Location: Philadelphia, PA or St. Louis, MO
Company: Orchestra Life Sciences
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt
About The Role
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will serve as a key executive leader responsible for
scaling Orchestra Life Sciences’ internal operations, consulting delivery infrastructure, and
client engagement processes across North America and Europe. Working in close
partnership with the CEO and the other partners, the COO will translate the company’s
growth strategy into disciplined execution to scalable enterprise operations by building
governance structures, operational systems, and delivery framework, required to support
Orchestra’s expanding portfolio of engagements in radiopharmaceuticals, cell and gene
therapy, nuclear medicine, and biotechnology.
This is a senior leadership role—an executive, C-suite position—for an experienced
operator who thrives in high-growth, technically complex environments. The ideal
candidate brings deep knowledge of consulting services with exposure to life sciences,
combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution, and has a proven track record of
building operational excellence within organizations navigating rapid scale.
Key Responsibilities
- Oversee and optimize day-to-day operations across all service lines—including
business strategy, engineering solutions, capital projects, quality and regulatory,
supply chain, and operations excellence. - Design, implement, and continuously improve operational systems, workflows, and
standard operating procedures to support Orchestra’s growth trajectory. - Lead resource planning and capacity management to ensure the right subject matter
experts are deployed to the right client engagements at the right time. - Partner with the CEO to align operational capabilities with strategic business
development priorities and market expansion plans. - Drive operational and financial performance, including utilization rates, project
profitability, and overall project P&L accountability in coordination with senior
leadership. - Establish and monitor key performance indicators across the organization, fostering
a culture of data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement. - Oversee the integration and management of project management tools and business
systems that support consulting delivery. - Lead and develop a high-performing operations team, including directors and
- managers across technical operations, field operations and project management.
- Ensure consistent quality and compliance across all client deliverables, working
closely with the quality, regulatory, and compliance functions. - Support the continued build-out of Orchestra’s European operations in coordination
with the President and Managing Director of OLS Europe - Collaborate with Vice Presidents and Managing Directors to ensure seamless
execution across programs, construction, supply chain, and strategic advisory
engagements. VPs, PMO, and the execution team report to the COO. - Champion organizational culture, talent development, and retention strategies to
attract and keep top-tier life sciences professionals in a competitive labor market.
Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Life Sciences, or a
related field; MBA or advanced degree strongly preferred. - 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in consulting services — ideally
with exposure to life sciences, pharmaceutical, biotech, or related industries - Demonstrated success building and scaling operational infrastructure within a high-
growth consulting or technical services organization. - Strong financial acumen with experience managing budgets, and resource
allocation across multiple concurrent engagements. - Proven ability to design and implement scalable processes, systems, and
governance frameworks across distributed and matrixed teams. - Strong understanding of professional services operating models, including
utilization management, delivery governance, project profitability, and matrix
resource planning. - Exceptional leadership and people management skills with a track record of
building, mentoring, and retaining high-performing teams. - Outstanding communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to
engage effectively with partners, clients, executives, and technical subject matter
experts. - Experience operating in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment where agility,
resourcefulness, and a hands-on approach are essential.
Preferred Experience
- Experience in the radiopharmaceutical, nuclear medicine, or cell and gene therapy
sectors. - Background in managing capital projects, facility build-outs, or engineering-driven
consulting engagements. - Familiarity with cGMP environments, FDA regulatory frameworks, and quality
management systems. - Experience leading or supporting international expansion, particularly in European
markets. - Prior C-suite or VP-level operational leadership within a professional services or
technical consulting firm. - Track record of integrating technology solutions (ERP, PSA, CRM) to drive
operational efficiency. - Six Sigma, Lean, or other operational excellence certifications.
Why Join Orchestra Life Sciences
- Be part of a mission-driven company accelerating novel treatments for cancer and
rare disease. - Join a rapidly growing consultancy with a global footprint and deep relationships
across the advanced therapy ecosystem. - Work alongside world-class subject matter experts with over 100 years of
combined industry experience. - Play a defining leadership role in building the operational foundation required to
support Orchestra’s long-term growth ambitions, competitive compensation,
benefits, and equity participation opportunities.
EEO Statement
Orchestra Life Sciences, LLC herein Orchestra, provides equal employment opportunities
(EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color,
religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law
requirements, Orchestra complies with applicable state and local laws governing
nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.
This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring,
placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence,
compensation, and training.
Orchestra Life Sciences expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on
race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national
origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with
the ability of Orchestra’s employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up
to and including discharge.