Senior Director, Alliance Management

Are you ready to join a team committed to making a meaningful impact on cancer treatment through the discovery and development of precision medicines? At Kura Oncology, you have an opportunity to be a part of something bigger, with a lasting impact that you can be proud of.

At Kura Oncology, we are working to change the paradigm and improve the science of cancer treatment. As an organization, we strive to cultivate a diverse and talented professional culture driven to develop precision medicine therapeutics.

As we continue to build a leading biotech organization with a strong culture, a patient-focused mindset and a team focused on relentless execution, we are looking for innovative, passionate professionals to join us and make our vision a reality.

To succeed at Kura, you will need to have a demonstrated ability for excellence in drug discovery and development and a roll-up your sleeves attitude. The ideal candidate will possess a values-driven work style where integrity and grit drive all behaviors, decisions, and actions.

The Senior Director of Alliance Management will play a critical role in managing and optimizing Kura’s strategic alliance with Kyowa Kirin, supporting the strategic and operational execution of our programs. This individual will be responsible for leading and overseeing the management of strategic partnerships including governance, developing and executing alliance strategies, fostering collaboration and communication between internal teams and external partners, and ensuring that partnerships delivery mutual value.

The successful candidate will combine strategic thinking with a strong bias for action; be able to anticipate issues, frame complex decisions, plan and drive governance interactions, and provide thoughtful recommendations, while also taking ownership for translating those recommendations into clear actions and results. This role requires a confident and credible leader who is willing to raise and address difficult issues, constructively challenge internal and external stakeholders when needed, and hold both internal teams and external partners accountable to agreed-upon commitments

• Develop and execute the overall alliance management strategy aligned with the organization’s business objectives, partnership agreements, and long-term strategic priorities.
• Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with Joint Committee members, alliance governance leaders, internal stakeholders, and external partner counterparts to enable candid dialogue, effective decision-making, and productive collaboration.
• Facilitate and coordinate joint committees and working groups to promote collaboration among partners.
• Drive accountability to the partnership agreement and governance decisions, ensuring that commitments, obligations, milestones, and agreed-upon actions are understood and fulfilled by both internal teams and external partners.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for partners, maintaining strong relationships and clear communication.
• Drive continuous improvement to strengthen the partnership to support program execution aligned to the partnership agreements
• Partner with Program Leadership and Program Management to translate strategic discussions and governance decisions into clear execution plans, owners, timelines and deliverables, and own follow-through across internal partner teams.
• Establish communication and decision-making protocols among alliance teams and with the partner; ensures contractually required communication occurs in a timely manner.
• Accurately interpret contracts and manages contractual obligations; establish and monitor metrics and milestones; negotiate amendments to contracts; and manage conflict resolutions and escalation when necessary.

• Advanced degree in life sciences, business administration, or a related field is preferred.
• Significant experience in alliance management or partnership development and commercialization within the pharmaceutical biotechnology industry.
• A minimum of 12 years experience.
• Strong negotiation and communication skills, with the ability to manage complex relationships.
• Strong executive presence and communications skills, with the confidence and judgement to raise difficult issues, constructively challenge stakeholders, and influence decisions across organizational boundaries.
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities, with a focus on achieving mutual goals.
• Expertise in working within matrix teams, including…