Reference: JVM010626

Our client is a privately owned biotech with offices in central Oxford, UK and outsources all laboratory work. They are developing a disruptive approach to the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s and other neuro-degenerative diseases. They are now raising a significant fund and preparing to take the assets into the clinic, and they are building the team to make that happen.

The COO will be the operational backbone of the company, the person who turns the CEO’s vision and the CSO’s science into structured, well-governed, efficiently executed reality. The role holder will have responsibility for everything that keeps the company running well – from vendor governance and regulatory coordination to corporate infrastructure, compliance, and team development.

The COO will work closely with a small passionate founding team; they are a lean, ambitious organisation. All laboratory and scientific work is conducted through a carefully selected network of external partners, CROs, academic institutions, hospitals, and specialist service providers across Europe and the United States.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the COO will sit on the senior leadership team alongside the CFO and CSO with responsibility for oversight of ongoing daily operations and procedures with the goal of taking the company assets into the clinic to drive extensive and sustainable growth. There is a small internal team and the COO will also work closely with a network of trusted external consultants covering legal, regulatory, and other specialist functions.

The COO will be pivotal in commercialising the disruptive technology of the company.

The role holder must be a seasoned life sciences player with a track record of improving operations at a comparable stage and continuous company development with an understanding of the development pathway from concept to market. Demonstrable experience governing and managing outsourced CRO, CMO, or academic partners, including contract negotiation, performance management, and quality oversight, is essential.