Senior Director - Business Operations

Cobalt Recruitment • Full-time • Remote (Pittsburgh, PA, US) • $220k - $270k / year • 6d ago

A rapidly growing biotechnology company is seeking a Senior Director - Business Operations to serve as a key operational leader and strategic partner to the COO. This high-impact role will translate executive vision into execution, ensuring operational rigor, scalability, and alignment across a fast-growing, innovation-driven organization. This position is fully remote and offers a competitive benefits package and performance-based incentives.

About the Senior Director - Business Operations role

Key responsibilities:

Partner with the COO and executive team to align strategy with operational execution across the enterprise.
Lead company-wide operational planning, resource allocation, forecasting, and performance tracking in collaboration with Finance.
Implement and enhance systems, tools, and workflows to support scalability and operational excellence.
Oversee and maintain Quality Management Systems (QMS), SOP governance, and audit readiness.
Ensure compliance across corporate operations, regulatory requirements, insurance, and development activities.
Manage facilities, IT infrastructure, and enterprise systems to support research and clinical advancement.
Oversee sourcing, procurement, logistics, and contract negotiations with CROs, CMOs, and external partners.
Drive operational KPIs and prepare reporting materials for executive leadership and the Board.
Identify operational risks and proactively implement mitigation strategies.
Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing operations team.

Key requirements:

Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, engineering, business, or related field (advanced degree preferred).
10+ years of progressive experience within biotech, pharmaceutical, or life sciences environments.
3–5+ years in senior operational leadership roles within a growth-stage organization.
Strong financial acumen, forecasting experience, and operational compliance expertise.
Proven experience implementing QMS frameworks and maintaining audit readiness.
Demonstrated success managing external vendors, contract negotiations, and enterprise systems.
Excellent communication skills with experience preparing executive- and board-level materials.
Ability to operate strategically while remaining hands-on in execution.