Vice President, Head of Strategy & Operations
About the role
Your work will change lives. Including your own. The Impact You'll Make Recursion is reimagining drug discovery through the integration of automated cell biology, high-dimensional data, and AI-driven analytics. As Head of Strategy & Operations, you will be our CEO's closest strategic partner — a trusted right hand who combines the analytical rigor of a top-tier management consultant with the operational instincts of a seasoned biopharma executive.
Responsibilities
Own corporate strategy in partnership with our CEO - translating vision into annual priorities, resource allocation, and multi-year roadmaps.
Monitor the external landscape (competitive dynamics, scientific advances, regulatory shifts, AI-in-biotech) and synthesize implications for leadership.
Define and communicate Recursion's platform differentiation to support investor, partner, and board narratives.
Evaluate BD opportunities - partnerships, licensing, acquisitions, and platform expansions - with rigorous analytical framing.
Design and manage the executive operating rhythm: leadership meetings, offsites, decision forums, and escalation frameworks.
Partner with our CEO on agendas, briefing materials, and cross-functional follow-through.
Build dashboards and frameworks that give leadership real-time visibility into performance, program progress, and strategic KPIs.
Identify organizational gaps and implement scalable solutions; act as CEO proxy in cross-functional forums.
Lead and mentor the Strategy & Operations team and build deep working relationships across the entire executive leadership team.
Support board materials - strategic updates, financial reviews, program readouts, and governance docs.
Ensure narrative consistency and strategic alignment across all high-stakes external communications.
Bridge Platform, Discovery, Clinical, Commercial, Finance, and People teams to maintain strategic coherence.
Partner with Director of Strategy & Operations and Portfolio Strategy to align program execution with corporate priorities.
Champion clarity, accountability, and disciplined execution across the organization.
Requirements
Advanced degree required; MBA from a top-tier program strongly preferred.
Lifesciences, data science, or related scientific background is a significant advantage.
6+ years at a leading management consulting firm at the Principal, Associate Partner, or Partner level, with deep exposure to biopharma, biotech, or healthcare clients.
Significant in-house experience in strategy, corporate development, or operations within a pharma or biotech company.
Strong familiarity with AI platforms, machine learning applications, or digital health tools — and genuine curiosity about their role in transforming drug discovery and development.
Proven track record shaping executive-level strategy, leading complex cross-functional initiatives, and influencing without direct authority.
Experience preparing and presenting board materials, earnings communications, investor presentations, or regulatory filings.
Exceptional analytical, communication, and storytelling skills — able to distill complexity into clear, compelling narratives for diverse audiences.
High EQ and political acumen; skilled at navigating ambiguity, managing competing priorities, and building trust across all levels of an organization.
Adaptability and resourcefulness; thrives in a fast-moving, high-growth environment where roles evolve and ambiguity is the norm.
Qualifications
Advanced degree required; MBA from a top-tier program strongly preferred.
Lifesciences, data science, or related scientific background is a significant advantage.
6+ years at a leading management consulting firm at the Principal, Associate Partner, or Partner level, with deep exposure to biopharma, biotech, or healthcare clients.
Significant in-house experience in strategy, corporate development, or operations within a pharma or biotech company.
Strong familiarity with AI platforms, machine learning applications, or digital health tools — and genuine curiosity about their role in transforming drug discovery and development.
Proven track record shaping executive-level strategy, leading complex cross-functional initiatives, and influencing without direct authority.
Experience preparing and presenting board materials, earnings communications, investor presentations, or regulatory filings.
Exceptional analytical, communication, and storytelling skills — able to distill complexity into clear, compelling narratives for diverse audiences.
High EQ and political acumen; skilled at navigating ambiguity, managing competing priorities, and building trust across all levels of an organization.
Adaptability and resourcefulness; thrives in a fast-moving, high-growth environment where roles evolve and ambiguity is the norm.
Skills
Advanced degree required; MBA from a top-tier program strongly preferred.
Lifesciences, data science, or related scientific background is a significant advantage.
6+ years at a leading management consulting firm at the Principal, Associate Partner, or Partner level, with deep exposure to biopharma, biotech, or healthcare clients.
Significant in-house experience in strategy, corporate development, or operations within a pharma or biotech company.
Strong familiarity with AI platforms, machine learning applications, or digital health tools — and genuine curiosity about their role in transforming drug discovery and development.
Proven track record shaping executive-level strategy, leading complex cross-functional initiatives, and influencing without direct authority.
Experience preparing and presenting board materials, earnings communications, investor presentations, or regulatory filings.
Exceptional analytical, communication, and storytelling skills — able to distill complexity into clear, compelling narratives for diverse audiences.
High EQ and political acumen; skilled at navigating ambiguity, managing competing priorities, and building trust across all levels of an organization.
Adaptability and resourcefulness; thrives in a fast-moving, high-growth environment where roles evolve and ambiguity is the norm.
Benefits
At Recursion, we believe that every employee should be compensated fairly. Based on the skills, experience, and qualifications needed for this role, the estimated annual base salary range is: $321,860–$385,990. In addition to base salary, this role is eligible for an annual bonus, equity compensation, and a comprehensive benefits package.
Pay
The estimated annual base salary range is: $321,860–$385,990.
Schedule
This is an office-based, hybrid position at our offices located in New York City, New York. Employees are expected to work in the office at least 50% of the time.
Values
We act boldly with integrity. We are unconstrained in our thinking, take calculated risks, and push boundaries, but never at the expense of ethics, science, or trust.
We care deeply and engage directly. Caring means holding a deep sense of responsibility and respect - showing up, speaking honestly, and taking action.
We learn actively and adapt rapidly. Progress comes from doing. We experiment, test, and refine, embracing iteration over perfection.
We move with urgency because patients are waiting. Speed isn’t about rushing but about moving the needle every day.
We take ownership and accountability. Through ownership and accountability, we enable trust and autonomy—leaders take accountability for decisive action, and teams own outcomes together.
We are One Recursion. True cross-functional collaboration is about trust, clarity, humility, and impact. Through sharing, we can be greater than the sum of our individual capabilities.