Organizational Overview
Founded in 1998 by Leonard A. and Ronald S. Lauder, the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation is dedicated to rapidly accelerating the discovery of drugs to prevent, treat, and cure Alzheimer’s disease. The ADDF is the only public charity solely focused on funding the development of drugs for Alzheimer’s, employing a venture philanthropy model to support research in academia and the biotech industry. Through the generosity of its donors, the ADDF has awarded more than $378 million to fund over 800 Alzheimer’s drug discovery and biomarker programs and clinical trials in more than 21 countries. To learn more, please visit: http://www.alzdiscovery.org/.
Position Summary
The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation is seeking a Senior Program Officer, Assistant Director, or Associate Director to join its Search and Evaluation team, which drives the function of ADDF's venture philanthropy model. In this role, the successful candidate will work directly with biotech and biopharma companies, academic institutions, venture firms, and other life sciences stakeholders to identify, evaluate, and shape investment opportunities advancing therapeutics and biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Responsibilities include leading scientific due diligence, managing a portfolio of funded programs, and informing investment decisions, under the direction of the Head of Search and Evaluation, under the direction of the Head of Search and Evaluation.
Placement
The Senior Program Officer / Assistant Director / Associate Director will report directly to the Head of Search and Evaluation. This is a full-time, exempt, remote position within the United States.
One position is available. This role is positioned within levels L5/L6/L7 (Senior Manager / Assistant Director / Associate Director) of ADDF’s salary structure. Final title and salary will be determined based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, and demonstrated level of autonomy in leading due diligence and portfolio management, under the direction of the Head of Search and Evaluation. The anticipated salary range is $135,000–$190,000. Historically, ADDF has promoted program team members who have demonstrated effectiveness once in their roles.
The anticipated start date for this position is spring or summer 2026.
Primary Responsibilities
Search & Evaluation
- Serve as the primary scientific point of contact for assigned applicants and funding teams.
- Proactively source, evaluate, shape, and execute on research and development investment opportunities aligned with ADDF’s therapeutics development strategy, including:
- Developing deep understanding of the innovation and scientific landscape in key areas tied to ADDF’s therapeutics strategies, including landscape and in-depth analyses of select therapeutic/disease areas, indications, targets, mechanism-of-action classes, and modalities.
- Leading the diligence process by providing strategic guidance to applicants on scientific work plans, fostering connections with collaborators and consultants
- Exercising independent judgement when shaping plans, identifying risks, and advising applicants.
- Presenting assigned programs, due diligence findings, and evidence-based recommendations to ADDF’s internal review committee to support investment decision-making.
- Partnering with the ADDF Mission Related Investments (MRI) team, external consultants, and Therapeutics Leadership to shepherd proposals from review through investment decision and contracting: evaluating submissions, managing external expert reviews, conducting deep due diligence, refining proposals with applicants, and providing both technical and business rationale to inform investment decisions.
- Working with the MRI team to identify the optimal contract structure and to support progress from contract approval through execution and closure for scientifically approved programs.
Portfolio Management
- Manage an assigned portfolio of funded programs with autonomy in day-to-day monitoring, issue identification, and tracking progress against scientific, operational, and financial milestones.
- Engage in strategic discussions with funded programs to support fundraising and value creation activities.
- Communicate the status of ongoing projects to ADDF management in a timely manner.
Partnerships
- Role may include the management of key partnerships that leverage funding and resources for ADDF-supported programs, including the Harrington Discovery Institute (HDI) and the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD).
Additional Responsibilities
- Contribute to written and oral presentations for: donors and family foundations (in collaboration with the Development Team); scientific audiences, through conference presentation and scientific publications; communication of scientific content (in collaboration with the Communications Team)
- Attend relevant conferences (ADPD, AAIC, CTAD, and smaller seminars and meetings) to support S&E activities and communicate learnings to the ADDF team.
- Develop scientific agendas for ADDF conferences, and coordinate strategic advisory panels addressing major obstacles or opportunities in Alzheimer’s disease drug development and/or biomarker development.
Qualifications
- MD, PhD, PharmD, or equivalent experience in life sciences, with emphasis on neuroscience (strong preference for expertise in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias).
- Research experience in neuroscience, neurology, or a related field, with knowledge of the drug discovery and development process for CNS diseases.
- Significant, full-time experience (at least 3 years) in a relevant setting outside an academic research laboratory. For example - in biotech or pharma consulting, biotech venture capital, venture investing, biomedical philanthropy, technology transfer, consulting, or other clinically relevant settings - with demonstrated abilities in Search & Evaluation, business development, due diligence, partnering, strategy, and the advancement of therapeutic and diagnostic candidates through clinical trial phases.
- Familiarity with clinical development of therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, including clinical development strategy, trial design, and execution.
- Experience presenting for governance review or approval.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to articulate findings and recommendations at a level appropriate for the intended audience.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work closely with partner organizations, key opinion leaders, investors, donors, and staff.
- Strong project and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities and shifting deadlines in a scientific environment, drive projects to timely results, and follow through on internal and external commitments.
- Strong commitment to ADDF’s mission and cause.
Key Attributes
- Proactive and self-directed
- Respectful and team-oriented
- Mission-driven
- Highly organized
- Adaptable
- Intellectually curious
- Collaborative: engages in healthy scientific debate and welcomes constructive input
- Innovative: interest, comfort with paradigm-shifting science, and de-risking strategies
- Continuous learner: stays current on evolving science, methods
- Excellent communicator
How to Apply
Foundation Advisors, LLC has been retained to conduct the search for the Senior Program Officer / Assistant Director / Associate Director, Search and Evaluation at the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation. Brooke Rosenzweig, PhD, is leading this search.
Interested candidates should submit an application at https://foundationadv.com/open-searches. Questions, as well as nominations, may be submitted to Foundation Advisors at https://foundationadv.com/contact. Due to the volume of applications received, only candidates selected to advance in the search will be contacted directly. ADDF and Foundation Advisors thank all applicants for their interest.
ADDF is an equal opportunity employer, committed to attracting, developing, and retaining exceptional people. ADDF welcomes and encourages applicants for all positions respecting the full spectrum of education, experience, age, race, creed, color, national origin, sex, religion, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, ancestry, marital status, veteran status or other military status, or citizenship status, genetic carrier status, genetic information, AIDS or AIDS-related complex or HIV status, being a victim of domestic violence, protected activity (i.e., filing a charge of discrimination, participating in a discrimination proceeding, or otherwise opposing prohibited discrimination), or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.