Senior Director, Clinical Operations

Palo Alto, CA preferred. Open to remote with travel for the right candidate.

About GondolaBio

GondolaBio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing breakthrough therapeutics for genetic diseases. GondolaBio is an independent sister company to BridgeBio, originally carved out in 2024 after securing $300M in private financing from external investors. GondolaBio aims to leverage cutting-edge biological research to discover, create, test, and deliver transformative medicines to treat patients who suffer from genetic diseases. 

Who You Are

You are an execution-minded clinical operations leader who thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment-and you're at your best when the path isn't fully defined. You bring a strong track record of leading international clinical trials, including Phase 1 healthy volunteer (HV) studies in Australia, and you know how to move quickly without compromising quality.

You take ownership of outcomes, not just tasks. You're a self-starter who can independently identify what needs to happen, build an actionable plan, and drive delivery through internal teams and external partners. You communicate crisply, escalate early with solutions, and stay calm and effective when timelines are tight or priorities shift.

You enjoy building-teams, processes, and playbooks-and you're excited to bring senior-level operational leadership to a company that moves quickly and thinks strategically.

Essential Skills and Functions

- Take ownership of end-to-end operational strategy and execution for early development programs, balancing speed, cost, and risk across multiple studies and geographies.

· Lead and deliver international clinical trials, with experience in Phase 1 healthy volunteer studies in Australia (e.g., FIH/SAD/MAD and other early-phase designs as applicable).

· Develop and maintain integrated study plans, timelines, budgets, and risk mitigation strategies; ensure milestones are met with quality and attention to detail.

· Select CROs, clinical pharmacology units, and key vendors; build governance and oversight models that drive accountability, performance, and predictable delivery.

· Partner closely with cross-functional stakeholders (Clinical Development, Safety, Regulatory, Biometrics, Clinical Supply, CMC, Translational) to align on operational feasibility and execution plans.

· Drive study start-up and conduct excellence (country/site feasibility, start-up strategy, vendor management, enrollment execution, data quality, TMF/inspection readiness, closeout).

· Proactively navigate ambiguous situations: identify the real problem, propose options, make decisions, and unblock teams to deliver outcomes.

· Establish and continuously improve fit-for-purpose clinical operations processes, templates, and metrics as the organization scales.

· Contribute to pipeline growth activities as needed (operational diligence for new opportunities; integration planning for new programs/vendors).

 Preferred Education and Experience

- BA/BS or equivalent in a scientific or health-related discipline; advanced degree preferred.

· 12+ years of clinical operations experience with increasing scope and responsibility; senior leadership experience managing programs and/or teams.

· Demonstrated success leading international trials and complex vendor ecosystems (CRO oversight, governance, budgets, timelines, and performance management).

· Direct, hands-on experience running Phase 1 healthy volunteer studies in Australia (strongly preferred).

· Strong knowledge of ICH-GCP and global clinical operations best practices; strong quality mindset and inspection readiness experience.

· Proven ability to lead through influence, align diverse stakeholders, and drive execution in a lean environment.

· Track record of operating effectively with high ambiguity-setting direction, making decisions, and taking accountability for delivery.

No matter your role at GondolaBio, successful team members are:

- Patient Champions, who put patients first and uphold strict ethical standards

· Entrepreneurial Operators, who drive toward practical solutions and have an ownership mindset

· Truth Seekers, who are detailed, rational, and humble problem solvers

· Individuals Who Inspire Excellence in themselves and those around them

· High-quality executors, who execute against goals and milestones with quality, precision, and speed

What We Offer

- Patient Days, where we are fortunate to hear directly from individuals living with the conditions we are seeking to impact throughout the year and learn how we can improve our efforts

· A culture inspired by our values: put patients first, think independently, be radically transparent, every minute counts, and let the science speak

· An unyielding commitment to always putting patients first.

· A de-centralized model that enables our program teams to focus on advancing science and helping patients. Our affiliate structure is designed to eliminate bureaucracy and put decision-making power in the hands of those closest to the science

· A place where you own the vision-both for your program and your own career path

· A collaborative, fast-paced, data-driven environment where we inspire ourselves and each other to always perform at the top of our game

· Access to learning and development resources to help you get in the best professional shape of your life

· Robust and market-competitive compensation & benefits package (Base, Performance Bonus, Equity, health, welfare & retirement programs)

· Flexible PTO

· Rapid career advancement for strong performers

· Potential ability to work on multiple BridgeBio Pharma programs across multiple therapeutic areas over time

· Partnerships with leading institutions

· Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The base pay range for this position is $244,000 to $295,000 per year. The actual compensation offered will be determined based on a number of job-related factors, including experience, skills, qualifications, and location.  A bonus plan and equity will also be offered.