Job Description

Catalys Pacific is one of the largest independent biotech venture capital firms in Japan. Leveraging our networks in academia, biotech, venture capital and the pharmaceutical industry, we build breakthrough startups using innovative assets.

Our team members are all bilingual and bicultural and bring decades of experience in life sciences investment and R&D. Working side by side with global top-tier venture capital firms, highly regarded academic collaborators, exceptional scientists, and experienced entrepreneurs, we pursue an asset-centric venture creation strategy, rigorously focusing investment on the most compelling opportunities to build scalable companies and realize value for patients.

We are currently looking for a talented individual to join our team as a Vice President to represent our company creation efforts from the West Coast. The firm maintains offices in Tokyo, Japan and in San Francisco, California. The position can be done 100% remotely. 

Website can be found at www.catalyspacific.com.

The Position:

The Vice President is a key member of the global entrepreneurial management team at Catalys Pacific. This includes playing a key role in all aspects of sourcing, diligence, company construction, and operations in collaboration with other members of the investment team, scientific experts and entrepreneurs globally. 

The Vice President evaluates deal flow of cutting-edge drugs in the pipeline of leading pharmaceutical/biotech companies and universities in Japan, US and EU. As a member the company creation efforts, this role requires an ambitious person who demonstrates a passion for biotechnology and medicine in combination with the practical and analytical experience needed to create successful companies. 

Responsibilities:

Sourcing of opportunities

• Delineate new potential repositioning strategies using novel insights from the scientific literature and vis-à-vis discussions with experts in the targeted field
• Identify potential assets through outreach to companies and universities

Diligence of sourced opportunities

• Develop and execute a plan of diligence to evaluate potential assets integrating both internal and expert discussion
• Quickly delineate the science related to assets and their potential indications
• Benchmark against other approaches / assets in the global pipeline

Co-leading company creation

• Support negotiations for agreements for licensing and financing with institutions and professionals
• Assemble a storyline and deck describing the rationale for therapeutic and investment opportunity in materials for internal and external communication
• Support seed and Series A financing

Supporting seed company operations

• Contribute to launching the company by helping to set up its infrastructure to ensure efficient and effective execution of its early stage targets
• Work flexibly as a member of the incubating team when launching companies to fulfill needs related to business development, R&D, finance, operations, and strategy

This role will require a highly resourceful and motivated individual with a strong scientific background, gravitas, business orientation, leadership experience and proven analytical skills. 

Ideal candidates should:

• Advanced degree (MD, PhD) in the life sciences
• Maintained at least three years of experience in biopharmaceuticals / drug development, including venture capital or other healthcare investing, management consulting, investment banking, business development, or R&D management
• Possess an ability to learn quickly in unfamiliar therapeutic or biology areas, identify and utilize external expertise as needed
• Demonstrate an ability to multi-task and execute multiple projects concurrently
• Distill large sets of data and opinions into concise questions and tractable next steps
• Top-notch communication skills, both written and oral, with an ability to quickly establish credibility with highly experienced entrepreneurs and executives
• Demonstrate proactivity and comfort with a highly open-ended environment
• Ability to multi-task and flexibly transition between several projects
• Possess expertise with Microsoft Powerpoint and Excel

• Preferable to possess Japanese reading/writing/speaking ability, but not essential

Catalys Pacific is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, religion, marital status, sex, disability, political ideology, or veteran status, or other protected class.