute the strategy, vision, and priorities for CareDx’s biopharma partnership approach across transplant and oncology diagnostics, ensuring alignment with company objectives.
• Use market, drug pipeline, clinical trial, biomarker, and strategic data to identify and prioritize biopharma partners with company-level growth potential.
• Develop account strategies for priority partners that clarify stakeholder needs, competitive positioning, partnership pathways, decision-making processes, and long-term expansion opportunities.
• Anticipate future market opportunities and proactively identify unmet needs where CareDx can create new demand and differentiated partnership models before formal partner requirements emerge.
• Build trusted networks of influence with senior pharmaceutical executives and key industry stakeholders to advance strategic partnership opportunities.
• Represent CareDx externally at industry conferences, scientific meetings, and executive forums, positioning the company as a leader in precision medicine and diagnostic-enabled drug development.

Business Development and Transaction Execution

• Own the development and management of a high-quality portfolio of strategic partnership opportunities that supports annual bookings, revenue growth, and long-term strategic objectives.
• Establish and maintain a robust business-development pipeline through proactive outreach, market intelligence, relationship cultivation, and strategic account management.
• Lead complex opportunities from initial identification through scientific qualification, solution development, proposal preparation, pricing, negotiation, contracting, and closing.
• Structure partnership opportunities by balancing partner objectives with CareDx's scientific, diagnostic, operational, financial, and strategic goals.
• Develop compelling strategic and financial business cases by synthesizing revenue potential, investment requirements, operational feasibility, risk, and long-term strategic value.
• Lead negotiations and contract strategy for confidentiality agreements, service agreements, data partnerships, clinical-development programs, and broader strategic collaborations.
• Achieve defined annual partnership, booking, revenue, and growth objectives while maintaining strong partner satisfaction and long-term relationship development.

Organizational Leadership and Partner Growth

• Build and scale CareDx's Pharma Partnerships organization, including organizational design, talent acquisition, capability development, and operating processes as business needs evolve.
• Establish the operating model, talent strategy, governance framework, performance metrics, and best practices that support sustainable growth of the Pharma Partnerships function.
• Create scalable systems for portfolio management, account prioritization, pipeline management, forecasting, and performance measurement.
• Partner closely with R&D, Medical Affairs, Laboratory Operations, Bioinformatics, Regulatory, Legal, Finance, and Commercial teams to ensure successful development and execution of partnership opportunities.
• Serve as the executive sponsor for strategic pharmaceutical relationships, ensuring alignment on partnership objectives and identifying opportunities to expand collaboration over time.
• Collaborate closely with the Alliance Management responsible for project execution, operational governance, and delivery of active partnerships, ensuring seamless transition from deal execution to operational implementation.
• Mentor and develop current and future team members while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and growth.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, business, healthcare, or a related field. Advanced degree such as an MBA, MS, PhD, PharmD, or MD preferred.
• 15+ years of experience in biopharma partnerships, business development, strategic accounts, alliance management, molecular diagnostics, precision medicine, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success developing, negotiating, and closing complex partnerships with pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies that have significant business impact.
• Experience leading opportunities through scientific evaluation, proposal development, financial assessment, negotiation, contracting, implementation, and cross-functional change management.
• Proven ability to establish networks of influence and build trusted relationships with senior pharmaceutical leaders across scientific, clinical, commercial, and business functions.
• Experience creating governance processes, operating mechanisms, and alliance structures that enable autonomous execution and sustained partnership growth.
• Strong understanding of the role of diagnostics and biomarkers across translational research, clinical development, and commercialization.
• Ability to synthesize complex scientific, technical, operational, and financial information into clear partner value propositions, executable programs, and strategic business cases.
• Excellent executive communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship-management skills, with the ability to persuade diverse audiences and navigate differing viewpoints.
• Demonstrated ability to align leaders around complex priorities, lead cross-functional change initiatives, and influence effectively in a matrixed organization.
• Ability to manage multiple complex opportunities and partner relationships simultaneously while setting clear priorities, clearing roadblocks, and remaining accountable for outcomes.
• Existing relationships across transplant and oncology pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
• Willingness to travel approximately 25-40%, including customer meetings, industry conferences, scientific congresses, and internal leadership engagements.

Additional Details:

Every individual at CareDx has a direct impact on our collective mission to improve the lives of organ transplant patients worldwide. We believe in taking great care of our people, so they take even greater