Senior Director, Clinical Pharmacology

Description of Role

Centessa is seeking an experienced Senior Director, Clinical Pharmacology to provide scientific and strategic leadership for clinical pharmacology across a diverse pipeline spanning early development through late‑stage and registrational programs. Reporting to the Executive Director, Clinical Pharmacology, this position is accountable for developing and executing clinical pharmacology strategies that address the unique challenges of neuroscience drug development, including CNS exposure, dose optimization, and translational relevance. The Senior Director partners closely with cross‑functional teams and represents clinical pharmacology in regulatory interactions to enable efficient, data‑driven advancement of therapies across our neuroscience portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

Lead clinical pharmacology strategy for CNS and neuroscience programs from first‑in‑human through registrational and post‑marketing stages

Design, execute, and interpret clinical pharmacology studies, including FIH, multiple‑ascending dose, DDI, biopharmaceutics, and patient studies

Drive dose selection and optimization using integration of PK, PD, safety, efficacy, and CNS‑specific biomarkers

Lead model‑informed drug development, including population PK, PK/PD, and exposure–response analyses relevant to CNS targets

Assess and guide strategies for CNS exposure, brain penetration, target engagement, and translational biomarkers

Serve as the clinical pharmacology lead on program teams, clinical sub‑teams, and trial working groups

Author and oversee clinical pharmacology sections of regulatory documents (e.g., INDs, CTAs, IBs, NDAs)

Represent clinical pharmacology in interactions with FDA and other global health authorities, supporting dose justification and labeling discussions

Partner closely with DMPK, Translational Sciences, Clinical Development, Biomarkers, Biostatistics, CMC, and Regulatory Affairs

Oversee CROs and external vendors conducting clinical pharmacology and modeling activities

Ensure timely communication and clear interpretation of clinical pharmacology results to internal stakeholders

Contribute to portfolio strategy, program prioritization, and long‑range clinical development planning for CNS assets

Serve as a subject‑matter expert on clinical pharmacology considerations unique to neuroscience drug development

Mentor and develop clinical pharmacology talent as the pipeline and organization grow

Ensure high‑quality, submission‑ready documentation aligned with global regulatory standards

Qualifications

PharmD or a PhD in Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related discipline

12+ years of experience in clinical pharmacology within biopharma, with demonstrated impact in clinical drug development

Extensive experience developing and executing clinical pharmacology strategies for early‑ through late‑stage programs, including registrational support

Strong expertise in PK, PD, PK/PD integration, exposure–response analyses, and drug–drug interaction assessment

Demonstrated experience applying quantitative clinical pharmacology approaches (e.g., population PK, mechanistic PK/PD modeling) to inform CNS dose selection and optimization

Proficiency with clinical pharmacology tools and platforms such as NONMEM, R, Phoenix WinNonlin, SimCyp, or equivalent

Experience authoring and delivering clinical pharmacology components of regulatory submissions (e.g., INDs, CTAs, NDAs) and interacting with global health authorities

Strong understanding of translational PK, CNS exposure considerations, and biomarker integration in neuroscience drug development

Excellent communication, collaboration, and leadership skills with the ability to operate effectively in a fast‑paced, matrixed environment

Compensation

The annual base salary range for this position is $275,000.00 to $295,000.00. Individual compensation within this range will be determined based on a variety of factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge location.

In addition to base pay, this role is eligible for a discretionary annual bonus. Centessa also offers a comprehensive benefits package, which includes a 401(k) plan, company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, generous paid time off, and a health and wellness program.

Work Location

The Senior Director, Clinical Pharmacology role is based in the US, with occasional travel.

POSITION: Full-Time, Exempt EEOC Statement: Centessa Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subdisary of Eli Lilly and Company believes in a diverse environment and is committed to equal employment opportunity for all its employees and qualified applicants. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. We will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.

Please note: We will not assign referral rights for any unsolicited resumes from recruitment agencies.