Vice President of Business Development

Airna; Cambridge (MA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Airna, based in Cambridge, MA, seeks a VP of Business Development to execute the BD strategy for regenerative RNA therapies. The role requires deep biotech expertise, strong dealmaking, and a robust network across pharma and biotech. Hybrid work; the HQ is in Cambridge, MA, with proximity to key partner ecosystems.

The candidate will lead BD strategy, M&A/licensing discussions, and cross-functional deal execution, influencing portfolio growth and company value.

Qualifications

• Degree in Life Sciences with graduate education in one or more specialized fields (PhD, JD, MD, MBA).
• Minimum of 10-12 years in business development in biotech/pharma.
• Proven track record of closing significant partnership deals, licensing, or M&A.
• Deep understanding of genetic medicine landscape with wide network across pharma/biotech/academia.
• Strong negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the BD strategy to support mission and growth.
• Identify opportunities to retain vs partner to optimize portfolio; lead deals with Biopharma.
• Stay abreast of industry trends and provide market insights to leadership.
• Structure, negotiate, and execute strategic deals with internal teams.

Skills

Strategic BD

Partnerships & Licensing

Negotiation

Financial Modeling

Cross-functional Collaboration

Industry Networking

Strategic Thinking

Education

Life Sciences degree

PhD/MD/JD/MBA

Job description

AIRNA is a biotechnology company with a mission to be the leading RNA editing company delivering precision therapies to patients with rare and common diseases.

AIRNA is harnessing advances in genetics to develop transformative RNA-editing medicines that improve human health. Our proprietary platform is based on groundbreaking research by pioneers of the field and company co-founders Thorsten Stafforst (University of Tübingen) and Jin Billy Li (Stanford University) and enables optimal potency, safety, and delivery. AIRNA is advancing a robust pipeline of therapeutic candidates that are designed to provide functional cures for severe or chronic diseases by repairing harmful genetic variants or introducing beneficial variants promote optimal health.

AIRNA has raised $245 million in financing from a world-class syndicate of investors including Arch Venture Partners, Forbion, Venrock Healthcare Capital Partners, RTW Investments, Nextech Invest, and ND Capital. We value teamwork, resilience, excellence, human, and health, and have a diverse team at both our headquarters in Cambridge, MA and our research operations in Tübingen, Germany.

JOB OVERVIEW

We are seeking a strategic, results-driven, and highly motivated VP of Business Development to execute the business development strategy at AIRNA. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of the biotech industry, particularly RNA-based therapeutics, with a strong network of relationships across the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Business Development : Implement the business development strategy to support the company's mission and growth objectives. Identify the best opportunities to retain versus partner to optimize the company’s portfolio. Lead the identification, evaluation, and execution of strategic opportunities with Biopharma companies, including partnerships, collaborations, licensing agreements.
• Competitive Intelligence : Stay abreast of industry trends, competitive products, companies, and technologies, and emerging opportunities in RNA editing and related fields (e.g., delivery technologies). Provide market insights to the executive team to adapt business strategies accordingly.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration : Work closely with internal teams including R&D, legal, and finance to structure, negotiate, and execute strategic deals. Ensure that agreements are aligned with the company's scientific and financial objectives. Ensure team alignment with corporate goals.
• Modeling / Valuation : Develop and refine financial models to support BD work including valuation analyses for pipeline assets, partnerships, and investment opportunities.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Degree in Life Sciences plus graduate education in one or more specialized fields (PhD, JD, MD, MBA). A strong background in RNA therapeutics, gene editing, or related fields is highly preferred.
• Minimum of 10-12 years of experience in business development in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry, preferably working closely with platform technologies.
• Proven track record of closing significant partnership deals, licensing agreements, or M&A in the biotech sector.
• Deep understanding of the genetic medicine landscape, with a network of relationships across pharma, biotech, and academic institutions.
• Strong negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships at all organizational levels.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, execute complex deals, and influence decision-making.
• High level of financial acumen, including experience with structuring deals, financial modeling, and valuation.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic, and highly collaborative environment.
• Results-driven, with a strong entrepreneurial mindset and a passion for advancing innovative therapies.
• Collaborative and team-oriented, with excellent leadership capabilities.

LOCATION

AIRNA has a hybrid work model, and the role will be based in AIRNA’s corporate headquarters in Cambridge, MA ~3 days per week.