Lead, APEX Strategy and Operations
Flagship Pioneering, Inc.
Summary
Flagship Pioneering is seeking a highly motivated Lead, Strategy & Operations to join our growing APEX Group. Flagship undertakes dozens of complex, value-oriented transactions at any given time — including joint ventures and partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, licensing and collaborations, global fundraising, and business and corporate development initiatives. All of the activities associated with transactions at Flagship are led by a cross-disciplinary group, referred to internally as the APEX Group.
Job description
Position Summary
Flagship Pioneering is seeking a highly motivated Lead, Strategy & Operations to join our growing APEX Group. Flagship undertakes dozens of complex, value-oriented transactions at any given time — including joint ventures and partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, licensing and collaborations, global fundraising, and business and corporate development initiatives. All of the activities associated with transactions at Flagship are led by a cross-disciplinary group, referred to internally as the APEX Group.
Where other roles on the team own the substance and negotiation of individual transactions, this role owns the engine that keeps the whole group running: the operating cadence, the pipeline visibility, the processes, and the follow-through that let a small, senior team execute a high volume of complex deals without dropping anything. This individual will partner closely with APEX leadership and coordinate across Flagship's Executive Leadership Team, Business Development, Corporate Development, Legal, Finance, IP, and portfolio company leadership to keep strategic priorities, transactions, and initiatives moving on schedule.
Responsibilities
- Drive APEX's operating cadence, priority-setting, and internal communications on behalf of group leadership.
- Own end-to-end project management across the APEX transaction pipeline: tracking status, milestones, risks, dependencies, and resourcing across dozens of concurrent transactions.
- Design and run the group's strategy and operations processes, including planning cycles, goal-setting, budget and headcount planning, and performance reporting.
- Build and maintain dashboards, trackers, and reporting that give APEX and Flagship leadership real-time visibility into deal pipeline, resourcing, and outcomes.
- Develop and maintain playbooks, templates, and best practices to standardize and scale transaction execution across the group.
- Coordinate cross-functionally with Business Development, Corporate Development, Legal, Finance, IP, and portfolio company leadership to remove bottlenecks and keep initiatives on track.
- Prepare materials and drive agendas for APEX leadership meetings, offsites, and updates to Flagship's Executive Leadership Team and Board.
- Lead special strategic projects and process-improvement initiatives on behalf of APEX leadership.
- Manage onboarding, training, and knowledge-sharing for new APEX team members.
- Identify inefficiencies in transaction execution and drive practical solutions to improve speed and quality.
Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor's degree required; MBA or other advanced degree a plus.
- 8+ years of experience in project or program management, business operations, strategy, or management consulting; prior exposure to life sciences, biotech, or complex transactions is preferred but not required.
- Proven ability to manage complex, multi-workstream initiatives across cross-functional, senior stakeholder groups in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong analytical and reporting skills, with experience building and maintaining dashboards, trackers, and executive-ready materials.
- Excellent executive presence and written/verbal communication skills, with experience preparing materials for and advising senior leadership.
- Track record designing and implementing operational processes, playbooks, and best practices from scratch.
- High degree of discretion, judgment, and professionalism in handling confidential and sensitive information.
What Makes You Successful
- Thrives in ambiguity and enjoys building structure and process where none exists.
- Can move seamlessly between granular execution and big-picture strategy.
- Builds strong relationships across diverse teams and senior stakeholders.
- Is highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage many priorities simultaneously without letting things slip.
- Is discreet, trustworthy, and comfortable operating in close proximity to leadership.
- Enjoys working in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment where no two weeks look alike.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree required
- 8+ years of experience in project or program management, business operations, strategy, or management consulting
- Proven ability to manage complex, multi-workstream initiatives across cross-functional, senior stakeholder groups
- Strong analytical and reporting skills
- Experience building and maintaining dashboards, trackers, and executive-ready materials
- Excellent executive presence and written/verbal communication skills
- Track record designing and implementing operational processes, playbooks, and best practices from scratch
- High degree of discretion, judgment, and professionalism
Benefits
- Healthcare coverage
- Annual incentive program
- Retirement benefits
Company overview
Flagship Pioneering is a pioneering biotechnology venture capital firm that specializes in conceiving, creating, and developing first-in-category life sciences companies. Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the firm applies a unique hypothesis-driven innovation process to originate and foster scientific ventures with transformative potential for human health and sustainability. Flagship has originated over 100 scientific ventures since its inception, creating more than $30 billion in aggregate value across its portfolio. The firm's ecosystem includes notable companies such as Moderna Therapeutics, Denali Therapeutics, Evelo Biosciences, and Seres Therapeutics, among others. Flagship operates through a systematic entrepreneurship model that combines scientific creativity, technological ingenuity, and executive leadership to build platform companies capable of generating multiple breakthrough products. With over $3 billion in aggregate capital commitments, the firm invests primarily in therapeutics, health technologies, and sustainability sectors, working in partnership with academic institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and investment communities to advance groundbreaking science and innovation globally.