Pleased to meet you! We are Galapagos, headquartered in Belgium and growing our executive team in the U.S., with a mission to deploy our capital to secure and advance transformative, clinical-stage assets, primarily in immunology and oncology, to transform patient outcomes.

We are looking for a Vice President Commercial Assessment to strengthen our strategy team in our newly established Chicago office.

Scope of the job

As Vice President Commercial Assessment, you will lead Galapagos’ commercial due diligence and valuation efforts for all business development opportunities. This is a senior, high-impact role responsible for setting frameworks, overseeing evaluations, and directly influencing executive-level decision-making. This role is central to our efforts as a small, nimble biotech to deliver shareholder value and patient benefit. In this function, you will report directly to the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO).

Your role

Commercial Due Diligence 

• Drive end-to-end commercial evaluations of external M&A, licensing, and partnership opportunities brought forward by CBO (Chief Business Officer) Search & Evaluation team.

• Develop revenue forecasts and market models based on robust inputs regarding epidemiology, unmet need, evolving treatment paradigms, pricing & access dynamics, and competitive positioning.

• Identify commercial risks associated with potential transactions and propose plans to mitigate.

• Partner with CBO team to analyze and model operating costs (SG&A, COGS, R&D, as appropriate) for potential BD targets. Assessments will span corporate priority areas within oncology and immunology. 

Market Intelligence

• Build and maintain an expert- and data-informed view of the future demand landscape in disease areas of interest, reflecting competitor pipelines, evolving treatment paradigms, and economics of care. These will complement and build on broader market scenarios developed by the VP Corporate Strategy, and ensure readiness for rapid, in-depth due diligence as business development opportunities are identified. 

Cross-Functional Collaboration 

• Partner with CBO team and Finance on diligence teams to integrate commercial perspectives, assumptions, analyses, and forecasts into diligence assessments.

• Partner with R&D team and advisors to translate commercial assumptions to clinical evidence requirements and ensure aligned assumptions around these.

• Retain and oversee external partners as needed to supplement internal diligence efforts.

• Support BD negotiations by providing commercial input and relevant scenario analyses. 

Strategic Communication 

• Translate complex data into actionable insights for senior leadership.

• Prepare and deliver executive-level presentations and recommendations for Management Committee, CEO, and Board of Directors. 

Who are you?

• 10-15+ years in pharma/biotech, consulting, or investment roles focused on commercial strategy or asset evaluation, including in BD/M&A contexts, and in oncology and/or immunology.

• Deep understanding of drug development, revenue forecasting, commercial strategy & operations, and payer dynamics. Experience with pharma product launch and commercialization preferred.

• Exceptional analytical and strategic skills, with differentiated strengths in financial modeling and scenario analysis, and the ability to synthesize complex information into actionable insights. 

• Strong executive presence and communication skills, with experience presenting to senior leadership and boards. 

• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functional projects in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment, including strong “one-team” engagement on scientific, clinical, regulatory, and commercial issues. 

• Advanced degree preferred (MBA, PhD, MD, or equivalent). 

What’s in it for you?

At Galapagos, we prioritize your continuous growth and development, fostering a culture of empowerment. Our employees are the driving force behind our mission to lead in pharmaceutical research and innovation.

Base compensation for this position ranges from $313,000 to $406,900. Actual base compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors including experience, qualifications, job-related knowledge, demonstrated skills and geographic location. The company reserves the right to modify base salary ranges at any time. In addition, this position is eligible for participation in Galapagos’ performance bonus plan and long-term incentive program. We offer comprehensive and generous benefits and programs to help our colleagues lead healthy lives and to support important moments in life.

Galapagos is dedicated to ensuring equal employment opportunities. Our hiring decisions are based on merit, considering qualifications, skills, performance, and achievements. We strictly prohibit discrimination against any employee or job applicant based on personal characteristics that are unrelated to their job.

We are Galapagos: together we can make it happen…!