Vice President, Global Program Head

Kardigan; Princeton (NJ); Hybrid; USD 312,000 - 373,000; Full time

Job summary

Kardigan is seeking a Vice President, Global Program Head to lead a cardiovascular development program from late-stage research through launch and lifecycle. You will shape strategy, define milestones, budgets, and resource needs, and own the integrated plan with the global team.

You will report to the Chief Development Officer, partner with Clinical, Regulatory, Safety, Manufacturing, Medical, and Commercial leaders, and present progress to the Executive Committee.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in life sciences or medicine (MD, PhD, or equivalent).
• Proven ability to influence and drive decisions in cross-functional teams.
• Track record of advancing programs through clinical and regulatory milestones.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with senior executives.

Responsibilities

• Own the late-stage development and commercialization strategy.
• Lead a global cross-functional team across Clinical, Regulatory, Safety, Manufacturing, Medical, and Commercial.
• Present progress and investment needs to the CEO, Exec Committee, and Board.

Skills

Program leadership

Clinical milestones

Strategic judgment

Negotiation

Cross-functional influence

Executive communication

Education

Advanced degree in life sciences/medicine

Job description

Kardigan is a heart health company working to make cardiovascular disease preventable, curable and no longer the leading cause of death in the world.

It is Kardigan’s mission to develop multiple targeted treatments in parallel that bring people with cardiovascular diseases to the cures they deserve.

Led by Tassos Gianakakos, Jay Edelberg, M.D., Ph.D., and Bob McDowell, Ph.D., Kardigan’s co-founders have reunited after leading MyoKardia to discover and develop mavacamten, the first cardiac myosin inhibitor, resulting in an acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb in 2020.

We have a cutting-edge discovery and translational research platform, a pipeline of late-stage candidates, and an industry-leading team that is driven to improve the lives of patients.

At Kardigan, we are motivated by our values which guide how we work, interact, and achieve our goals. Driven by patients and their families, we are deeply committed to improving the lives of patients and prioritizing their needs above all else. We believe in being authentic—leading with truth to bring out the best in others by creating an environment where every person knows they will be fully accepted. With an eagerness to learn, we encourage the highest levels of curiosity and are open to changing our minds. We are committed to winning as a team with urgency, excellence, and intention, and support each other no matter what role we play or where we sit. Lastly, we strive to enable the impossible because patients are counting on us. We are not afraid to take risks to unlock innovation and advance scientific discoveries.

These values are the foundation of our work, empowering us to make a real difference, every day.

About the Job

Job Title: Vice President, Global Program Head

Level: Vice President

Department: Development

Hiring Manager: Chief Development Officer

Location: Princeton, NJ

Classification: Hybrid – On-site 4 days per week (Mon to Thurs)

Travel: Approximately 20–25% as needed

Kardigan’s Development team turns scientific discovery into medicines for people living with cardiovascular disease. Working side by side with colleagues in Clinical, Regulatory, Safety, Manufacturing, Medical, and Commercial, the team builds integrated plans that move each program forward with urgency, rigor, and the highest standards of quality, ethics, and compliance.

Program leaders here have real ownership. You will shape strategy at pivotal stages of development, influence company-level priorities, and help establish scalable ways of working in a fast-growing organization. The culture is collaborative, direct, and patient-centered, and every team member can see how their work connects to our mission.

Job Overview

The Global Program Head is the single accountable leader for a Kardigan therapeutic program, from late-stage development through launch and lifecycle management. Leading a cross-functional global program team, you will set the program vision and strategy, define milestones, resourcing, and investment needs, and own the integrated plan and budget.

You will be the voice of the program to Kardigan’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors, and a mentor and role model who develops the people on your team. This is a high-visibility leadership role reporting to the Chief Development Officer.

Main Responsibilities

Program strategy and planning

• Own the integrated development and commercialization strategy from late-stage clinical development through regulatory submission, launch, and lifecycle management.
• Define program goals, milestones, and timelines, and build the budget and the resource and investment case needed to deliver them.
• Weigh scientific, clinical, regulatory, and commercial evidence to guide prioritization and go/no-go decisions, including back-up and follow-on candidates.

Cross-functional leadership and execution

• Lead a global team across Clinical, Regulatory, Safety, Manufacturing and Supply, Medical, and Commercial, with clear roles, decision rights, and shared goals.
• Drive progress against milestones, anticipate risks, remove obstacles, and elevate trade-offs early with clear recommendations.
• Partner with functional leaders to secure the right resources at the right time, and raise cross-program resource, timeline, and budget issues with proposed solutions.
• Prepare the program for engagement with global health authorities and for launch readiness alongside Commercial and Medical.

Governance and communication

• Present progress, risks, and investment needs to the CEO, Executive Committee, and Board of Directors.
• Ensure every team member understands the program objectives, strategy, corporate context, and timelines.
• Represent the program with external partners, collaborators, investigators, and key opinion leaders, and make sure the value of those relationships is fully realized.
• Build a high-performing team that models Kardigan’s values and sets the standard for cross-functional teamwork.
• Coach and develop team members and emerging program leaders.

About You

Basic Qualifications

• Advanced degree in life sciences or medicine (MD, PhD, or equivalent).
• Track record of advancing a program through major clinical and regulatory milestones.
• Proven ability to influence, resolve conflict, and drive decisions among cross-functional teams, senior executives, and external partners.
• Strategic and analytical judgment, with the ability to build and execute complex strategies and make sound decisions with broad organizational impact.
• Proven negotiation and alignment skills with internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including presenting to senior executives and boards.

Preferred Qualifications

• 10+ years of biopharmaceutical experience in drug development, including both early- and late-phase programs and pre-commercial preparation.
• 10+ years of experience leading and developing people and cross-functional teams, including in a matrix environment.
• Cardiovascular or cardiometabolic development experience.
• Experience leading a program through regulatory filing and approval; post-launch experience a plus.
• Experience with alliances or external collaborations, including negotiation and joint governance.
• Experience across more than one therapeutic modality.
• Strong planning and financial skills, including budgeting and defining the right metrics to track progress.

Kardigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process.

Exact Compensation may vary based on skills, experience and location.

Pay range

$312,000 - $373,000 USD