Director of Product Management, Cellares

$200-280k

+ Stock options

Expert level
San Francisco Bay Area
Cellares

Cell therapy manufacturing services provider

Open for applications

Cellares

Cell therapy manufacturing services provider

101-200 employees

HealthcareB2BBiologySocial Impact

Open for applications

$200-280k

+ Stock options

Expert level
San Francisco Bay Area

101-200 employees

HealthcareB2BBiologySocial Impact

Company mission

To enable the cost-effective parallel production of thousands of cell therapy doses per month.

Role

Who you are

  • We are seeking a hands-on Director of Product Management to join our dynamic team
  • The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker who is also ready to roll up their sleeves and execute
  • With a small, agile team, this role requires someone who can seamlessly transition between high-level strategy and detailed, hands-on work
  • The ability to communicate effectively with senior leadership and across all levels of the organization is crucial for success in this position
  • We're looking for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment, is comfortable wearing multiple hats, and is ready to tackle diverse challenges as our company grows
  • Bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant field (e.g., Business, Engineering, Life Sciences)
  • 10+ years of experience in business strategy or product strategy roles, with substantial customer-facing experience
  • Proven track record of successfully setting product vision and defining products, including target customer identification, core value proposition articulation, and business model development
  • Leadership experience in at least one successful new product development initiative from conception to launch
  • Strong analytical skills combined with creative intuition, enabling data-driven and insight-driven strategy development
  • Excellent presentation and communication skills, with demonstrated ability to effectively interact with senior leadership and diverse stakeholders
  • Experience presenting complex technical and market concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences
  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate with and influence cross-functional teams and leadership
  • Capability to participate in client meetings as a product expert
  • Prior experience with full project ownership and hands-on execution of product management tasks
  • Comfortable working in a lean team environment and taking on diverse sets of responsibilities
  • Passion for innovation in the life sciences and healthcare industries

Desirable

  • Advanced degree (MBA, MS, or Ph.D.) in a relevant field
  • Experience in the cell and gene therapy industry
  • Familiarity with regulatory requirements in the medical device or biotechnology sectors
  • Experiencer leading small, agile teams in a startup environment
  • Track record of successful collaboration with C-level executives and board members

What the job involves

  • This key leadership role reports directly to the Senior Vice President of R&D and will be pivotal in shaping the future of cell therapy manufacturing by collaborating with leadership and cross-functional partners to create a portfolio of groundbreaking products that drive Cellares' growth and impact
  • Serve as the primary product owner, directly managing all aspects of the product lifecycle
  • Actively participate in day-to-day product development activities, from ideation to launch
  • Be prepared to take on various tasks as needed, given the lean team structure
  • Regularly present product strategies, roadmaps, and progress updates to senior leadership
  • Collaborate effectively with the Senior VP of R&D and other executives to align product direction with overall company strategy
  • Articulate complex technical and market concepts clearly to diverse audiences, including non-technical stakeholders
  • Analyze the Cell and Gene Therapy marketplace to identify trends, opportunities, and unmet needs
  • Gather insights from clients and assess competitors to inform product direction
  • Translate market needs into clear product requirements and use cases
  • Develop an in-depth understanding of target users' needs and usage profiles
  • Prioritize solutions that address critical user pain points and drive value
  • Conduct user interviews and synthesize feedback to inform product decisions
  • Develop and implement product roadmaps that balance short-term customer needs with long-term scalable technology development
  • Maximize portfolio potential through strategic prioritization
  • Personally manage and update roadmaps as market conditions evolve
  • Partner closely with engineering and process sciences teams to scope product delivery, evaluate development alternatives, and support build/buy decisions
  • Work directly with marketing to create compelling go-to-market strategies and product positioning
  • Facilitate cross-functional meetings and drive decision-making processes
  • Actively monitor product progress throughout the development lifecycle
  • Identify and mitigate risks while capitalizing on emerging opportunities
  • Be prepared to step in and address issues hands-on when necessary

Our take

Cellares has adopted an innovative role in the automation of cell therapy manufacturing. Cellares argues that the potential of cell therapy is limited by manufacturing bottlenecks, and so its scalable solution makes a huge contribution to this space.

The company's manufacturing system, the Cell Shuttle, is set to be the solution needed to ensure that cell therapy isn't held back by disjointed, cost-prohibitive, and failure-prone procedures. This "factory in a box" houses the instruments needed to handle cells and turn them into therapies and could be market ready by 2024.

The potential for expansion in this niche is massive, as only 10% of the required manufacturing capacity for this field exists today. Cellares is therefore tapping into this market with a robust, cost-effective solution. Its automation, flexibility, and scalability will be hugely valuable to many businesses. Since the automation of systems in this field can result in a 70% cost reduction, this gives the company a competitive edge in a sector that is set to heat up soon.

Steph headshot

Steph

Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle

Insights

Top investors

44% employee growth in 12 months

Company

Funding (last 2 of 3 rounds)

Aug 2023

$255m

SERIES C

May 2021

$82m

SERIES B

Total funding: $355m

Company benefits

  • Flexible Work From Home Policy
  • Holidays
  • Professional Development
  • Stock Options
  • Excellent Healthcare
  • 401(k)
  • Free Meals
  • EV Charging

Company values

  • A meaningful purpose. We believe that the technology we’re developing must benefit society in general and patients in particular. We are dedicated to creating a world in which life-saving cell therapies are available to patients in need.
  • A collaborative culture. We’re creating a diverse and inclusive culture in which individuals are safe to take risks, free to bring their whole selves, enjoy shared leadership and have fun along the journey.
  • An audacious adventure. We are taking on a daring challenge. We’re pioneering a new manufacturing paradigm for a new class of therapeutics. You have an opportunity to make history and leave a legacy!

Company HQ

The East Side, South San Francisco, CA

Leadership

Omar Kurdi

(President)

Electrical Engineering at San Jose State. Engineer at Thermo Fisher Scientific and Finesse Solutions, before becoming VP at Finesse then Synthego. Co-founded Cellares in 2019.

Masters Degree in Aerospace Engineering at University of Munich. Chief Innovation Officer at Synthego, before co-founding Cellares in 2019.

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