Senior Manager/Manager, CRO and KOL Alliances (Contract to Hire)

What You Will Contribute To Altos

We are seeking a highly strategic, operationally sound, and business-savvy Senior Manager/Manager, CRO & KOL Alliances to lead the identification, qualification, and ongoing management of our external R&D ecosystem. In this high-visibility role, you will be responsible for scouting, vetting, and managing top-tier Contract Research Organizations (CROs) and Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) across global biopharma, academia, and specialized research institutes.

Role Purpose: To build and maintain an agile, elite network of external partners and scientific advisors, ensuring high quality and cost efficiency, to support our scientific strategic programs. 

Manage the full CRO engagement lifecycle from scientific scoping, competitive selection, schedule of work design through to contract award and ongoing data review against pre-agreed quality and reporting standards, securing and overseeing a significant outsourced research program.

Lead the onboarding, governance, and strategic direction of KOL networks, leveraging expert input across translational, clinical, and regulatory pathways to accelerate pipeline milestones.

Key Responsibilities

• CRO Strategy & Selection
• Partner with scientific and program leads and internal functions to identify where outsourcing adds the most value (e.g., large-animal models, disease model optimization, GLP/non‑GLP studies).
• Partner with IVTS to lead the evaluation and selection of CROs, including feasibility assessments, capabilities reviews, site qualification, and compliance reviews (e.g., GCP, GLP, animal welfare/IACUC, IP protection).
• Design and execute rigorous vetting frameworks for CROs, evaluating scientific rigor, technical capabilities, quality assurance standards, capacity, turnaround times, and regulatory compliance.
• Study Design Translation & SOW Development
• Partner with scientific leads to translate scientific goals into structured, executable study plans and SOWs.
• Align internally on study objectives, endpoints, timelines, and decision points before engagement with CROs.
• Ensure study designs include clear go/no‑go criteria and data packages that directly inform next steps for the program.
• Scientific Operational Oversight
• Serve as the primary operational point of contact for CROs, coordinating timelines, milestones, and deliverables, as well as operational bottlenecks, timeline delays, or performance disputes with CROs and consultants.
• Chair regular check-ins with CROs, scientific leads and internal functions to review progress, risks, and adjustments to scope or timelines.
• Track sample logistics, bioanalytical plans, and data transfer to ensure downstream analyses can proceed without delay.
• Business Operations
• In collaboration with Legal and Procurement lead(s), assist in the drafting, negotiation, and execution of Master Services Agreements (MSAs), Statements of Work (SOWs), Consulting Agreements, and Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs).
• In partnership with Legal and Procurement, act as Subject Matter Expert (SME) to assist in pricing and term negotiations, benchmarking rates against industry standards to secure favorable, ROI-driven agreements.
• In collaboration with Procurement lead(s)the Request for Proposal (RFP) process from end to end, defining scope, gathering scientific requirements, and soliciting competitive bids from prospective vendors.
• Build and manage annual CRO/KOL spend forecasts in partnership with Finance. Track actual spend across the strategic portfolio.
• Quality, Compliance & Risk Management
• Ensure that CRO activities meet internal quality expectations and relevant regulatory/ethical standards (e.g., IACUC, GLP where applicable).
• Proactively identify risks (technical, operational, or timeline) and drive mitigation plans in collaboration with internal and external teams.
• Support audit readiness and documentation requirements for key studies.
• KOL Engagement & Advisory Board Management
• Identify, map, and qualify top-tier key opinion leaders (KOLs), academic pioneers, and scientific experts based on publication impact and therapeutic expertise.
• Assist in the coordination of the end-to-end vendor onboarding and execution of Consulting Agreements, MTAs, and advisor terms in close partnership with Legal, Finance, and program leads. 
• Lead the setup, operational cadence, and meeting governance for program-level External Advisory Boards (EABs) and specialized expert panels.
• Drive EAB and KOL engagements to harvest high-value scientific input that directly shapes translation, clinical development plans, IP strategy, and regulatory pathways.
• Synthesize advisory insights into actionable R&D takeaways, ensuring external scientific recommendations are seamlessly integrated into internal program decisions and milestones.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Communication
• Work closely with biology, in vivo, pharmacology, tech ops, and program management to align on priorities and resource allocation for outsourced work.
• Provide clear, concise updates on study status, risks, and decisions to project teams and leadership.
• Help create playbooks, templates, and best practices for external study management across programs.
• Continuous Improvement
• Capture learnings from each CRO and KOL engagement and feed them into improved processes, vendor selection criteria, and study design practices.
• Help build and maintain a preferred vendor network and performance metrics for CRO and KOL partners.

Who You Are

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in life sciences (MS/PhD, DVM, or equivalent) preferred; BS with significant relevant experience considered.
• 5+ years of experience in biotech/pharma, with at least 3 years directly managing CROs, KOL engagements, or external in vivo / translational studies.
• Proven track record of scouting, onboarding, and managing top-tier KOLs, as well as establishing and running External Advisory Boards (EABs) to guide translational, clinical, IP, and regulatory strategy.
• Deep, practical knowledge of the end-to-end drug discovery and preclinical development process (through lead optimization, Candidate selection and IND-enabling studies).
• Strong understanding of in vivo pharmacology, disease models, and/or gene therapy modalities (AAV, LNP, or related platforms).
• Demonstrated experience translating scientific objectives into operational study plans and SOWs.
• Strong proficiency in commercial/contractual terms, rate negotiations, and vendor governance frameworks.
• Proven ability to manage multiple external partners and projects in parallel, with strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to align diverse stakeholders and present clear updates to scientific and non‑scientific audiences.
• Comfortable working in a fast‑paced, highly cross‑functional environment with evolving priorities.

What Success Looks Like

• CRO studies start with clear objectives, realistic timelines, and aligned expectations.
• External work runs smoothly, with issues surfaced early and resolved collaboratively.
• Internal scientists feel supported and unburdened by day‑to‑day CRO logistics, while still fully empowered on scientific decisions.
• Data from CRO studies arrives in a format and at a time that directly enables confident, timely program decisions.
• External Advisory Boards and KOL networks are actively onboarded and leveraged, providing critical oversight that shapes translational, IP, and regulatory strategies across active programs.

Location & Travel

• Location: San Diego, CA
• Travel: Travel required for CRO/Institutions onsite evaluations, audits and oversight.

The salary range for San Diego, CA:

• Manager: $79/hr. - $101/hr.
• Senior Manager: $96/hr. - $123/hr.

Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.

#LI-NN1

For UK applicants, before submitting your application:

- Please click here to read the Altos Labs EU and UK Applicant Privacy Notice (bit.ly/eu_uk_privacy_notice)
- This Privacy Notice is not a contract, express or implied and it does not set terms or conditions of employment.