Job Title: VP - Head of Translational Science

Office Location: Oxford Science Park, Robert Robinson Avenue, Oxford, OX4 4GA

Role location: Oxford (hybrid working available) / Remote (with regular requirement to attend the Oxford, UK office)

Enara Bio’s purpose is to shine a light on unconventional T cell targets to develop cancer immunotherapies designed to provide lasting benefit for broad patient populations. Our proprietary EDAPT™ platform enables us to discover and validate novel and differentiated cancer-specific targets from the genomic dark matter, which we call Dark Antigens™. We are advancing a pipeline of bispecific T-cell engagers against novel Dark Antigens and other underexploited targets for the treatment of patients with solid tumors.

Enara Bio was founded in 2016 and has been well funded to invest in the build out and growth of our R&D efforts and our fantastic team. The company is based in Oxford, UK.

Role Overview 

Enara is seeking a VP - Head of Translational Science to lead and expand our translation capabilities as we transition into a clinical-stage company. This strategic leader will play a critical role in shaping our biomarker and patient selection strategies, designing and executing translational plans to support clinical development, and ensuring robust and data-driven decision-making across our programs. The ideal candidate is a dynamic, collaborative leader with deep expertise in translational oncology, immunotherapy and the application of biomarkers to guide patient selection in early clinical trials.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and lead the translational science strategy to enable successful clinical development of our first bispecific T cell engager program, with a focus on patient selection and proof-of-mechanism endpoints.

• Partner with Discovery, Preclinical, Clinical, Regulatory, and external collaborators to ensure seamless integration of translational science from IND/CTA through clinical proof of concept.

• Design and oversee execution of biomarker discovery and validation studies, including assays to measure target engagement, immune activation, and tumor microenvironment modulation.

• Drive development and validation of companion and complementary diagnostics for patient stratification.

• Lead the interpretation and communication of translational and biomarker data to guide clinical development decisions.

• Evaluate and incorporate emerging technologies and external partnerships to enhance translational capabilities.

• Along with other senior research leaders, contribute to building, mentoring, and leading our high-performing R&D organization.

• Influence the Research Strategy through translating the latest clinical findings to help build a leading Pipeline or similar.

• Represent the company at scientific, clinical, and regulatory meetings, as well as with partners and investors as needed, as our translational science thought leader.

Experience and qualifications:

• PhD (or equivalent) with specialization in drug development and translational sciences.

• Proven track record delivering translational science programs within a biotech or pharma company.

• Experience in developing complex biologics.

• Proven track record in pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic assay development and delivery for early phase clinical trials.

• Familiarity with current IVDR and CDx regulations with proven ability to design and implement strategies that successfully navigate these.

• Experience in fast-paced, entrepreneurial, high-growth environment(s).

Personal attributes:

• A passionate, patient-centric, inclusive, empathetic, open-minded, collaborative and forward-thinking leader.

• Problem-solving with a flexible and pragmatic approach, a commercial mind-set, the ability to lead change and be comfortable with ambiguity.

• Embracing of a growth mindset of continuous self-development and perpetual curiosity.

• Seeks regular feedback from peers and direct reports, as well as offers constructive feedback to all teammates.

• Demonstrable ability to work, influence and collaborate across all levels of the internal organization as well as with external stakeholders.

Further information:

The Enara Bio team is driven to make a meaningful difference for people affected by cancer. Our culture is defined by our behavioural ethos:

Empowerment: We promote autonomy across Enara rejecting conventional hierarchy. We engage each other through transparency, collaboration and trust. We each take action with a deep sense of personal and shared accountability.

Courage: We push boundaries in all that we do to deliver on our purpose. We make bold decisions, embrace risk and tackle challenges to advance our novel science. Courage is essential for everything we do.

Humility: We are proud of and excited by our novel science, but we acknowledge that we cannot know everything. Our curiosity drives us to continually learn from each other & the outside world irrespective of our role or title. We give and receive feedback with no room for ego.

Growth: We invest in our people, culture and community to foster belonging as a foundation for success. We embrace individual development to create deeper personal fulfilment and drive stronger collective impact.

We offer a competitive salary, commensurate with qualifications and experience, and a benefits package including pension and health insurance.

Enara Bio Limited is an equal opportunities employer.