Chief Scientific Officer

Education and Qualifications:

• MD, Pharm D, or MPH, PhD in the life sciences with prior research experience and a solid understanding of the fields of basic, clinical, and translational research.
• 10 years+ years of relevant work experience in senior leadership positions in health-related fields and/or research.
• Excellent verbal and written skills, including strong presentation skills and the ability to translate complex technical language for the public.
• Demonstrated initiative, resourcefulness and the ability to drive innovation and business growth in a dynamic environment.
• Ability to act as a strategic thought partner, collaborating closely with leadership to contribute to high-level decision-making while offering insights and guidance to align goals with long-term strategies.
• Experience in developing, managing and evaluating grant programs and grantmaking practices and/or philanthropy strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success in developing, leading and supervising complex projects and high performing teams.
• Ability to demonstrate a deep understanding of the emotional needs and challenges faced by patients and their families to ensure compassionate communication.
• Knowledge of emerging trends, challenges and best practices in melanoma research, knowledge of health equity, philanthropy and public health.
• Demonstrated experience writing, reviewing and editing grants, journal manuscripts, practice briefs and/or conference abstracts and presentations.
• Experience working with funders.
• This role requires a sophisticated generalist understanding of the medical sciences and a strong understanding of melanoma research.
• Ability to work and collaborate with a broad range of staff and stakeholders.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strength in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Dedication and a passion for achieving health equity, and a commitment to advancing biomedical research through maximizing the impact of philanthropic support.

• • The CSO will lead and collaborate with the organization’s grantmaking team to spearhead and maintain the organization’s innovative research award program services, enhance program impact and further diversify the Foundation’s offerings. They will also cultivate and maintain positive working relationships with the science and research community, grant applicants/awardees, scientific reviewers, funders and research and medical society leadership. They will also act as the Foundation’s key spokesperson on topics related to melanoma research, recent scientific breakthroughs, FDA approvals and other key advancements in the field.

• • The CSO should have strong skills in developing trusting relationships and the ability to bring stakeholders together to accomplish a common goal. The CSO will work with staff to lead science and research philanthropy consulting projects including scans of specific research and funding landscapes; evaluation studies to assess award program impact; recommendations for future research investment. In developing grant programs, they will engage with the Scientific Advisory Committee, Board and Leadership team to design the scientific focus, eligibility and size of the awards to maximize the impact of philanthropic investments.

• • The CSO will provide scientific oversight to longstanding grant programs and new investment strategies throughout the pre-award, application review and post-award process. They also will work with staff to continually improve grants administration in alignment with the needs of the field and translate complex biomedical research reports into lay language for clients and other stakeholders. The CSO will facilitate review panel meetings for funding determinations, present to board members and Trustees from family foundations. Finally, the person in this position will further the thought leadership of the organization in melanoma grantmaking and scientific topic studies that bolster Foundation’s role as a leader in the field and across the country. This is a full-time, senior-level position reporting to the Chief Executive Officer.

• • Contribute to shaping a vision for the medical research grantmaking services portfolio that aligns with the organization.

• • Serve as the technical lead on medical research grantmaking projects and publications, including project planning, implementation, evaluation and other related administrative responsibilities.

• • Identify and implement departmental goals, budgets and objectives in collaboration with the senior leadership team.

• • Collaborate with staff to implement strategies to advance the organization’s priorities related to health equity.

• • Work to identify opportunities to strengthen collaboration between the foundation and community health grantmaking teams. Implement best practices to ensure high-quality grantmaking services.

• • Establish new and maintain existing relationships with key stakeholders, and other foundation funders, ensuring that deliverables align with project activities. Work with and advise grantmaking leadership team on internal and external opportunities and challenges.

• • Maintain active membership in relevant biomedical research grantmaking networks and societies.

• • Attend and present at relevant scientific and medical society meetings as relevant to projects and programs.

• • Submit and/or contribute to publications (e.g., journal manuscripts, practice briefs, etc.) and/or conference abstracts, presentations and workshops.

• • Document and share knowledge and best practices across the organization and field to replicate success

• • Lead, manage and/or contribute to projects, as needed and/or appropriate. Lead coordination and management of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), Melanoma Research Foundation Breakthrough Consortium (MFRBC) and other scientific initiatives and workshops.

• • Supervise team members, including the Director of Education & Patient Engagement, Director of the CURE OM initiative, Grant Manager and consultants as needed.

• • Contribute subject matter and/or technical expertise to projects and teams, including designing investment strategies that advance and innovate research and align with current trends in the field and translating research reports into lay language for board reports and presentations.

• • Manage technical content of multiple grants programs including updating the eligibility sections, application requirements and review criteria in the application guidelines, identifying new members for the Scientific Review Committees and ensuring funded projects align with programmatic research goals.

• • Collaborate with staff to plan and implement scientific workshops that align with SAC priorities.

• • Develop project management timelines and set priorities to meet project goals and deadlines, while ensuring completion of high-quality work and deliverables.

• • Work with the staff in preparing in-depth life stewardship reports about the current state of specific fields of research, grant evaluations and other reports commissioned by donors.

• • Develop and negotiate scopes of work and contracting with external consultants as needed.

• • Write proposals and lead proposal development processes for relevant opportunities and contribute to other writing teams where appropriate.

• • Work with the Development and Fundraising team to develop, manage and track project deliverables and reports.

• • Develop and provide content for websites, newsletters and/or other methods of marketing Foundation’s science work and impact.

• • Act as a key opinion leader and spokesperson for the organization related to PR opportunities.

• • Respond to RFIs and provide support for committee report language, sign on letters with the Director of Advocacy.

• • The position requires being seated for several hours a day.

• • The employee must frequently speak and hear as well as utilize the telephone, computer keyboard and monitor, pen and paper.

• • The employee is required to walk and/or travel by car, train or plane.