Program Manager or Director, Cancer Vaccines

Foundation for the NIH • North Bethesda, Maryland, United States • 18h ago

The Foundation for the National Institute of Health (FNIH) is seeking a Program Manager or Director, with final level determined based on experience and leadership capabilities, to lead a high-profile, multi-sector national initiative to accelerate the development and clinical translation of next-generation cancer vaccines. This public–private partnership is designed to deliver near-term clinical proof-of-concept in high-risk, minimal residual disease (MRD+) cancers while building a scalable, long-term ecosystem for antigen discovery, vaccine development, manufacturing, and data-driven innovation.

The Program Manager or Director will oversee a coordinated portfolio spanning rapid demonstration trials, parallel development of multiple antigen classes and vaccine platforms, scalable GMP manufacturing, harmonized immune monitoring, and a centralized data architecture enabling AI-driven antigen prediction. This position will report to the Senior Vice President of Translational Science within the Science Partnerships department (or their designated report) and is based at the FNIH offices located in North Bethesda, MD.

This role requires a scientifically credible, operationally strong leader who can align partners across academia, biopharma, government, philanthropy, advocacy, and persons with live experience and translate complex science into coordinated execution. The Program Manager or Director will as a centralized facilitator for overall partnership development, vaccine candidate selection, adaptive clinical trial design and implementation, research project coordination, and funding strategy.

Key Responsibilities

Scientific & Program Leadership & Portfolio Management

Lead the overall scientific and operational partnership strategy for the Cancer Vaccines Initiative and eventually other projects

Facilitate the definition and prioritization of high-impact use cases, including rapid “quick win” demonstration trials in MRD+ cancer settings

Ensure alignment of the groups working on antigen discovery, preclinical development, vaccine platforms, manufacturing, and clinical design and execution

Lead collaborative processes to identify and prioritize candidate antigens, vaccine constructs, and combination strategies

Establish criteria for advancement, down-selection, and portfolio evolution

Represent the initiative in scientific, clinical, and policy forums

Contribute to publications, presentations, and strategic communications

Clinical Trial Strategy & Execution

Oversee design and execution of adaptive, efficient clinical trials focused on early signals of efficacy and immune response

Ensure rigorous trial design, site selection, and execution across multiple institutions

Integrate biomarkers and immune monitoring into trial design and analysis

Drive speed, quality, and comparability across trials

Manufacturing & Immune Monitoring Infrastructure

Oversee development of scalable GMP manufacturing approaches across platforms

Ensure harmonization of immune monitoring assays and endpoints across studies

Data & AI-Enabled Innovation

Partner with data science leadership to build and utilize centralized data architecture supporting the initiative

Enable integration of clinical, immunologic, and molecular data to inform antigen prediction and vaccine design

Support AI-driven approaches to optimize candidate selection and trial learning

Regulatory Strategy & Engagement

Collaborate with regulatory agencies to align innovative trial designs, endpoints, and biomarker strategies

Ensure programs are designed to support future regulatory pathways and potential approval

Help to facilitate regulatory submissions and advice interactions, as needed

Partnership Development & Partner Engagement

Lead engagement with biopharmaceutical companies, academic investigators, technology partners, philanthropists, advocacy groups, and persons with lived experience

Build and sustain a collaborative ecosystem aligned around shared scientific and translational goals, including philanthropy and government

Partner with Strategic Alliances and Advancement to secure and align funding to support initiative goals

Articulate the value proposition and impact of the initiative to diverse funders

Program Governance & Execution

Establish and lead governance structures, including executive and steering committees and scientific advisory groups

Oversee timelines, milestones, budgets, and deliverables across all program components

Ensure transparency, accountability, and effective decision-making across all partners and any relevant external organizations

Compensation details: 150000-225000 Yearly Salary

PI24a4360bd553-37437-40185201

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