About the Role

The Director, Program Team Lead (PTL) provides strategic and cross-functional leadership for one or more development programs at Tarsus. In this role, you will serve as a strategic leader responsible for integrating development, regulatory, commercial, and operational perspectives to maximize long-term molecule value.

You will lead a cross-functional Program Team to define and execute an integrated molecule strategy aligned with corporate priorities, ensuring programs advance with clarity, discipline, and strong decision-making. This role requires the ability to navigate scientific and business considerations while driving alignment across matrixed teams and senior leadership.

This role is ideal for a strategic leader who thrives in dynamic environments, exercises strong judgment under uncertainty, and enjoys driving clarity and impact across complex cross-functional initiatives. This is a unique opportunity to help shape the evolution of program leadership at Tarsus while advancing innovative therapies for patients.

Let’s talk about some of the key responsibilities of the role:

• Lead the cross-functional Program Team to define and execute an integrated molecule strategy aligned with long-term corporate strategy and enterprise priorities
• Own and evolve the Target Product Profile (TPP) and Integrated Development Plan (IDP) to optimize molecule value
• Drive key program decisions by defining strategic options, risks, and recommendations in collaboration with functional leaders
• Serve as the enterprise voice of the molecule, aligning stakeholders around program strategy, priorities, and decisions
• Drive excellence in day-to-day Program Team execution, ensuring program milestones, timelines, and deliverables progress in alignment with strategy
• Shape molecule-level inputs to annual budgeting, portfolio, and long-range planning processes, clearly articulating key assumptions, risks, and value drivers
• Proactively identify strategic and executional risks, including competitive, regulatory, and market shifts, and develop scenario-based mitigation strategies
• Prepare and deliver high-quality program updates, strategic recommendations, and decision materials to Executive Team, Board, and other key governance forums.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing team environment
• Contribute to the evolution of program leadership practices and governance processes as the organization scales

Factors for Success:

Education & Experience

• Advanced degree in life sciences, medicine, pharmacy, or a related discipline preferred; MBA or equivalent business training is a plus
• 15+ years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry with demonstrated progression into strategic leadership roles
• Experience leading or meaningfully contributing to cross-functional drug development programs across multiple stages of development and/or launch planning, commercial strategy, and lifecycle management for commercial products
• Strong understanding of global drug development, regulatory strategy, and the broader ecosystem influencing pharmaceutical product development
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams in highly matrixed environments without direct authority
• Must be willing to be “hands on” and delve into details
• Experience with key regulatory filings (IND through NDA) and/or new product planning experience a plus

Leadership Competencies - This role requires proficiency in the Tarsus Leadership Competencies for Leading People, including:

Strategic Thinking & Business Acumen

• Ability to connect functional and program strategy with broader business objectives, synthesizing diverse inputs into clear strategic perspectives that guide decision-making
• Make recommendations clearly linked to the organization's strategy and financial goals, reflecting an awareness of internal and external dynamics, including competitive environments and industry trends

Decision-Making

• Applies structured decision-making to complex, cross-functional challenges, weighing competing priorities and longer-term trade-offs

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Promotes collaboration by aligning diverse teams around shared goals, fostering healthy debate to advance outcomes, and building strong networks that strengthen organizational effectiveness
• Skilled at building strong relationships with functional leaders and senior stakeholders to foster alignment, trust, and shared accountability

Outcome Driven Execution

• Demonstrates strong outcomes focus by aligning teams around shared priorities, proactively addressing risks and dependencies, and driving cross-functional accountability to sustain progress and deliver results

Effective Communication

• Distills complex information into clear, actionable messages for a variety of stakeholders. Communicates priorities in ways that align team efforts to organizational goals while ensuring feedback flows upward and downward.

A Few Other Details Worth Mentioning:

• The position will be based in our beautiful Irvine office, complete with onsite gym, pool, snacks, drinks, and occasional catered meals. We provide a hybrid work environment.
• We are passionate about our culture! Our Tarsans live our values of commitment to patients, empowerment to champion innovation, and teamwork to amplify impact!
• This position reports directly to our Chief of Staff, Office of the CEO
• Some travel may be required – up to 20%

At Tarsus, we understand the importance of attracting and retaining top talent. The expected base pay range for this position is $203,200 - $284,600 plus bonus, stock equity, and comprehensive benefits. The base pay range reflects the target range for this position, but individual pay will be determined by additional factors such as job-related skills, experience and relevant education or training. Our benefits include health, dental and vision insurance benefits to ensure your well-being. We believe in work-life balance and offer generous paid time off, including vacation, holidays, and personal days. For more details regarding Tarsus benefits, please visit: https://eb.alliant.com/26tarsusbenefitssnapshot.

#LI-Hybrid

Let’s talk about some of the key responsibilities of the role:

Executive Partnership & Enterprise Time Architecture

• Design and manage the CEO’s enterprise calendar to ensure time is aligned with strategic priorities, leadership engagement, governance cadence, and external visibility.
• Balance internal leadership engagement, Board cadence, investor visibility, and external representation.
• Sequence meetings to support consistent executive messaging across stakeholders.
• Protect strategic thinking time and anticipate high-intensity cycles (earnings, Board meetings, product milestones, sales meetings, conferences, investor meetings, etc.).
• Partner with Chief of Staff team to drive Executive Team (ET) and internal meeting management and serve as operational partner for ET cadence. Ensure CEO meeting agendas, materials, and pre-reads are aligned and delivered in advance.
• Track action items and reinforce accountability across leadership.
• Partner with the Chief of Staff and CHRO to support quarterly planning, offsites, and enterprise initiatives.
• Prepare CEO for business reviews, sales and other functional leadership meetings, national and regional conferences, and company-wide meetings.
• Ensure CEO internal presence is strategic, consistent, and aligned with enterprise messaging.
• Provide proactive and responsive support to the CEO outside of standard business hours as business needs require, particularly during high-intensity corporate cycles and during CEO travel.
• Drives modernization of executive office systems, ensuring efficiency, data security, and scalability.
• Provide leadership, mentorship, and thought partnership with the rest of the Executive Assistant team.

CEO Presence & Visibility Optimization

• Manage the CEO’s internal and external leadership brand.
• Prepare briefing materials including organizational sentiment, commercial metrics, R&D milestones, and cultural dynamics.
• Partner with Corporate Communications, IR and Commercial Leadership to ensure messaging consistency.
• Balance CEO exposure across functional groups to reinforce engagement without overextension.

Board of Directors & Governance Support

• Drive key relationship management with Board of Directors and Board advisors.
• Serve as operational liaison for Board and Committee meetings.
• Coordinate Board materials, logistics including travel, and follow-up tracking and attendance confirmation in partnership with Legal and the Chief of Staff.
• Maintain strict confidentiality regarding confidential and sensitive information, including material non-public information (MNPI).
• Support proxy season and governance cycles, as appropriate.

External & Investor Interface

• Coordinate CEO participation in earnings cycles, investor and other business conferences, roadshows, and strategic partnership meetings.
• Ensure briefing materials align with public disclosures and investor expectations.
• Manage high-discretion communications and logistics.

Travel & Expense & Executive Sustainability Management

• Design complex domestic and international travel with a concierge-level standard of service aligned to enterprise priorities and to maximize executive performance.
• Develop structured executive travel briefs including itineraries, meeting objectives, stakeholder background, and strategic context.
• Anticipate disruptions and proactively adjust logistics to protect executive focus and performance.
• Monitor travel status, travel risk, geopolitical considerations, and contingency planning in coordination with internal and external partners; manage delays, cancellations, and other last-minute changes seamlessly.
• Build recovery buffers around high-stakes engagements.
• Timely management of expenses, produce and maintain complete and accurate expense reports, and track and control budgets.

Integration of Personal & Family Logistics

• Coordinate family travel logistics alongside business travel when appropriate, ensuring seamless integration without compromising corporate priorities.
• Utilize secure digital systems to manage confidential personal scheduling and sensitive logistics.
• Apply concierge-level service standards to ensure executive stability during high-intensity corporate cycles.
• Support work-life integration coordination as needed while recognizing the impact of personal logistics on enterprise leadership performance and maintaining professional boundaries. 

Factors for Success:

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 10+ years of executive support or equivalent experience, including proven support of a CEO or C-level executive in a commercial stage, publicly traded company.
• Direct experience supporting Board of Directors and understanding governance processes.
• Business Acumen with a strong understanding of earnings cadence, investor sensitivity, and confidentiality standards.
• Exceptional executive presence, judgment, and discretion.
• Ability to operate as a strategic thought partner in high-pressure environments
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate and develop and maintain strong working partnerships.
• Well organized and efficient with handling multiple tasks simultaneously; meticulous attention to detail.
• Excellent time management skills and ability to prioritize work and activities with limited guidance while able to meet stringent deadlines.
• Able to provide clear guidance and direction for other support team members.
• Proactive thinker – creative and consistently generates new and original ideas to improve processes and procedures, and strong ability to anticipate needs in advance.
• Must understand, follow, and comply with regulatory and compliance requirements as applicable to various processes.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including active listening.
• Technically proficient in tools such as Microsoft Office Suite, Zoom, NetSuite, Concur, leveraging AI-enabled productivity tools, digital workflow systems, and various computer programs that will modernize executive office operations.
• Proficient in coordinating executive travel, meetings, catering, and event logistics.
• Strong problem-solving, judgment, and decision-making skills are required.
• Demonstrated ability to provide responsive, high-touch executive support outside of traditional business hours when required to meet the dynamic needs of a publicly traded CEO.
• Notary Public certification is a plus.
• Decision Making - Demonstrates strong decision-making by applying structured analysis to complex challenges, balancing competing priorities and long-term impacts while engaging stakeholders and driving solutions aligned with organizational goals.
• Collaboration and Team Building - Promotes collaboration by aligning diverse teams around shared goals, fostering healthy debate to advance outcomes, and building strong networks that strengthen organizational effectiveness and cross-team learning.
• Outcome Driven - Demonstrates strong outcomes focus by aligning teams around shared priorities, proactively addressing risks and dependencies, and driving cross-functional accountability to sustain progress and deliver results.

A Few Other Details Worth Mentioning:

• This position reports directly to the CEO.
• The position will be based in our beautiful Irvine office, complete with onsite gym, pool, snacks, drinks, and occasional catered meals. We provide a hybrid work environment.
• Given the nature of the role, consistent onsite presence at HQ is required.
• We are passionate about our culture! Our Tarsans live our values of commitment to patients, empowerment to champion innovation, and teamwork to amplify impact!
• Some travel may be required, up to 20%

At Tarsus, we understand the importance of attracting and retaining top talent. The expected base pay range for this position is $112,500 - $157,500 plus bonus, stock equity, and comprehensive benefits. The base pay range reflects the target range for this position, but individual pay will be determined by additional factors such as job-related skills, experience and relevant education or training. Our benefits include health, dental and vision insurance benefits to ensure your well-being. We believe in work-life balance and offer generous paid time off, including vacation, holidays, and personal days. For more details regarding Tarsus benefits, please visit: https://eb.alliant.com/26tarsusbenefitssnapshot.

#LI-Hybrid