Vice President, Product Strategy

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Vice President, Product Strategy

Company: Kardigan

Location: South San Francisco, CA; Princeton, NJ; Chicago, IL

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Strategy / GTM Strategy

Date Posted: April 10, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ years

Remote Status: Hybrid (On-site 4 days/week)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the definition and execution of end-to-end product strategies for a diverse portfolio of cardiovascular therapeutics, from early-stage discovery through lifecycle management.

• Drive strategic decision-making at the intersection of scientific innovation, clinical development, regulatory pathways, market access, and commercialization to maximize patient impact and enterprise value.

• Build and scale a high-performing Product Strategy function, including establishing Centers of Excellence (CoEs) for critical capabilities like competitive intelligence, forecasting, and market access.

• Serve as a key strategic advisor to executive leadership, influencing investment decisions, portfolio prioritization, and business development initiatives.

• Foster a data-driven, collaborative environment that enables the development of innovative treatments for cardiovascular diseases.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is critical for a late-stage biotech focused on cardiovascular disease. The "Product Strategy" title in this context encompasses a broad scope, heavily influencing GTM strategy, portfolio management, and R&D investment decisions. The emphasis on "enabling the impossible" and a "fast-paced, dynamic, start-up environment" suggests a high-impact, high-accountability role requiring significant strategic agility and cross-functional leadership.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Integrated Product Strategy Development: Lead the creation and ongoing refinement of integrated product strategies for all pipeline and marketed assets, ensuring alignment with scientific data, clinical development plans, and commercial objectives.

• Target Product Profile (TPP) Definition: Define and evolve Target Product Profiles (TPPs), value propositions, and differentiation strategies, grounded in rigorous analysis of unmet patient needs, the competitive landscape, and emerging clinical data.

• Clinical Development Influence: Partner closely with Clinical Development and Medical Affairs teams to influence trial design, endpoint selection, and evidence generation plans, ensuring strategic alignment with long-term product and commercial goals.

• Portfolio Prioritization & Investment: Drive scenario planning and trade-off decisions across indications, lines of therapy, geographies, and lifecycle opportunities. Support GPHs in developing recommendations for program-related investments, including stage-gate decisions and new indication exploration.

• Competitive Intelligence & Market Analysis: Lead comprehensive competitive intelligence gathering and market landscaping initiatives to inform strategic choices, identify risks, and uncover expansion opportunities.

• Global Commercialization Strategy: Define and continuously refine the strategy for global commercialization of the product portfolio, ensuring a cohesive and evidence-based approach.

• Launch Planning & Execution: Own the overall cross-functional launch plan, driving critical decisions and execution activities necessary for successful product launches. Collaborate with Commercial, Regulatory, and Market Access to ensure launch readiness, cohesive positioning, and effective lifecycle management.

• Team & Capability Building: Define the strategic needs for Product Strategy Centers of Excellence (CoEs), plan their build-out, and lead the hiring and talent development for these critical functions. Manage and mentor product strategy leads, providing guidance on portfolio-wide strategic issues.

• Business Development Support: Provide strategic input and support for business development activities, including asset evaluation, due diligence, and the integration of acquired programs into Kardigan's portfolio.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Foster strong partnerships with Global Program Heads (GPHs), Clinical Development, Medical Affairs, Regulatory, Commercial, Market Access, and Business Development to ensure integrated and aligned product strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strategic leadership role that requires deep engagement across the entire product lifecycle. The emphasis on influencing trial design and evidence generation demonstrates a need for strong scientific acumen and the ability to translate complex clinical data into strategic product positioning. The requirement to "lead a team of individuals who serve as either product strategy leads for individual products or as centralized capability groups" indicates a significant management and organizational development component.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Advanced degree required (PhD, MD, PharmD, or MBA).

Experience:

• Minimum of 12+ years of progressive leadership experience in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or life sciences consulting sectors.

• Demonstrated success in leading product strategy development and execution across multiple clinical development stages, with pre-launch and launch experience being highly preferred.

• Proven track record of effective cross-functional collaboration and influence across R&D, Commercial, Regulatory Affairs, and Market Access.

• Prior involvement in launch readiness planning, pricing and reimbursement strategy development, and evidence generation strategy formulation.

Required Skills:

• Product Strategy: Expertise in developing and implementing comprehensive product strategies from early-stage to lifecycle management.

• Clinical Development Acumen: Deep understanding of clinical trial design, regulatory pathways, and the translation of scientific data into strategic product value.

• Commercial Strategy: Ability to define value propositions, market positioning, and commercialization strategies that align with product capabilities and market needs.

• Portfolio Management: Skill in prioritizing opportunities, managing trade-offs, and contributing to portfolio-level investment decisions.

• Competitive Intelligence: Proficiency in analyzing market dynamics, competitive landscapes, and identifying strategic risks and opportunities.

• Launch Planning: Proven experience in developing and executing integrated launch plans, ensuring cross-functional alignment and readiness.

• Strategic Planning: Ability to develop long-term strategic visions, conduct scenario planning, and drive strategic framing for executive audiences.

• Cross-functional Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead, influence, and align diverse teams without direct authority.

• Data Analysis & Interpretation: Strong analytical skills to interpret complex data (clinical, market, financial) and translate insights into actionable strategies.

• Business Development Acumen: Experience in evaluating and integrating new assets, including diligence processes.

• Evidence Generation Strategy: Understanding of how to design and execute evidence generation plans to support product value and market access.

• Stakeholder Management: Skill in communicating complex strategies and recommendations to senior leadership and cross-functional partners.

• Scientific Literacy: Robust understanding of scientific principles and therapeutic areas, particularly cardiovascular disease.

• Team Leadership & Development: Proven ability to build, manage, mentor, and develop high-performing teams.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience specifically within the cardiovascular therapeutic area.

• Direct experience in a start-up or high-growth biotech environment.

• Familiarity with building and scaling Centers of Excellence (CoEs) within a product strategy function.

• Experience with advanced forecasting methodologies and market access modeling.

• Strong understanding of reimbursement landscapes and payer dynamics.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirements highlight a senior-level role that demands a blend of strategic thinking, operational execution, and deep domain expertise in pharmaceuticals/biotech. The emphasis on influencing without authority and navigating a dynamic environment points to the need for strong interpersonal and change management skills.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Integrated Product Strategy Documentation: Ability to develop and present comprehensive product strategy documents that articulate TPPs, value propositions, lifecycle plans, and key strategic risks/opportunities.

• Case Study Development: Prepare detailed case studies showcasing successful product strategy development, launch planning, or portfolio prioritization initiatives, emphasizing data-driven decision-making and cross-functional collaboration.

• Scenario Planning Frameworks: Demonstrate experience in developing and applying scenario planning frameworks to evaluate strategic options and inform investment decisions.

• ROI Demonstration: Ability to articulate the potential return on investment (ROI) for strategic initiatives, including new indications, lifecycle extensions, or portfolio investments, supported by robust financial and market analysis.

Process Documentation:

• Strategic Planning Workflows: Document and optimize workflows for strategic planning, competitive intelligence gathering, TPP development, and launch strategy formulation.

• Cross-functional Alignment Processes: Establish and maintain clear processes for cross-functional alignment on product strategy, ensuring input from all relevant departments (Clinical, Medical, Regulatory, Commercial, Market Access).

• Governance Mechanism Support: Contribute to the design and execution of portfolio governance mechanisms, ensuring timely and accurate fact bases for decision-making.

• Evidence Generation Roadmaps: Develop and document roadmaps for evidence generation, outlining key studies, data requirements, and timelines to support strategic objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a VP-level Product Strategy role, the portfolio should showcase strategic leadership and impact rather than just tactical execution. Emphasis should be on the why and how of strategic decisions, their impact on the business and patients, and the ability to lead complex cross-functional initiatives.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $313,000 - $377,000 USD per year.

• Note: This range is based on the provided pay transparency information. Exact compensation will be determined by factors such as skills, experience, qualifications, and geographic location.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Retirement savings plan (e.g., 401(k)) with company match.

• Paid time off (PTO), including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.

• Potential for equity or stock options, common in biotech start-ups.

• Professional development and learning opportunities.

• Life insurance and disability coverage.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours, estimated at 40 hours per week.

• Given the hybrid nature and VP-level responsibilities, flexibility may be required to meet project demands and accommodate cross-functional teams across different time zones.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is competitive for a Vice President-level role in the biotech/pharma sector, especially in high-cost-of-living areas like South San Francisco. The inclusion of equity is a common incentive in early-stage biotech companies to align employee interests with company growth and success. The hybrid model with 4 days in-office suggests a structured approach to collaboration and team cohesion.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Biotechnology / Pharmaceutical (Cardiovascular Therapeutics)

Company Size: While not explicitly stated, the description implies a growing, dynamic company that has recently secured significant funding or is in a critical growth phase, evidenced by the need to scale functions and build out CoEs. The founding team's previous success with MyoKardia (acquired by BMS) suggests a strong scientific foundation and ambitious growth trajectory.

Founded: Kardigan was founded by a team with a proven track record in cardiovascular drug development, aiming to address the leading cause of death globally.

Team Structure:

• The Product Strategy team will report to the Chief Strategy Officer.

• The VP will lead a team comprising individual product strategy leads and centralized Centers of Excellence (CoEs) for functions like competitive intelligence, forecasting, and market access.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Strategies are grounded in rigorous data analysis, clinical evidence, and market insights.

• Patient-Centric Approach: All efforts are guided by the mission to improve the lives of patients with cardiovascular diseases.

• Integrated Strategy: Product strategy is developed holistically, considering all aspects from scientific discovery through commercialization and lifecycle management.

• Agile & Adaptive: The company operates in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, requiring adaptability and continuous improvement.

• Collaborative Execution: Emphasis on winning as a team, fostering strong cross-functional partnerships to achieve ambitious goals.

Company Website: kardigan.bio

📝 Enhancement Note: Kardigan appears to be a mission-driven organization with a strong focus on scientific innovation and patient impact. The company culture values authenticity, continuous learning, teamwork, and bold innovation ("enable the impossible"). This environment is attractive to operations professionals who thrive on complex challenges and want to make a tangible difference in healthcare.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Vice President, Product Strategy. This is a senior leadership role responsible for shaping the strategic direction of the company's product portfolio. It requires a blend of strategic vision, analytical rigor, cross-functional leadership, and people management.

Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), indicating a high level of visibility and direct influence on corporate strategy. Will manage a team of direct reports, including product strategy leads and potentially heads of CoEs.

Operations Impact: The role's impact is profound, directly influencing R&D investment priorities, pipeline progression, commercialization strategies, and ultimately, the company's ability to bring life-saving cardiovascular therapies to market and achieve its financial goals. Success in this role directly contributes to maximizing patient impact and enterprise value.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership Expansion: Potential to grow into broader strategic leadership roles within the organization, such as Chief Strategy Officer or Chief Commercial Officer, as the company scales.

• Functional Development: Opportunity to build and shape a critical function (Product Strategy) from the ground up, establishing best practices and defining the strategic roadmap for the company.

• Industry Influence: Contribute to shaping the future of cardiovascular therapeutics, potentially leading to industry recognition and thought leadership opportunities.

• Mentorship & Team Building: Develop leadership skills through managing and mentoring a high-performing team, fostering talent and building capabilities for future organizational needs.

• Broader Portfolio Responsibility: As the company's pipeline matures, the scope of product responsibility may expand, offering opportunities to manage increasingly complex and valuable assets.

📝 Enhancement Note: This VP role offers significant opportunities for strategic impact and career advancement, particularly within a growing biotech firm. The ability to build and lead a function from its nascent stages is a key differentiator for career growth.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model. Employees are expected to be on-site 4 days per week (Monday to Thursday), with Fridays potentially offering flexibility for remote work. This model balances the benefits of in-person collaboration with personal flexibility.

Office Location(s): The role is available in three key biotech hubs:

• South San Francisco, California (a major hub for biotech innovation)

• Princeton, New Jersey (part of the strong East Coast pharma corridor)

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The 4-day on-site requirement is designed to foster collaboration, team cohesion, and spontaneous idea exchange crucial for strategic product development.

• Access to Tools & Technology: As a VP-level role in a biotech company, expect access to robust data analytics platforms, collaboration software, and potentially specialized tools for market intelligence and forecasting.

• Cross-Functional Interaction: The role necessitates frequent interaction with diverse teams across R&D, Clinical, Commercial, and Business Development, requiring effective communication and relationship-building skills in a dynamic office setting.

Work Schedule:

• A standard 40-hour work week is expected, but given the VP level and the demands of a fast-paced biotech environment, flexibility to work beyond standard hours may be necessary to meet critical deadlines, support global teams, or drive urgent strategic initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model indicates a company that values both in-person synergy and employee well-being. The multiple location options offer flexibility for candidates based in different regions. The emphasis on collaboration in the office is key for a strategic role requiring high levels of cross-functional alignment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and cover letter to assess alignment with the core qualifications and experience.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Typically with the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) or another senior executive, focusing on strategic thinking, leadership experience, and alignment with Kardigan's mission and values.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from R&D, Clinical Development, Commercial, and potentially Business Development to assess collaboration skills and functional understanding.

• Case Study Presentation: Candidates may be asked to present a strategic analysis or proposed product strategy for a hypothetical or real-world scenario, demonstrating their analytical capabilities, strategic framing, and communication skills.

• Executive Leadership Interview: A final interview with the CEO or other senior executives to discuss overall fit, strategic vision, and leadership potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Strategic Impact: Showcase instances where your strategic recommendations led to tangible outcomes (e.g., pipeline prioritization, successful product launches, significant market share gains, improved ROI).

• Highlight Cross-Functional Leadership: Present projects that demonstrate your ability to influence and align diverse teams, breaking down silos and driving consensus.

• Quantify Achievements: Wherever possible, use data and metrics to quantify the impact of your work (e.g., increased NPV of pipeline assets, reduced time-to-market, improved market penetration).

• Showcase Problem-Solving: Include examples of complex strategic challenges you faced and how you approached them, including data analysis, scenario planning, and mitigation strategies.

• Tailor to Kardigan: If possible, subtly reference how your experience aligns with Kardigan's focus on cardiovascular disease and its patient-centric mission.

Challenge Preparation:

• Strategic Frameworks: Be prepared to discuss and apply common strategic frameworks (e.g., SWOT, Porter's Five Forces, PESTLE) to the pharmaceutical/biotech industry and specifically to cardiovascular therapeutics.

• Market Landscape Analysis: Research current trends, key players, and unmet needs in the cardiovascular disease space. Understand the competitive landscape.

• Product Lifecycle Management: Be ready to discuss strategies for managing a product throughout its lifecycle, including early-stage development, launch, and post-launch optimization.

• Evidence Generation & Market Access: Understand the interplay between clinical evidence generation, regulatory approval, and market access/reimbursement strategies.

• Leadership & Team Management: Prepare to discuss your leadership philosophy, how you build and motivate teams, and how you handle conflict or challenges within a team.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a VP-level role, the interview process will be rigorous and designed to assess strategic depth, leadership capability, and cultural fit. A well-curated portfolio demonstrating strategic impact and leadership is crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Presentation Software: Advanced proficiency in PowerPoint for developing compelling strategic presentations and executive readouts.

• Collaboration Platforms: Experience with tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, or similar for seamless cross-functional communication and project management.

• Project Management Software: Familiarity with tools like Asana, Jira, or Monday.com for tracking strategic initiatives and team progress.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Tools: Proficiency in Excel for data manipulation and analysis; familiarity with BI tools like Tableau, Power BI, or QlikView for data visualization and dashboard creation is highly beneficial.

• Forecasting Tools: Experience with specialized forecasting software or advanced modeling techniques used in the pharmaceutical industry.

• Market Research Databases: Access to and ability to interpret data from sources like IQVIA, EvaluatePharma, Clarivate, GlobalData, etc.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly managing CRM/automation, understanding how these systems support commercial strategy and data collection is valuable. Familiarity with CRM platforms like Salesforce is a plus.

• Market Access & Pricing Tools: Understanding of tools and methodologies used for health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) and pricing strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this role is strategic, a VP of Product Strategy must be data-literate and comfortable using or interpreting data from various analytical and reporting tools to support their strategic recommendations. Proficiency in presentation tools is paramount.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Patient-Centricity: A deep, unwavering commitment to improving the lives of patients and their families, making their needs the ultimate priority.

• Authenticity: Leading with truth, fostering an environment of acceptance, and encouraging honesty to bring out the best in colleagues.

• Eagerness to Learn: Cultivating curiosity, embracing new ideas, and being open to changing one's mind based on new information or insights.

• Winning as a Team: Operating with urgency, excellence, and intention, supporting each other regardless of role or position to achieve collective success.

• Enable the Impossible: Taking calculated risks, pushing boundaries, and innovating to overcome challenges that patients are counting on being solved.

Collaboration Style:

• Proactive & Integrated: Expect a collaborative style that actively seeks input from and integrates perspectives across all functional areas (R&D, Clinical, Commercial, Regulatory, Market Access, BD).

• Data-Informed Dialogue: Discussions and decision-making are expected to be grounded in scientific data, market analysis, and strategic rationale.

• Constructive Challenge: An environment where ideas are openly debated and challenged respectfully to arrive at the best possible strategy.

• Urgency & Execution Focus: A shared drive to move quickly and effectively, translating strategy into actionable plans and driving towards results.

📝 Enhancement Note: Kardigan's stated values are foundational to its culture. A successful candidate will not only possess the requisite skills but also embody these values in their daily work and interactions, particularly the patient-centricity and the drive to "enable the impossible."

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Building a New Function: Establishing and scaling the Product Strategy function and its CoEs within a growing biotech company requires significant organizational design and change management skills.

• Navigating Scientific & Clinical Complexity: Translating complex, evolving scientific and clinical data into clear, actionable product strategies for novel therapeutics.

• Balancing Portfolio Needs: Managing competing priorities and resource allocation across a diverse pipeline of late-stage and early-stage assets.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Achieving consensus and driving execution across multiple departments with potentially differing priorities.

• Dynamic Startup Environment: Operating effectively in a fast-paced, resource-constrained, and rapidly evolving environment that demands agility and resilience.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic Innovation: Opportunities to pioneer new strategic approaches for bringing novel cardiovascular treatments to market.

• Leadership Development: Formal and informal opportunities to hone leadership skills through managing a growing team and influencing executive-level decisions.

• Industry Exposure: Deepen understanding of the cardiovascular therapeutic landscape, emerging technologies, and evolving regulatory and market access dynamics.

• Mentorship: Potential for mentorship from senior leadership, including the CSO and CEO, who have a strong track record in the industry.

• Building a Legacy: The chance to play a pivotal role in building a company that aims to fundamentally change outcomes for patients with cardiovascular disease.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents significant challenges typical of a high-growth biotech, offering commensurate growth opportunities for ambitious leaders. Success will depend on strategic foresight, execution capability, and the ability to inspire and lead teams.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you developed a product strategy for a complex therapeutic area. What was your process, what were the key challenges, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your strategic framework, data utilization, and impact.)

• "How would you approach prioritizing investment across multiple pipeline assets with varying risk/reward profiles?" (Demonstrate your understanding of portfolio management, valuation techniques, and decision-making frameworks.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on our mission and values, how would you ensure your product strategies are truly patient-centric?" (Connect your experience to Kardigan's core values and mission.)

• "How do you foster collaboration and alignment across diverse functions like R&D, Commercial, and Regulatory?" (Provide specific examples of your cross-functional leadership style and techniques.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your strategic approach, the actions taken, the results achieved (quantified where possible), and key learnings.

• Emphasize Strategic Thinking: Focus on the why behind your decisions, not just the what. Explain your rationale, the data that supported it, and the alternatives considered.

• Demonstrate Leadership: Highlight your role in leading teams, driving consensus, and overcoming obstacles.

• Visual Clarity: Use clear, concise slides with compelling visuals and minimal text. Ensure your presentation flows logically and tells a compelling story.

• Anticipate Questions: Be prepared to answer detailed questions about your strategy, assumptions, and the execution of your projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic depth, leadership impact, and a strong understanding of the pharmaceutical/biotech product lifecycle, particularly within the cardiovascular space.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Vice President, Product Strategy position:

• Submit your application through the Kardigan careers portal via the provided Greenhouse link.

• Tailor Your Resume: Customize your resume to highlight your experience in product strategy, clinical development influence, commercialization, launch planning, and cross-functional leadership, using keywords from the job description. Emphasize achievements with quantifiable results.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate 2-3 key projects or case studies that best demonstrate your strategic impact, leadership capabilities, and experience relevant to Kardigan's mission and the VP Product Strategy role. Focus on projects involving complex decision-making, cross-functional collaboration, and demonstrable business/patient outcomes.

• Research Kardigan: Thoroughly understand Kardigan's mission, values, pipeline (if publicly available), and the competitive landscape in cardiovascular therapeutics. Prepare to discuss how your strategic vision aligns with the company's goals.

• Practice Interview Responses: Rehearse answers to common strategic, leadership, and behavioral interview questions, drawing on specific examples from your experience and referencing your prepared portfolio case studies.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details, especially regarding specific company processes, team dynamics, and exact interview stages, should be verified directly with the hiring organization or during the interview process.