Chief of Staff to Chief Corporate Affairs Officer

Who We Are

Vial is a hyper-scalable biotech company advancing programs into the clinic by leveraging dramatically cheaper trials and computationally designed therapeutics.

Our mission is to reimagine drug development in order to cure all human diseases. We have assembled a talented team of clinical operators, chemists, and innovative thinkers to achieve this vision.

Vial is based in San Francisco, California, and was founded by Simon Burns in October 2020. Since our founding, we have grown rapidly to a team of 100+ employees with over $100 million in funding from leading investors including General Catalyst, Box Group, and Byers Capital.

Vial is rebuilding the infrastructure to advance research. By deploying technology at every step, we are creating a more efficient future for drug discovery.

Position Overview

If you’re the rare operator with a passion for policy, who can build from zero, scale, and thrive in the chaos between, this is your launchpad. Vial is seeking a Chief of Staff to Corporate Affairs—a relentless builder, systems architect, and force multiplier who will partner directly with the Chief Corporate Affairs Officer (CCAO) to turn ambition into operational reality. Corporate Affairs is the policy & external engagement engine for the company.

What You’ll Build And Scale

You’ll be the CCAO’s right hand and the engine behind Vial’s policy success. Your mission: architect and operationalize new corporate affairs functions from scratch (0-1), then supercharge them for hypergrowth (1-2) as Vial expands.

Phase 1: 0-1 Creation

• Design and Deploy New Capabilities: Stand up foundational systems for policy, stakeholder engagement, regulatory affairs, and beyond—tools that will become the backbone of Vial’s corporate affairs machine.
• Build Playbooks: Develop frameworks for identifying, prioritizing, and activating campaigns with policymakers, advocacy groups, and industry leaders in the U.S. and globally.
• Simulation & Response: Create reputational and regulatory scenarios, ensuring Vial is always three moves ahead.
• Launch Cross-Functional SWAT Teams: Embed yourself in R&D, Ops, and Strategy teams, to ensure policy thinking is hardwired into every department.

Phase 2: 1-2 Hypergrowth

• Scale What Works, Kill What Doesn’t: Evolve scrappy MVPs into robust, repeatable processes that can withstand 10X headcount and global expansion.
• Automate and Optimize: Bring in tech and process automation to slash reporting time, accelerate compliance, and multiply team output without ballooning costs.
• Expand Advocacy and Market Reach: Take successful U.S. playbooks global—adapting for new markets and regulatory environments.
• Institutionalize Velocity: Codify learnings into operational DNA, so every new hire and team can move at Vial speed.

Who You Are

You’re a builder, not a caretaker. You see white space as opportunity and thrive on the adrenaline of rapid execution and constant change.

You Bring

• 3-5+ years in high-impact roles (hypergrowth startups, consulting, political campaigns, or corporate affairs) where you’ve built and scaled new functions.
• Track record of 0-1 wins: Show us a process, system, or function you built from scratch and scaled to real impact.
• Cross-functional fluency: You can translate between scientists, engineers, policy experts, and commercial teams—making complex ideas actionable.
• Bias for action: You don’t wait for permission; you prototype, test, and iterate until something works.
• Crisis composure: You’ve managed high-stakes situations and turned chaos into clarity.
• Relentless curiosity: You learn new domains fast and aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo.

Why This Role is Different

You’re not a gatekeeper—you’re the architect and accelerator. Every process you design, every stakeholder you activate, and every system you scale will directly shape Vial’s trajectory and the future of drug development.

You’ll be the CCAO’s strategic partner—trusted to make the call, challenge assumptions, and drive results at every stage of growth.

This is your launchpad to executive leadership.

Ready to architect the future and scale it at startup speed? Let’s make history together.

Why You’ll Love Working At Vial

Innate curiosity.

At our core, we embody an insatiable curiosity. Our journey into the realm of clinical trials was ignited by a firsthand understanding of the challenges involved. This innate curiosity drives us to constantly innovate, seek fresh ideas, and bring our vision of reimagining clinical trials to life.

Fostering autonomy.

Autonomy is our guiding principle. We firmly believe that when team members are entrusted with autonomy, they unleash their true potential. Our culture fosters an environment where each individual takes ownership of their domain, empowering them to make a profound impact.

The pursuit of mastery.

We are dedicated to cultivating mastery. We understand the value of honing expertise in a craft. The pursuit of mastery, coupled with a deep sense of pride in one's workmanship, fuels our unwavering commitment to tackle intricate challenges. At Vial, we foster a culture of highly autonomous professionals, each an expert in their field, collaborating on an immensely demanding endeavor together.

Move fast, stay humble.

Our strength lies in agility and humility. We firmly believe that intellectual honesty and a nimble mindset are the pillars of success. By staying adaptable and open-minded to all solutions, we tackle obstacles head-on, remaining humble in the face of adversity. This enables us to surmount the hurdles that confront us at every twist and turn.

Benefits

• Competitive Equity Compensation
• 100% Employer-Covered Base Health Plan for Employee (Coverage Varies by Location)
• One time, Remote Office Setup Stipend
• Retirement Savings Plan with Company Matching (after 90 Days of Employment)
• 16 Weeks of Fully Paid Paid Parental Leave (after 90 Days of Employment)
• Remote-First, Flexible Work Schedule
• 12 Company-Observed Holidays (in addition to Holiday Break). Regional statutory holidays are also observed based on your location.
• Unlimited Vacation

We prioritize candidate safety. Please be aware that official communication will only be sent from '@vial.com' or ''@tryvial.careers' addresses. Vial is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.