Emily’s Entourage is looking for an experienced, passionate and entrepreneurial scientist to lead the research and development activities of the organization as a full-time Chief Scientific Officer.
The Position
The Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) works with the Emily’s Entourage co-founders, Scientific Advisory Board, leadership team, and strategic advisors to design and execute a strategic scientific plan that speeds therapeutic development for individuals with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) who do not benefit from currently available highly effective therapies.
The CSO will play a leadership role in defining the organization’s research priorities, building and cultivating alliances with stakeholders, including academic, industry, nonprofit and government entities, and managing the growing grant and investment portfolio. The CSO will play a critical role in speeding therapeutic development for the final 10% of the CF community that does not benefit from approved CFTR modulators, particularly those with nonsense mutations.
The CSO will join a core team of five, including a full-time Marketing and Program Manager and Director of Operations, a part-time Digital Event and Campaign Manager, Development and Special Projects Officer, and two co-founders. The CSO will report to the foundation’s co-founders. The organization is based in Bala Cynwyd, PA but is currently virtual due to COVID-19.
The Foundation
Emily’s Entourage is an innovative 501(c)3 that fast tracks research for new treatments and a cure for rare nonsense mutations of Cystic Fibrosis. Founded by Emily Kramer-Golinkoff with family and friends, Emily’s Entourage is fueled by powerful communities, small and large, in person and virtual, that have rallied together, raising over $7.2 million since 2011 to drive high-impact research and groundbreaking collaboration.
While the urgency of the organization is inspired by Emily’s advanced stage disease, the work of Emily’s Entourage gives impetus to advances that can benefit not only patients with Cystic Fibrosis, but approximately 12% of all patients with genetic diseases that are similarly caused by nonsense mutations, amounting to roughly 30 million people worldwide.
Named a White House “Champion of Change” for Precision Medicine, Emily’s Entourage has been featured in the New York Times, STAT, theSkimm, CNN.com, Time.com, People.com, AOL.com, CBS’s The Doctors, Yahoo Health and many other national and local media outlets for its disruptive approach to accelerating breakthroughs and Emily’s inspiring story.
Responsibilities
- Work with the co-founders, advisory committee, and the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) to develop the organization’s research priorities, direction, plan and budget and advance its mission.
- Develop and implement a strategy to accelerate therapeutic discovery and development based on research priorities.
- Oversee the research program and portfolio, including project sourcing, internal and external review process, decision-making, monitoring of grant progress and achievement of milestones, and evaluation in conjunction with the Scientific Director.
- Cultivate relationships with potential co-funders of high-priority research.
- Initiate, negotiate and manage strategic investments leveraging the organization’s venture philanthropy track record and capabilities.
- Establish and manage partnerships with academic labs and industry to advance research and development goals.
- Serve as an ambassador to the academic research, industry communities, and relevant nonprofits, and represent EE at conferences and meetings.
- Disseminate data, models, biospecimens and other resources generated by the organization’s research program as well as oversee the CF nonsense mutation patient registry.
- Develop relationships with regulatory agencies.
- Oversee planning and management of scientific meetings, including symposia, KOL meetings, working meetings, SAB meetings, etc.
- Collaborate and openly communicate with co-founders, EE leadership, development and marketing staff to support fundraising, grant-writing, donor cultivation and stewardship, advocacy and patient education initiatives.
Qualifications
- MD or PhD in biomedical research
- 5+ years of post-doctoral work in research and development with experience in CF preferred but not required
- Industry and translational research experience preferred
- Record of successfully designing and executing a scientific plan
- Experience initiating, negotiating and managing strategic investments preferred
- Experience initiating and managing multi-stakeholder partnerships between academia, industry, philanthropy, and government preferred
Ideal Candidates
- Highly organized, motivated, results oriented with the ability to work independently
- Proven leadership skills with an eagerness to exceed expectations and achieve goals on time and on budget
- Excellent judgement, interpersonal skills, and a strong commitment to ethical standards
- Experience managing several projects at one time with the ability to anticipate, plan for, prioritize, and achieve desired outcomes on time
- Entrepreneurial, visionary approach with the ability to conceive of and execute innovative solutions and thrive in a fast-paced, start-up-like environment
- Record of relationship-building and partnership management among stakeholder groups
- Experience with and strong understanding of preclinical and translational research as well as the drug development and approval process
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to translate complicated scientific and technical concepts into easily understandable terms for varied stakeholders
- Initiative, competence, and an attitude of “leading with ‘yes’” and “whatever is necessary” to complete the job
- Team-oriented player able to work alongside organization leadership and staff, as well as board members, key advisors, and volunteers
- Up to 35% travel pending status of COVID-19 restrictions
This is a full time position, but well qualified candidates who prefer part-time employment will be considered.
Application Instructions
Interested candidates should submit a one-page cover letter and resume to careers@emilysentourage.org. The cover letter should describe (a) previous relevant experience and (b) why the position is right at this stage in his/her career.
Emily’s Entourage provides equal employment opportunity to all persons regardless of age, race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status or disability.
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