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New · posted Nov 10

Fate Therapeutics · Biotechnology

Executive Director, Clinical Operations

  • San Diego, CA
  • On-site
  • Full-time
  • Director
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Pay$280K–$300K
EmploymentFull-time
LocationSan Diego, CA
LevelDirector
FunctionClinical Operations
DeadlineOpen until filled

The role

Fate Therapeutics is seeking an Executive Director, Clinical Operations to contribue to the strategy and lead execution of our global clinical operations across multiple cell therapy franchises. In this senior leadership role, you will drive the planning and delivery of studies built on a differentiated, off-the-shelf platform designed for broad patient access. Partnering closely with the executive team, clinical leadership, and cross-functional colleagues, you will shape portfolio priorities, ensure operational excellence in site start-up, enrollment, and data quality, and own the timelines and budgets that bring our pipeline to patients. If you are a strategic, hands-on leader who thrives on building high-performing teams and scalable processes, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the future of cell therapy in autoimmune disease.

What you need

  • BS/BA or advanced degree with a minimum of 14 years of pharmaceutical and/or biotech experience in a clinical drug development setting.
  • Strong leadership competencies and influencing skills with senior leaders and cross functional leaders.
  • Extensive experience with clinical operations line management, performance management and staff coaching.
  • Proven leadership of clinical operations functions and execution of clinical trials including successful study start-up, site selection, patient recruitment, and relationship building with investigators and CROs; Intimate knowledge of study site selection and site start up in the oncology or autoimmunity space.
  • Experience in clinical resource allocation and budget forecasting.
  • Management experience including outsourcing to third-party organizations, e.g., CROs.
  • Expert knowledge of FDA and GCP regulations and guidelines.
  • Experience in the development of protocols, SOPs, clinical study reports, INDs, NDAs and other clinical, regulatory and safety documents required.
  • Effective oral and written communication skills to influence, inform and guide the clinical operational team.
  • Strong project management skills.
  • Proven teambuilding skills and ability to foster partnerships across projects and multidisciplinary teams.
  • Experience in cell-based therapies is highly preferred.
  • Excellent organizational, communication and people management skills required.

    • Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

  • Travel may be required (up to 30%).
  • Subject to extended periods of sitting and standing, vision to monitor, and moderate noise levels.

    • Skills named in this posting

    What you'll do

  • Lead and drive successful execution of the company’s clinical operation strategies through establishing consistent and deliverable operational plans across multiple cell therapy franchises.
  • Establish study planning models, oversee efficient site start-up across multiple countries and drive patient recruitment as part of a unique outpatient administration and on-demand available cell therapy platform for broad patient access.
  • Partner with executive team to plan and drive corporate clinical initiatives, and to establish delivery strategies, portfolio priorities, and progress metrics.
  • Partner with larger clinical organization to provide operational input into clinical protocol design, study endpoints, enrollment strategy, and trial timelines.
  • Provide strategic oversight of global cell therapy studies to deliver on timelines and cost allocations; own variable and headcount costs for the assigned portfolio, including forecasting, resource allocation assumptions, change order review, and cost containment, in partnership with Finance.
  • Develop and oversee patient enrollment, data and timeline completion risk mitigation plans, patient data quality, and completion timelines.
  • Maintain integration and alignment of Clinical Operations with key cross-functional departments including Clinical Outsourcing, Program Management, R&D, Manufacturing, Biometrics, Regulatory, QA, Safety/Pharmacovigilance, Legal, Finance, and external partners to translate portfolio strategy into executable plans; lead partnerships with external partners, vendors and CROs.
  • Establish performance metrics, dashboards and forecasting models (enrollment, site activation, protocol deviations, query rates, cycle times) to drive accountability; oversee site selection, feasibility, activation, and engagement, including patient recruitment and retention.
  • Build relationships with key opinion leaders, investigators, and sites to support innovation into clinical operations practice; travel to sites and represent the company at investigator meetings, advisory boards, conferences, and patient advocacy events; contribute to corporate planning, investor updates, and partnering or due diligence activities as needed.
  • Lead development and continuous improvement of scalable SOPs, processes, and tools, ensuring adherence to GCP and applicable regulations.
  • Build a culture of ownership, transparency, continuous improvement, and shape organizational design and hiring to match pipeline growth, balancing internal headcount with flexible resources.

    • Pay and benefits

    $280,000 – $300,000 a year

    Employer provided
    How this compares

  • The salary offer will be based on a variety of factors, including level, experience, qualifications, internal equity, and location.
  • Fate offers a competitive employment package that includes an annual bonus, equity, and a generous benefits package.
  • The anticipated salary range for this role is $280,000 - $300,000

    • Annual bonus

    • Equity

    • Generous benefits package

    Where you'll work

    San Diego, CAOn-siteOpen in Maps (opens in a new tab)

    More jobs in San Diego, CA
    Equal opportunity, accessibility and legal noticesFate Therapeutics's statements, word for word

    Equal Employment Opportunity

    Fate Therapeutics, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

    Privacy Notice

    To learn about how Fate collects and uses job application information, please visit Fate's online Privacy Notice.

    About Fate Therapeutics, Inc.

    Fate Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to bringing a pipeline of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cellular immunotherapies to patients. Using its proprietary iPSC product platform, the Company has established a leadership position in creating multiplexed-engineered master iPSC lines and in the manufacture and clinical development of off-the-shelf, iPSC-derived cell products. The Company’s pipeline includes iPSC-derived T-cell and natural killer (NK) cell product candidates, which are selectively designed, incorporate novel synthetic controls of cell function, and are intended to deliver multiple therapeutic mechanisms to patients. Fate Therapeutics is headquartered in San Diego, CA. For more information, please visit www.fatetherapeutics.com.

    ⚠️ Recruitment Fraud Alert

    Recently, we have been made aware of unauthorized individuals falsely presenting themselves as Fate Therapeutics employees or recruiters as part of online scams or phishing attempts. Impersonators may use the Fate Therapeutics name and logo, as well as employee names and job titles, to gain a job seeker’s personal or banking information or to request payment as a condition of being considered for a position at the company. Fate Therapeutics and its employees are not involved in these scams.

    Here are a few things to be aware of to help identify recruitment fraud:

    - Our Talent Acquisition team only corresponds from our @fatetherapeutics.com domain.

    - At no stage in our hiring process will we require payment or ask you to make deposits in your bank account.

    - We will only ask for personal information when applying for a position via our Careers page or thereafter.

    - At no stage during our hiring process will we ask you to click a link to begin a one-way video interview.

    - We do not use Google Hangouts, WhatsApp, or other third-party messaging platforms to recruit candidates or conduct interviews.

    Please exercise caution. If something feels off about your interactions, we encourage you to contact us at [email protected] to confirm the authenticity of the message. Your security is important to us, and we appreciate your vigilance.

    The preceding job description indicates the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. Additional and incidental duties related to the primary duties may be required from time to time.

    Job intelligence

    The context around this role

    Live data · November 10, 2026

    Salary intelligence

    How the pay compares

    This role's midpoint is 24% above the US median for Clinical Operations roles at this level.

    This roleEmployer provided

    $280,000 to $300,000 a year

    Director roles in California12 roles publishing pay

    Middle half $241,000 to $292,500, median $244,000

    Director roles in the US41 roles publishing pay

    Middle half $202,000 to $244,000, median $233,000
    Annual base pay
    Annual base payLowMedianHigh
    This role$280,000—$300,000
    California$241,000$244,000$292,500
    All US$202,000$233,000$244,000

    This role: Fate Therapeutics's own published range. Comparisons: the base pay employers published on open Clinical Operations roles at the same level on Regulatory Jobs, November 10, 2026. Nothing is estimated.

    Career trajectory

    Where this role sits in Clinical Operations

    The general path across 102 open Clinical Operations roles on Regulatory Jobs, with the titles they carry most. Not Fate Therapeutics's own promotion track.

    1. Earlier

      Associate & Specialist

      Often: Clinical Trial Associate · FSP Clinical Trial Coordinator

      $87K median16 open

    2. Earlier

      Senior & Principal

      Often: Sr. Clinical Trial Associate · Associate Principal Scientist, Clinical Research

      $135K median13 open

    3. One step back

      Manager

      Often: Manager, Clinical Operations · Senior Manager, Clinical Operations

      $155K median25 open

    4. This role

      Director

      Often: Director, Clinical Operations · Program Lead II, Clinical Program Development

      $233K median43 open

    5. Next step

      VP & Executive

      Often: Executive Director Clinical Operations, Program Management · Head of Clinical Trial Start Up

      5 open

    Career resources on Clinical Operations

    Skills DNA

    What this role leans on

    How many of the posting's 4 duty, requirement and summary lines touch each area. The posting's emphasis, not a proficiency score.

    GMP and compliance: 2 linesDocumentation and SOPs: 2 linesInvestigations and CAPA: 2 linesQuality systems and risk: 1 lineClinical trial conduct: 2 linesCollaboration and leadership: 3 linesGMPDocumentationInvestigationsQuality systemsClinical trialsTeamwork
    • Collaboration and leadership3
    • GMP and compliance2
    • Documentation and SOPs2
    • Investigations and CAPA2
    • Clinical trial conduct2
    • Quality systems and risk1

    Regulatory intelligence

    The rules, regulations and standards behind this role

    The regulations, guidance and standards that govern Clinical Operations work in biotechnology, led by the three this posting names, each linked to the agency or standards body that publishes it.

    Company hiring pulse

    Fate Therapeutics on Regulatory Jobs

    4
    Open roles
    4
    Distinct roles
    1
    Locations

    By discipline

    • Clinical2 50%
    • Regulatory1 25%
    • Quality1 25%

    By level

    • Director2 50%
    • Manager2 50%
    See all 4 Fate Therapeutics roles

    More roles at Fate Therapeutics

    Similar Clinical Operations roles elsewhere

    Executive Director, Clinical Operations at Fate Therapeutics

    Open until filled. $280K–$300K a year, employer provided.

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