Executive Director, Data, AI & Collaboration Services

Executive Director, Data, AI & Collaboration ServicesPrinceton, New Jersey, United States, South San Francisco, California, United StatesKardigan is a heart health company working to make cardiovascular disease preventable, curable and no longer the leading cause of death in the world. It is Kardigan's mission to develop multiple targeted treatments in parallel that bring people with cardiovascular diseases to the cures they deserve. Led by Tassos Gianakakos, Jay Edelberg, M.D., Ph.D., and Bob McDowell, Ph.D., Kardigan's co-founders have reunited after leading MyoKardia to discover and develop mavacamten, the first cardiac myosin inhibitor, resulting in an acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb in 2020. We have a cutting-edge discovery and translational research platform, a pipeline of late-stage candidates, and an industry-leading team that is driven to improve the lives of patients. At Kardigan, we are motivated by our values which guide how we work, interact, and achieve our goals.Driven by patients and their families, we are deeply committed to improving the lives of patients and prioritizing their needs above all else. We believe in being authentic—leading with truth to bring out the best in others by creating an environment where every person knows they will be fully accepted. With an eagerness to learn, we encourage the highest levels of curiosity and are open to changing our minds. We are committed to winning as a team with urgency, excellence, and intention, and support each other no matter what role we play or where we sit. Lastly, we strive to enable the impossible because patients are counting on us. We are not afraid to take risks to unlock innovation and advance scientific discoveries. These values are the foundation of our work, empowering us to make a real difference, every day.Position Title: Executive Director, Data, AI & Collaboration ServicesDepartment: Information TechnologyReports To: VP, Head of ITLocation: South San Francisco, CA (preferred) or Princeton, NJ – On-site 4 days per week (Mon to Thurs)Job OverviewThe Executive Director, Data Strategy, AI & Collaboration is a pivotal role that will define and drive Kardigan's approach to harnessing data, artificial intelligence, and modern collaboration technologies as strategic assets across the enterprise. This leader will own the end-to-end roadmap for these interconnected domains — with a deliberate emphasis on Data and AI — while ensuring that collaboration platforms amplify the effectiveness of scientific, clinical, and business teams.Operating within IT alongside peers in IT Operations and Solution Delivery, this individual will serve as the company's foremost internal expert and thought leader on data-driven decision-making and AI-enabled innovation. They will work at the intersection of technology, science, and business strategy — translating ambition into concrete, measurable capabilities.

The role demands both visionary leadership and a willingness to roll up one's sleeves: building programs from the ground up, influencing without large teams, and delivering lasting impact in a resource-efficient model.This is a rare opportunity for a technically deep, strategically minded leader to shape the data and AI foundation of a company where every decision ultimately serves patients.Essential Duties and ResponsibilitiesData Strategy, Implementation & Governance Develop and own the enterprise data strategy, roadmap, and governance framework, ensuring data is treated as a first-class strategic asset across all corporate functions (e.g. R&D, G&A, and Commercial & Medical)Architect and implement a scalable, cloud-native data platform — including data lake, data warehouse, and data mesh components — that enables self-service analytics and supports both structured and unstructured scientific dataEstablish enterprise-wide data standards, ontologies, master data management (MDM) practices, and metadata management to drive data quality, lineage, and discoverabilityDefine and enforce data governance policies, access controls, and stewardship programs in compliance with FDA 21 CFR Part 11, ICH E6(R2), GDPR, HIPAA, and other applicable regulatory frameworksPartner with Legal, Regulatory Affairs and Quality to ensure data integrity requirements are embedded by design into all data platforms and pipelinesBuild the organizational capabilities — processes, roles, tools, and culture — needed to sustain data excellence as the company growsArtificial Intelligence Strategy & Implementation Lead the development and execution of a comprehensive AI strategy that identifies, prioritizes, and delivers measurable value across the organizationEstablish the company's AI/ML platform, including infrastructure for model development, validation, deployment, monitoring, and retraining, leveraging cloud-native servicesDrive the responsible adoption of Generative AI — including large language models (LLMs) and multimodal models — for use cases such as scientific literature synthesis, regulatory document drafting, clinical data exploration, and internal knowledge managementBuild and maintain an AI governance framework encompassing model validation, explainability, bias detection, human oversight requirements, and alignment with FDA AI/ML guidance and the EU AI ActIdentify and manage strategic partnerships with AI vendors and technology providers to accelerate capability developmentChampion a culture of data literacy and AI fluency across business and scientific functions; develop internal training programs and communities of practiceStay ahead of the rapidly evolving AI landscape — evaluating emerging technologies and providing executive-level counsel on when and how to adoptCollaboration Tools Own the strategy, architecture, and roadmap for enterprise collaboration platforms — including Microsoft 365 / Teams, SharePoint Online — with a focus on enabling seamless, compliant collaboration across internal teams and external partnersDrive platform consolidation, rationalization, and integration to reduce fragmentation and improve the employee experienceLead change management and adoption programs, working closely with functional leaders to maximize the value of collaboration investmentsExecutive Leadership & Organizational Impact Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to the VP, Head of IT, and functional leaders on data, AI, and digital innovation topics; regularly present roadmaps, business cases, and progress to senior leadership and the board as appropriateBuild, lead, and develop a high-performing team; leverage a hybrid model of employees, managed service providers, and strategic partners to maximize impact with efficient resource utilizationDefine OKRs, KPIs, and value metrics for the Data, AI & Collaboration portfolio; establish reporting cadences and accountability mechanisms to track delivery and business impactOwn the budget, vendor relationships, and contract governance for the portfolio; negotiate enterprise agreements with technology and service providersCollaborate closely with IT Operations and Solution Delivery peers to ensure architectural coherence, cybersecurity alignment, and integration across the IT landscapeRepresent Kardigan in external forums, industry consortia, and regulatory advisory groups as a voice for responsible, innovation-forward use of data and AI in life sciencesQualifications and Preferred SkillsEducation Bachelor's degree required in Computer Science, Data Science, Bioinformatics, Engineering, or a related quantitative disciplineAdvanced degree (M.S., Ph.D., or MBA) strongly preferredRequired Experience 12+ years of progressive experience in data, analytics, or technology leadership, with a minimum of 5 years at the Director level or above in a life science, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or medical device companyDemonstrated track record of building and executing enterprise data strategy and governance programs in a GxP-regulated environment, including firsthand knowledge of FDA 21 CFR Part 11, ICH E6(R2), and data integrity principlesProven experience architecting and delivering cloud-based data platforms at scale — hands-on proficiency with at least one major platform (e.g. Snowflake, Databricks, Azure Synapse, AWS, or GCP equivalent)Direct experience implementing AI and machine learning solutions in a life sciences context, including model validation, documentation, and governance in a regulated settingDeep familiarity with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem and enterprise collaboration platformsTrack record of operating effectively in fast-paced, lean, resource-constrained organizations; comfortable as a builder and an operator simultaneously