Role: Chief of Staff

Location: California (Flexible: Remote / Hybrid / On-site)

Our client is a leading pet oncology company developing targeted therapies for companion animals.

Cancer is the largest unmet medical need for pets and a primary driver of a pet market expected to exceed $500B by 2030. They aren’t just participating in that market; they are re-imagining it.

They are the first and leading company in their category, utilizing an AI engine powered by billions of proprietary data points. Their work has been validated in peer-reviewed journals, proving they can improve pet cancer survival by up to 3X. Because what they learn in dogs impacts humans, they have already advanced a human oncology asset to Phase 2 with a global pharmaceutical partner.

Backed by top-tier venture investors, they are at a massive inflection point as they scale through a key fundraising round and beyond.

Their mission: Curing cancer on both sides of the leash.

Position Overview:

The Chief of Staff role at our client is a high-exposure position, working side-by-side with their CEO every day.

This is a role for a high-performing “doer” who thrives when the stakes are high and the pace is fast. You will serve as the force multiplier for a visionary CEO who is “friendly but firm,” ensuring that strategic brilliance is matched by operational excellence.

You aren’t just managing a calendar — you are managing the connective tissue of the company. You will anticipate needs, bridge gaps between departments, and ensure that every decision made by the CEO is executed to the finish line.

This is a role for someone with “Closer DNA” — someone obsessed with driving outcomes, not just overseeing activity.

Key Responsibilities

• Fundraising Leadership
• You will run a tight, disciplined fundraising process at a critical inflection point.
• This includes building the investor funnel, managing the data room, and liaising with the technical team to ensure materials are world-class.
• You will partner closely with the CEO on pitch decks and storytelling, ensuring their vision is articulated with precision and punch.
• You will also drive quarterly investor updates to 90% completion, ensuring the company stays top-of-mind with their backers.
• Strategic Execution & Accountability
• You will attend high-level meetings to capture decisions and fully own the follow-through.
• You are the “enforcer” who ensures the leadership team stays accountable to their deliverables.
• You will prepare board materials and manage communication with board members and regulators.
• You will proactively identify bottlenecks and step in to clear the path before slowdowns compound.
• CEO Force Multiplication
• You will draft high-stakes communications, board materials, and external keynotes in the CEO’s voice.
• You will serve as a trusted advisor and truth-teller, providing internal pulse and grounded feedback on strategic plans.
• Your success will be measured by how significantly you reduce the CEO’s cognitive load — creating leverage so they can focus on multibillion-dollar opportunities ahead.

What Success Looks Like (Year 1)

• A key fundraising round is successfully closed, with your fingerprints on every stage of the process.
• The CEO’s capacity meaningfully expands because they trust that execution is being driven behind them.
• The leadership team operates with noticeably greater rigor, accountability, and alignment.
• The firm is working smarter, with clearer ownership and tighter follow-through across initiatives.

Qualifications

• 5–8 years of experience in investment banking, top-tier consulting, or operations within a high-growth, venture-backed startup.
• Direct experience running fundraising processes or managing complex M&A/financing processes from the inside or as an advisor.
• Ideally, experience in healthcare, life sciences, or deep tech environments.
• Strong fluency with AI tools to increase operational leverage and executive performance.
• MBA or advanced degree preferred, though track record of execution matters more than credentials.

Who You Are:

• A “Closer” — someone who finishes what they start.
• Unflappable in startup volatility — calm, grounded, opportunity-oriented in ambiguity.
• A high-caliber diplomat capable of navigating investors, regulators, and world-class scientists with poise.
• Competitive urgency — someone who moves at the speed of a company saving lives. Hungry, proactive, two steps ahead.
• Disciplined enough to build systems. Intuitive enough to operate in dynamic environments. Relentless enough to ensure nothing important drops.