Project Manager / Alliance Manager in Arlington, Virginia at BULLFROG AI MANAGEMENT LLC

BullFrog AI is hiring a Project Manager / Alliance Manager who will own the timeline for our development projects and be the day-to-day partner for our pharma and biotech clients. Projects span early drug discovery (target to lead and preclinical development), data science and computational biology, and enterprise product development. The role is split between internal (driving cross-functional teams to deliver on schedule) and external (managing client relationships, meetings, and governance).
The Manager will be the single point of accountability for both sides of each engagement: the internal teams know what is due and when, and the client always knows where things stand. You will report to BD & Strategy initially and work closely with Discovery Biology and Chemistry, Computational Biology, Data Science, Software Engineering, Product, Business Development and Finance.

• Location: Remote (US-based only)
• Employment type: Full-time
• Travel: Up to 15% for client meetings and governance sessions

Responsibilities: Project Management (internal)The Manager will own the project timeline and is accountable for getting development projects and client deliverables to completion on schedule. This includes:

• Building and maintaining integrated project plans, timelines, and Gantt charts covering scope, milestones, dependencies, resources, and critical path.
• Driving cross-functional teams (discovery biology, computational biology, data science, and software engineering) to hit milestones and deliverable dates.
• Managing early discovery programs from target identification and validation through hit-to-lead, lead optimization, and candidate nomination into IND-enabling preclinical studies.
• Coordinating data science and computational biology workstreams (e.g., target identification, omics analysis, AI/ML models, data pipelines) and tying their outputs to program decisions.
• Establishing and driving software product development timelines and keeping teams informed of client priorities so releases line up with client milestone commitments.
• Running regular internal project team meetings; set agendas, track action items, and follow up until they close.
• Identifying risks and issues early, building mitigation and contingency plans, and escalating decisions to leadership when needed.
• Managing scope, change requests, and their impact on timeline, resources, and budget.
• Tracking project budgets and resource use in partnership with Finance; flag variances before they become problems.
• Ensuring client deliverables (study reports, data packages, analysis results, software releases, technical transfers) are complete, reviewed and on time.
• Producing clear status reports and dashboards for internal leadership.
• Maintaining project documentation in line with company SOPs, quality standards and, where applicable, GxP and computer system validation requirements.
• Improving project management processes, templates and tools across the organization.

Responsibilities: Alliance Management (external)
The Manager is the primary day-to-day contact for assigned pharma and biotech clients and partners, making sure their needs are understood and met. This includes:

• Serving as the main point of contact for client and partner teams; building trusted relationships at working and senior levels, from bench scientists to R&D and IT leadership.
• Scheduling and coordinating client meetings, including agendas, pre-reads, attendee lists, and logistics.
• Preparing and distributing accurate meeting minutes, decisions, and action items promptly after each meeting, and tracking actions to closure.
• Supporting and participating in alliance governance, including Joint Research Committees (JRC), Joint Steering Committees (JSC) and related working groups: prepare materials, track decisions, and maintain governance records.
• Knowing the key terms of each agreement (deliverables, milestones, reporting and governance obligations) and help ensure the company meets them.
• Translating client scientific and business questions into clear internal actions, including discovery experiments, computational analyses, and software requirements.
• Monitoring relationship health, surfacing concerns early, and leading resolution of conflicts or misalignment.
• Communicating project status, risks, and changes to clients transparently and on a regular cadence.
• Partnering with Business Development on contract amendments, scope expansions, renewals, and new opportunities with existing clients.
• Capturing lessons learned and client feedback to strengthen future partnerships.

• Bachelor's degree in life sciences, chemistry, computational biology, computer science, engineering, or a related field.
• 5–10 years of project management experience, with a proven record of building timelines and driving cross-functional teams to deliver on time.
• 5–10 years of experience managing relationships with pharmaceutical and/or biotechnology clients or partners, in an alliance, account, or client-facing project role.
• Direct client-facing experience: running meetings, writing minutes, managing client expectations, and supporting joint governance.
• Proven ability to build and maintain both internal and external relationships, including with senior stakeholders.
• Familiarity with early drug discovery and preclinical development (e.g., target validation, hit-to-lead, lead optimization, IND-enabling studies), enough to plan the work and discuss it credibly with scientists.
• Exposure to data science and computational biology (e.g., bioinformatics, omics, cheminformatics, AI/ML) and how their outputs feed program decisions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to write clear, concise minutes, status reports and presentations.
• Proficiency with project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet, Jira, Confluence) and Microsoft Office / Google Workspace.

Preferred qualifications

• Advanced degree (MS, PhD, PharmD, or MBA).
• PMP or equivalent project management certification; Agile/Scrum certification (e.g., CSM, PMI-ACP); alliance management certification (e.g., ASAP CA-AM / CSAP).
• Direct experience supporting JRC/JSC or other joint governance committees.
• Hands-on experience managing discovery programs from target to lead and through preclinical development.
• Familiarity with enterprise software development and implementation, including requirements gathering, configuration, integration, validation, rollout, and user adoption.
• Experience with co-development, licensing, research collaboration, or software licensing agreements.
• Knowledge of GxP, 21 CFR Part 11, and computer system validation for software used in regulated environments.
• Background in a CRO, CDMO, AI-driven drug discovery company or life sciences SaaS provider.

Core competencies.

• Ownership: treats the timeline as their own and follows through without being chased.
• Relationship building: earns trust quickly with clients and internal teams alike.
• Influence without authority: drives cross-functional teams that do not report to them.
• Organization and detail: keeps many workstreams, actions and documents accurate at once.
• Diplomacy: handles difficult conversations and competing priorities calmly and professionally.
• Problem solving: spots risks early and brings options, not just issues.

How success is measured.

• Discovery milestones (e.g., target validation, hit and lead nomination, candidate selection) and client deliverables are met on or ahead of the agreed timeline.
• Meeting minutes and action items are distributed within 24–48 hours of each meeting.
• Governance meetings (JRC/JSC) are well prepared, with decisions documented and tracked.
• High client satisfaction, renewals, and expanded business with assigned clients.
• Internal teams are consistently clear on priorities, owners, and due dates.

What We Offer

Base salary range: $130,000 - $160,000 per year, based on education, years of relevant experience, skills, and location. This role is eligible for performance bonus and equity/stock options, subject to company and plan terms. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision from day one, short-term disability, 401(k) from first paycheck, 15 days PTO, 11 paid holidays annually, and maternity and paternity leave.