---
title: 'Associate Director, Program Management (Early Pipeline) at Kailera Therapeutics, Inc.'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/associate-director-program-management-early-pipeline-kailera-therapeutics-inc-d3xve0y35etn'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-07'
---

# Associate Director, Program Management (Early Pipeline) at Kailera Therapeutics, Inc.

- **Company:** Kailera Therapeutics, Inc.
- **Location:** Waltham, MA
- **Compensation:** $159k–$195k
- **Posted:** 2026-11-05
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-07
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/kailera/jobs/5474332008

## Job description

At Kailera, we are bold, authentic and committed to our mission of developing therapies that give people the power to transform their lives and elevate their overall health. Rooted in an entrepreneurial spirit and a team-oriented culture, we are working together to advance Kailera’s mission to advance novel therapies for obesity and related conditions.

We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes collaboration, integrity, and excellence. As we expand, we seek the most talented individuals with diverse backgrounds, cultures, perspectives, and experiences to join our team.

What You’ll Do:

The Associate Director, Program Management will collaborate with cross-functional teams, including clinical, regulatory, non-clinical, and technical operations, to drive the overall program and several ad-hoc projects forward. This individual will oversee the development and execution of project plans from initiation to completion, ensuring the plan is completed on time, in scope, and within budget. Additionally, they will work closely with teams to proactively identify potential risks and implement effective solutions. A successful candidate must have experience managing drug development projects in a fast-paced environment, with a strong willingness to build relationships with cross-functional teams, dive into details, and address gaps as needed to ensure program success.

The Associate Director, Program Management, will support Kailera’s mid-stage assets, which are in Phase 1 and Phase 2 development. These include KAI-4729 (tri-agonist injectable) and Safiglipron (oral GLP-1)

Required location: Waltham, MA (hub-based, onsite 3-4 days per week)

Responsibilities:

- Support the Program Leader with planning, execution, and delivery of multiple projects across asset development
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams (e.g. clinical, regulatory, nonclinical, and technical operations, etc.) to ensure alignment with company and program objectives
- Collaborate with Program Leader to ensure agenda topics and outputs are aligned with the overall strategic development plan for the program
- Develop and own detailed integrated project plans, including goals, deliverables, timelines, and resource requirements
- Identify and manage program risks, issues, and dependencies, and proactively implement mitigation strategies
- Monitor project progress and provide regular updates to Program Leader and other stakeholders, ensuring clear communication and transparency
- Own program reports / dashboards to executive and other governance teams
- Demonstrated high learning agility, curiosity and experience in highly competitive therapeutic areas is preferred

Required Qualifications:

- 10+ years of relevant project management experience in the biotech, pharmaceutical, or life sciences industry
- Strong understanding of drug development and how biotech functions integrate
- Experience in managing cross-functional teams and complex projects, with early to mid-stage drug development experience preferred (prior to EOP2)
- Demonstrated project management and interpersonal skills
- Excellent problem-solving and organizational skills, attention to detail, and analytical skills
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
- Comfortable navigating ambiguity and driving clarity
- Responds to changing priorities and uncertainty by maintaining composure, resilience, and an open mind while embracing change in an evolving environment
- Proven record of collaboration and excellent communication
- Proficient in project management tools (e.g., Smartsheet, MS Project, Excel, think-cell, OnePager)

Education:

- Bachelor’s degree in science, engineering, or a related field; advanced degree preferred

Salary Range $159,000—$195,000 USD

For Full Time Roles: This range represents the company’s good-faith estimate of the salary at the time of posting. Actual pay may vary based on experience, skills, qualifications, location, and internal equity. We also offer comprehensive health coverage, flexible time off, paid holidays, and a year-end shutdown. Enjoy a monthly wellness stipend, generous 401(k) match, tuition reimbursement, commuter benefits, disability and life insurance, plus annual bonus opportunities and equity grants—because your well-being and future matter to us.

## EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY INFORMATION:

Kailera Therapeutics, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, creed, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age (40 and over), sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, pregnancy-related conditions, and lactation), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, reproductive health decisions, domestic victim status, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances.

E-Verify:

Kailera Therapeutics, Inc. uses E-Verify to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires.

#LI-Hybrid

## About Kailera Therapeutics, Inc.

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Kailera Therapeutics is an advanced clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a diversified pipeline of GLP-1‑based therapies for obesity and overweight.
- **Entity Type**: Private (clinical stage; in‑licensed through a strategic collaboration with Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals)
- **Headquarters**: Waltham, Massachusetts, United States
- **Founded**: Not publicly available
- **Founders**: Not publicly available

## Core Business
- **Primary industries**: Biotechnology / Obesity therapeutics
- **Target customers**: B2B (pharma partnerships) and ultimately patients and healthcare providers managing obesity and overweight
- **Mission**: To give people the power to restore their health and transform their lives by delivering category‑leading obesity management medications. [kailera.com/about-us](https://www.kailera.com/about-us/)

## Products & Services
Kailera’s pipeline is designed to address diverse unmet needs in obesity care, building on clinical data from Hengrui’s trials in China. All candidates are in‑licensed from Hengrui with exclusive rights outside China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

- **Ribupatide (KAI‑9531)** – Once‑weekly injectable GLP‑1/GIP receptor dual agonist peptide; currently in a global Phase 3 program.
- **Ribupatide oral tablet** – Once‑daily oral formulation of the dual agonist.
- **KAI‑7535** – Oral small‑molecule GLP‑1 receptor agonist (clinical stage).
- **KAI‑4729** – Once‑weekly injectable GLP‑1/GIP/glucagon receptor tri‑agonist (clinical stage).

## Market Standing
- **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private company)
- **Key Metric**: Total funding – not publicly available; revenue – none (pre‑commercial). Pipeline lead in Phase 3.
- **Notable Investors / Partners**: Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (strategic collaboration and in‑licensing partner). Leadership team includes veterans from Cerevel Therapeutics, Translate Bio, Bain Capital Life Sciences, Amgen, Frazier Life Sciences, and AbbVie. [kailera.com/leadership](https://www.kailera.com/leadership/)
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Ribupatide clinical data presented at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 2026.
  - Global Phase 3 program underway for ribupatide.
  - Multiple clinical‑stage candidates (oral, small molecule, tri‑agonist) targeting different patient needs.
  - Active hiring with 29 open positions (as of mid‑2026) across R&D, clinical, supply chain, regulatory, and corporate functions. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/kailera](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/kailera)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Diversified modality pipeline**: Injectable dual agonist, oral formulation, oral small molecule, and tri‑agonist – covering a broad range of patient preferences and treatment stages.
- **Cross‑border development acceleration**: Access to Hengrui’s clinical data from China informs and de‑risks global trials.
- **World‑class leadership**: CEO Ron Renaud (former CEO of Cerevel and Translate Bio, both acquired by AbbVie and Sanofi respectively). CMO Scott Wasserman, M.D. (former CEO of Latigo Biotherapeutics, former Amgen VP leading metabolic and cardiovascular portfolios). Commercial and operational executives from top pharma. [kailera.com/leadership](https://www.kailera.com/leadership/)
- **Obesity‑first focus**: Pipeline deliberately built for the chronic, progressive nature of obesity, aiming to address the gap for greater weight loss and higher‑BMI patients.

## Strategic Focus
Kailera’s immediate priority is advancing ribupatide through Phase 3 to regulatory submission while progressing the earlier‑stage oral and tri‑agonist programs. The company aims to “elevate the next era of obesity care” by delivering multiple options for patients no matter where they are in their treatment journey. [kailera.com/](https://www.kailera.com/)

## Why Work Here
- **Culture (“Kai Values”)**: Emphasizes courage, collaboration, compassion, and commitment. The team operates with entrepreneurial spirit, transparency, and a patient‑centered mission. [kailera.com/join-our-team](https://www.kailera.com/join-our-team/)
- **Work Model**: Hybrid and remote options available – many roles are based in Waltham, MA, but some (e.g., Statistical Programming, Clinical Quality Assurance) are listed as US‑Remote.
- **Notable Perks**: Purpose‑driven work in a fast‑growing therapeutic area; opportunity to work with top industry veterans; exposure to a pipeline that spans multiple cutting‑edge modalities (injectable, oral, small molecule).
- **Growth Opportunity**: With 29 open positions across all levels (Associate Director to Senior Director), the company is scaling rapidly, offering significant career advancement in a high‑impact field.

## Sources
1. [kailera.com](https://www.kailera.com/)
2. [kailera.com/about-us](https://www.kailera.com/about-us/)
3. [kailera.com/leadership](https://www.kailera.com/leadership/)
4. [kailera.com/join-our-team](https://www.kailera.com/join-our-team/)
5. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/kailera](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/kailera)

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