Vice President, Business Development and Alliance Management

The posting, as Xaira wrote it

About Xaira Therapeutics

Xaira is an innovative biotech startup focused on leveraging AI to transform drug discovery and development. The company is leading the development of generative AI models to design protein and antibody therapeutics, enabling the creation of medicines against historically hard-to-drug molecular targets. It is also developing foundation models for biology and disease to enable better target elucidation and patient stratification. Collectively, these technologies aim to continually enable the identification of novel therapies and to improve success in drug development. Xaira is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and London.

The Role
Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Business Development and Operations, the Vice President, Business Development will lead the identification, development, negotiation, and execution of major strategic transactions that expand the reach and value of Xaira’s platform.

This role will focus primarily on originating and executing significant AI platform, technology, and multi-program partnerships. Unlike a traditional biotechnology business development role centered on individual asset licensing, this leader will develop complex partnerships built around Xaira’s differentiated scientific and technical capabilities, with the potential to span multiple platform technologies, programs, disease areas, and stages of research and development.

The Vice President will work closely with the SVP of Business Development and Operations, executive leadership, scientific and technical leaders, and legal and finance partners to shape partnering strategy, identify high-value opportunities, and lead transactions from initial engagement through negotiation, execution, and transition to alliance management.

The ideal candidate combines strong transaction leadership with the ability to understand differentiated science and technology, translate Xaira’s AI and drug development capabilities into strategic and commercial value, and develop creative deal structures with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, technology, and other strategic partners.

Key Responsibilities

Business Development Strategy

• Partner with the SVP of Business Development and Operations to develop and execute Xaira’s business development strategy.
• Identify opportunities for major AI platform, technology, research, and multi-program partnerships.
• Translate Xaira’s scientific and technical capabilities, including its AI-enabled discovery and development capabilities, into clear and compelling partnership opportunities.
• Develop a prioritized pipeline of potential partners and transactions aligned with Xaira’s long-term strategy.
• Assess market trends, competitive activity, partner needs, and emerging business models across TechBio, AI, and biopharma, including the evolving landscape for AI-driven drug discovery partnerships.
• Provide strategic recommendations to senior leadership regarding partnership opportuni

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censing, including platform, technology, research, AI, and multi-program collaborations.

• Alliance Leadership: Ability to establish effective governance, manage complex partner relationships, resolve challenges, and create additional value throughout the life of an alliance.
• Negotiation: Skilled at navigating complex negotiations while protecting Xaira’s intellectual property, strategic flexibility, and long-term value.
• Executive Communication: Ability to present complex opportunities, risks, and recommendations clearly to senior leadership and the Board.
• Cross-Functional Influence: Demonstrated ability to align scientific, technical, legal, finance, and operational stakeholders around complex decisions.
• Relationship Building: Ability to establish credibility and build trusted relationships with senior external partners and internal leaders.
• Execution and Accountability: Brings structure, pace, sound judgment, and follow-through to complex and often ambiguous deal processes.

Compensation

We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package, seeking to provide an open, flexible, and friendly work environment to empower employees and provide them with a platform to develop their long-term careers. A Summary of Benefits is available for all applicants. We offer a competitive package that includes base salary, bonus, and equity. The base pay range for this position is expected to be $250,000 - $325,000 annually; however, the base pay offered will vary depending on the market, job-related knowledge, skills and capabilities, and experience.

Xaira Therapeutics an equal-opportunity employer. We believe that our strength is in our differences. Our goal to build a diverse and inclusive team began on day one, and it will never end.

TO ALL RECRUITMENT AGENCIES: Xaira Therapeutics does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias or employees. Xaira Therapeutics is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.