Position Summary:
The Vice President, Head of Information Technology (IT) will lead IT strategy, operations, and digital enablement for a growing, clinical-stage biotechnology organization, ensuring a secure, scalable, and compliant technology environment that supports R&D, clinical development, quality, corporate functions, and future commercialization.
This leader will serve as a strategic thought partner to the executive team, helping to shape and execute a technology roadmap that aligns with the company’s scientific, operational, and business priorities. The VP, IT will be responsible for evaluating organizational needs, recommending technology investments, and making pragmatic, hands-on decisions that strengthen infrastructure, enterprise applications, cybersecurity, data and analytics capabilities, and end-user experience.
In this role, the VP, IT will oversee core IT operations, including cloud infrastructure, networks, storage, databases, disaster recovery, telecommunications, and vendor management. While also advancing fit-for-purpose systems and processes that enable scalability, compliance, and business effectiveness. The ideal candidate will bring both strategic vision and a roll-up-your-sleeves approach, with the ability to introduce practical automation and AI-enabled solutions where appropriate to improve efficiency, decision-making, and organizational performance.
Responsibilities:
- Develop and execute an enterprise IT strategy and multi-year technology roadmap aligned with the company’s scientific, clinical, operational, and business priorities.
- Serve as a strategic advisor to senior leadership, partnering across functions to assess needs, prioritize investments, and ensure technology enables business goals and future scale.
- Lead and manage IT operations, including infrastructure, cloud environments, networks, enterprise systems, and end-user services, ensuring reliability, performance, and scalability.
- Evaluate, select, implement, and optimize enterprise technologies and business applications that support R&D, clinical development, quality, finance, HR, and other core functions.
- Drive digital enablement across the organization, including systems integration, data accessibility, analytics, workflow automation, and practical AI-enabled solutions that enhance efficiency and decision-making.
- Establish and maintain appropriate IT governance, cybersecurity, data privacy, risk management, business continuity, and disaster recovery capabilities for a regulated biotech environment.
- Partner with business leaders to identify opportunities to improve processes, strengthen collaboration, and increase organizational effectiveness through technology.
- Build, lead, and develop a high-performing IT function, including internal talent and external vendors, consultants, and managed service providers.
- Oversee vendor selection, vendor performance, and build-versus-buy decisions to ensure solutions are fit for purpose, cost-effective, and aligned with company stage and priorities.
- Manage the IT budget and technology investments with a focus on scalability, efficiency, and responsible resource allocation.
- Lead technology change management and user adoption efforts to ensure new systems and tools are successfully implemented and embraced across the organization.
- Build a technology foundation that supports the company’s continued growth and positions the organization for future commercial readiness.
Qualifications and Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred.
- 15+ years of progressive IT leadership experience, including senior leadership roles within biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, or other regulated environments.
- Demonstrated experience supporting clinical-stage, R&D-focused, or growth-stage organizations; experience helping prepare an organization for future commercial scale is a plus.
- Proven success building, scaling, and modernizing IT capabilities, systems, and processes within a growing organization.
- Experience developing and executing technology roadmaps that align with evolving business needs and organizational stage.
- Strong knowledge of cloud-based infrastructure, cybersecurity, enterprise applications, data environments, and regulated system landscapes.
- Experience evaluating, selecting, implementing, and optimizing technologies that support core business and scientific functions, including platforms relevant to clinical-stage or regulated environments.
- Demonstrated ability to assess and introduce practical automation, analytics, and AI-enabled capabilities to improve efficiency, decision-making, and business performance.
- Strong business acumen and the ability to serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on technology strategy, priorities, and tradeoffs.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, actionable guidance for technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Proven ability to lead through influence, collaborate cross-functionally, and drive alignment across scientific, operational, and corporate teams.
- Hands-on, roll-up-your-sleeves leadership style, with the judgment to operate strategically while remaining close to key decisions and execution.
- Pragmatic, solutions-oriented mindset with the ability to balance speed, scalability, risk, and compliance in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong people leadership skills, with experience developing talent, fostering accountability, and effectively leveraging external partners and vendors.
- High integrity, sound judgment, and a strong sense of ownership.
About Upstream Bio:
Upstream Bio is a public company based in Waltham, MA. We are developing verekitug, the only known antagonist currently in development that targets the receptor for Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin (TSLP). We have advanced this highly potent monoclonal antibody into separate Phase 2 trials for the treatment of severe asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and plan to initiate development in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Our experienced team is committed to maximizing verekitug’s unique attributes to address the substantial unmet needs for patients underserved by today’s standard of care. Learn more about us at upstreambio.com.
Compensation
Target Salary Range: $296,787 - $362,739
*Base Compensation for this role will depend on a number of factors including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience. Base pay is only one component of the company’s total rewards package. All regular employees are also eligible for the corporate bonus program or the incentive compensation program (if applicable), as well as equity. Additional benefits include health care, vision, dental, retirement, PTO, etc.
