Chief of Staff
Watertown, MA
4:59 Initiative – 4:59 Stealth Company /
Full-time /
Hybrid
About Us
Our team is dedicated to the development of a broad pipeline of small molecules powered by unique chemistry insights to address a wide range of high unmet clinical needs. Our company was created within 5AM Ventures' 4:59 Initiative in 2023. We are based in Watertown, MA.
Your role:
This role is at the center of all action and the glue keeping our executive team connected and meticulously organized.
As Chief of Staff (CoS), you will be a strategic partner and trusted advisor to our C-suite, playing a critical role in ensuring the company’s priorities are executed efficiently and effectively. This highly visible role requires a proactive, organized, and resourceful individual who thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment. The CoS will help drive alignment across the organization, manage key initiatives, and optimize the leadership team’s time and focus.
This cross-functional leader will also play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our portfolio by driving market opportunity assessments, product positioning, and early commercial planning. Above all, top notch slide making skills are a must in this role. Turning a rough draft into an elegant slide with craftsmanship is going to be a regular part of your day. If you’re used to context switching and energized by working in an early stage environment, this role could be for you.
Your role
- Serve as the CDO and CEO’s right hand, acting as a strategic thought partner and project manager on cross-functional initiatives.
- Drive planning and execution of company-wide priorities, tracking progress and ensuring follow-through.
- Prepare materials, agendas, and reports for Board of Directors meetings, investor updates, and internal leadership meetings.
- Identify and address operational bottlenecks; coordinate with functional leaders across discovery, operations, and other teams to resolve issues.
- Lead new product planning efforts across preclinical and early clinical-stage programs to inform go/no-go decisions, target product profiles (TPPs), and asset prioritization.
- Conduct in-depth market assessments, including competitive landscape analysis, epidemiology, treatment paradigms, and pricing/reimbursement landscapes.
- Collaborate with R&D, clinical development, regulatory, and business development teams to align on product vision, development strategy, and commercial potential.
- Develop and own forecast models and commercial scenarios to guide portfolio strategy and investor communications.
- Provide strategic input on indication selection, trial design, and regulatory pathways.
- Support BD activities with commercial evaluations and deal modeling for in-licensing or partnership opportunities.
- Represent the voice of the customer (patients, HCPs, payers) throughout product development stages.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships across the company to foster collaboration and alignment.
Your background
- You earned an advanced degree, likely a PhD in a scientific discipline
- You have at least 8+ years of experience in biotech/pharma, with at least 3 years in new product planning or a closely related commercial strategy role.
- Proven experience in commercial assessment of early-stage small molecule assets.
- Deep understanding of drug development processes.
- Strong analytical, financial modeling, and project management skills.
- Demonstrated success in a strategic or operations role, ideally supporting C-level executives.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; able to craft compelling presentations and documents for internal and external stakeholders.
- High emotional intelligence, discretion, and ability to build trust at all levels.
- Thrives in ambiguity and adapts quickly in a rapidly evolving startup setting.
- You are resourceful. There is no job too big or too small and have a “roll up your sleeves” approach to your work. When faced with a task that you’ve not done before, your first instinct is to ask the right questions, seek answers or context independently, and dive in head first. You are not scared to try and fail, but usually put in enough effort to fail infrequently
- You have excellent quantitative and qualitative analytical skills and enjoy using those skills to solve complex problems. Detail oriented is an understatement
- You bring an openness to learn from diverse perspectives and collaborate on multidisciplinary teams
- You love startups and starting up. You are comfortable taking on new tasks or projects with little direction and adjusting course in response to feedback and information
- Your colleagues would describe you as an open and articulate communicator.
$190,000 - $225,000 a year
In addition to base salary each role has a bonus target to share in company success as well as equity.
We also provide a full benefits package that is effective from your first day of hire that includes:
Medical/Dental insurance with the company covering 90% of your premiums
Fully-funded HSA to cover your deductible responsibility
100% Company-paid life insurance regardless if electing benefits\
Free parking on-site in Watertown
Unaccrued vacation time, with the expectation for employees to take at least 3 weeks annually
401k program via Guideline with Vanguard funds, employee funded
Weekly catered team lunch
On-site fitness center with free classes and amenities
We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics.
Please note that we do not accept unsolicited resumes from recruitment agencies and external recruiters. No fees will be paid for such submissions.
