Senior Director of Operations
Chicago, Illinois
On-site / Hybrid
About the Chicago Biomedical Consortium
The Chicago Biomedical Consortium (CBC) project is a nonprofit translational venture platform for academic biotherapeutics and biotech products. The CBC advances academic discoveries from our Member Universities into clinical and commercial pathways for public benefit.
The CBC works with universities, technology transfer offices (TTOs), and, most importantly, faculty inventors to validate early scientific findings, draft development plans, build and run scientific operations, set strategic positioning, and establish the commercial groundwork that turns a laboratory finding into an investor-ready asset. The CBC’s goal is to hand off the work to a Seed or Series A investor. We provide the advisory infrastructure, scientific translation, regulatory strategy, and commercial framing that convert a research program into a licensable asset that can be brought into a company and financed — and we train the next generation of translational-biomedicine entrepreneurs in the process.
The CBC is funded by philanthropy and Federal dollars to “patiently” build scientific projects into investable data packages and companies that will benefit Illinois, and eventually, the Midwest. While we retain some ownership of programs that run through our unique “Greenhouse” model, our goal is to build value for founders, investors, and the Illinois biotech ecosystem. We are the missing link that turns the “Valley of Death” into a navigable journey that ends with early-stage, institutional, or pharma investment.
About the Role
Reporting to the Vice President of Operations with a dotted line to the CEO, the Director of Operations is CBC’s key operational builder — and the primary operational partner to CBC’s NewCo portfolio companies. The Senior Director handles the day-to-day execution of CBC’s internal operations (finance, grants administration, vendor and office management, team coordination) and is the go-to operational resource for CBC’s portfolio companies during their earliest stages, when they typically have no back-office of their own.
This is a hands-on, process-and-execution role. The Senior Director touches every part of the organization but from an operational perspective — building the workflows, running the mechanics, and keeping things on rails so that CBC’s scientific and commercial leaders can focus on Programs.
This role is expected to grow. As the Senior Director builds mastery across CBC’s operations and the NewCo portfolio, there is a clear path to expanded scope and responsibility over time.
Key Responsibilities
- Portfolio Company Operations (primary focus): Serve as CBC’s embedded operational lead for NewCos, particularly in the first 12–18 months after formation. This includes:
- Coordinating company-formation mechanics with CBC’s venture-creation partner(s) and outside counsel — incorporation, founding documents, cap table, 83(b) filings, and 409A valuations where needed.
- Standing up NewCo G&A — payroll and benefits vendors, EIN and state registrations, banking, insurance, basic accounting system, and expense policy.
- Administering SRAs, CRO MSAs, MTAs, CDAs, option agreements, and licensing documents in coordination with counsel.
- Supporting SBIR and other non-dilutive grant applications, post-award management, and compliance reporting.
- Managing the operational handoff as NewCos mature and bring on their own permanent leadership and back-office.
- CBC Finance and Grants Administration Execution: Own the execution layer of CBC’s grants administration — processing $75K go/no-go awards, Program Agreement disbursements, supplemental awards, fellow stipends, and CRO payments. Maintain the grants ledger, reconcile against MUCAs and Program Agreements, and keep clean audit trails and restricted-fund tracking. Support budgeting, monthly close, and Board reporting in partnership with CBC’s outsourced finance team.
- CBC General Operations: Support the VP in running day-to-day operations — calendars of record, operating cadences, vendor management, IT and facilities coordination with outsourced providers, and special projects. Serve as a cross-team operational coordinator.
- Trainee and Fellows Operations: Support the VP in the day-to-day operations of CBC’s Entrepreneurial Fellows and trainee program — onboarding logistics, stipend and 1099 administration, program calendar, and placement tracking.
- Board and Governance Logistics: Support the VP and CEO with Board-meeting logistics, materials assembly, and follow-up tracking. Operational support, not governance lead.
- Compliance Hygiene: Help operate CBC’s NFP guardrails in daily practice — FMV documentation for services CBC provides to Programs, arm’s-length process with any HoldCo subsidiary, conflict-of-interest disclosures, and 83(b) / 409A hygiene that protects founders and operators.
Qualifications
- 5+ years of work experience, with prior roles in operations, finance, program management, or early-stage company operations.
- Direct exposure to early-stage biotech, venture, or startup environments is strongly preferred. Familiarity with company formation, cap tables, SBIR applications, and CRO contracting is a significant plus.
- Experience with grants administration, restricted-fund accounting, or sponsored research administration is highly valued.
- Strong financial and analytical skills — comfortable owning budgets, reconciliations, and clean reporting.
- Proactive, anticipatory, and adaptable — able to see what needs to happen operationally and address it before being asked, across very different contexts (a CBC team meeting one hour, a NewCo founder call the next).
- Excellent self-management, prioritization, and communication skills — able to move between scientific, legal, financial, and Board-level audiences.
- Adaptable to a variety of work styles — including PIs, founders, fellows, outside counsel, C-suite executives, and Board members.
- Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and standard finance and project-management tools.
- Bachelor’s degree preferred; we welcome candidates whose work and life experience position them for success in this role.
Growth Path
This role is scoped today as a hands-on operations and portfolio-company execution role. As the Senior Director builds mastery, there is clear room to grow into a broader scope across CBC’s operations and portfolio over time.
Compensation
Target base salary: $120,000-135,000 plus a comprehensive benefits package.
To Apply
Submit your resume, cover letter, and three references. Your letter should address the following:
- Why do you want this role at the CBC?
- What unique skills, experiences, and perspectives would you bring to this role, and how would they enable you to make meaningful contributions?
- What evidence demonstrates that you will succeed in this position? Describe specific accomplishments or experiences that illustrate your ability to perform the responsibilities outlined in the job posting.
- CBC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing academic discoveries into startup companies, accelerating the development of new therapies for patients, and strengthening the biotechnology ecosystem in Chicagoland. Why is this mission meaningful to you, and why do you want to work for a mission-driven nonprofit organization?
Please tailor your letter specifically to this position.
▸ Apply for this job
Equal Opportunity Employer
The CBC is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The CBC provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
If you need assistance or an accommodation to complete an application due to a disability, please contact us.
The CBC is currently under fiscal sponsorship of the Edward Charles Foundation DBA the Chicago Biomedical Consortium project. Edward Charles Foundation is an independently audited, IRS-approved 501(c)(3) public charity serving philanthropists, advisors, and family offices since 2008. The employer on record for this position is TriNet, a professional employment organization.