Vice President, Chief of Staff

Who is BlueRock?

BlueRock Therapeutics LP is a clinical stage cell therapy company harnessing the power of cell therapy to create a pipeline of new medicines for people suffering from neurological and ophthalmic diseases. Two of our novel investigational cell therapies, bemdaneprocel (BRT-DA01) for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and OpCT-001 for the treatment of primary photoreceptor diseases are clinical stage programs. BlueRock was founded in 2016 as a joint venture of Versant Ventures and Leaps by Bayer. Our culture is defined by the courage to persist regardless of the challenge, the urgency to transform medicine and deliver hope, integrity guided by mission, and community-mindedness with the understanding that we are all part of something bigger than ourselves.

What Are We Doing?

Our foundational science harnesses the ability to create and then direct the differentiation of universal pluripotent stem cells into authentic, functional cells that can be used as allogeneic cellular therapies to treat a broad array of diseases. We can also further engineer these cells, enabling them to produce enzymes, antibodies, and other proteins for additional therapeutic benefit.

We are passionate about delivering on the promise of cellular and gene therapy, shaping the future of cellular medicine, and delivering new therapies to millions of patients with treatment options.

We are seeking individuals who are collaborative, thrive in a fun and dynamic culture, and are steadfast in the commitment to advance cutting-edge cellular therapies to impact patients’ lives.

Description of Position:

The Chief of Staff (COS) to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) enables the CEO to work most effectively with internal and external stakeholders, drive strategic priorities, and ensure alignment across teams. This is a highly strategic and facilitative role that requires a combination of focus and flexibility, as well as a willingness to play an active, behind-the-scenes role.

As the CEO’s trusted counsel, the COS must be a highly resourceful individual with strong emotional intelligence, self-motivation, excellent analytical and communication skills, and demonstrated strategic planning experience is a must. The role is ideal for someone who thrives in complex environments, connects the dots quickly, and is energized by helping a team deliver results through thoughtful planning, coordination, and execution.

Responsibilities

• Provide timely strategic advice and partnership to CEO through collaboration with the Executive Committee, board members, key stakeholders, internal project leaders and Bayer colleagues.
• Lead role in preparation of agenda and slide preparation for all Board meetings and key external meetings.
• Partner with the CEO and Executive Committee with corporate calendar management, assistance in corporate governance agenda builds, timely decision making, and partner with PRC and SBDC.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives that improve organizational performance and support of BlueRock’s evolving strategy and needs, bringing together diverse perspectives and fostering a culture of trust, transparency, and innovation.
• In collaboration with Finance, People and Culture, and Department leads, act as key strategic partner driving organizational performance through goal setting, strategic planning, headcount tracking, budget oversight for regular business reviews and annual planning exercises
• Facilitate effective and disciplined communication of the organization’s strategy and key messages at all levels – with the board, Bayer, and internally.
• Drive clarity, accountability, and alignment across stakeholders—connecting teams to strategy and supporting collaboration, including participating in and engaging with our Leadership Forum.
• Play a key role in defining Executive Committee’s strategic direction, driving the agenda and translating goals into operational plans
• Partner with the Executive Committee to optimize the current-state organization, design the future-state organization, and to identify and prioritize the changes needed to deliver the company’s mission and vision.
• Identify and advise the Leadership Team on the implementation of new policies and procedures along with the implementation and design of new projects and change initiatives.
• Plan and facilitate effective Executive Committee meetings and offsites, including agendas, facilitation, and action tracking
  
  

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (PhD or MD) strongly preferred
• 12+ years in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry, with broad experience in strategic roles and a strong understanding of clinical development
• Deep understanding of clinical development processes, including operations, governance, and execution
• Proven experience leading cross-functional strategic and organizational initiatives in a global, matrixed environment
• Demonstrated experience in strategic corporate planning with strong financial planning acumen
• Demonstrated success in driving organizational development, change management, and performance improvement initiatives
• Strong project management and prioritization skills with the ability to manage multiple workstreams across stakeholders
• Excellent communication skills—written, verbal, and visual—with experience developing materials for senior and executive audiences
• High emotional intelligence, cultural awareness, and the ability to build trusted relationships across teams and geographies
• Strong leadership presence and the ability to influence without formal authority
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity, complexity, and high-stakes environments