Director, Investor Relations

About Us

Job Title: Director, Investor Relations

Department: Finance

Hiring Manager: Vice President, Investor Relations

Location: Princeton, NJ

Classification: Hybrid – On-site 4 days per week (Mon to Thurs)

Travel: % of travel required

Job Overview

Kardigan Inc. is seeking an experienced, highly motivated, commercially minded Director, Investor Relations, preferably with a scientific and/or medical background, to support the execution of the company's investor relations strategy and strengthen engagement with the investment community.

Reporting to Head of Investor Relations, the Director will play an important investor-facing role, building and maintaining relationships with institutional investors, sell-side analysts, and other capital markets stakeholders. The Director will work closely with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to communicate the company's business strategy, development candidates, [financial performance, operational progress], and long-term growth opportunities.

The position will have responsibility for key investor relations initiatives and may serve as the primary IR point of contact for designated business categories, products, or strategic priorities.

This includes developing a deep understanding of the relevant business areas, translating complex scientific and medical concepts, operational and financial information into compelling investment narratives, and supporting investor engagement around key business developments and milestones.

The Director will also contribute to quarterly earnings preparation, investor presentations, investor conferences, market intelligence, and broader investor communications.

The ideal candidate will combine strong financial and analytical capabilities with a scientific or medical background as well as excellent communication skills, commercial judgment, and the confidence to engage directly with sophisticated investors and analysts. This role offers significant exposure to executive leadership and the opportunity to take meaningful ownership of investor relationships and strategic IR workstreams.

Key Responsibilities

Investor Relations and Investor Engagement

• Support the Head of Investor Relations in developing and executing the company's investor relations strategy, ensuring consistent communication of the company's investment thesis, business performance, and strategic priorities.
• Build and maintain direct relationships with institutional investors, sell-side analysts, and other capital markets participants, serving as a key representative of the company within the investment community.
• Lead investor and analyst meetings, independently or alongside senior leadership, and provide informed responses to questions regarding pipeline candidates, company performance, strategy, and market developments.
• Participate in investor conferences, non-deal roadshows, investor days, and other engagement activities, including preparing materials, briefing executives, tracking and conducting investor follow-up.
• Develop a strong understanding of shareholder perspectives, analyst expectations, and investor sentiment, sharing relevant insights and feedback with the Head of Investor Relations and senior management.

Investor Communications / Materials

• Develop and maintain a deep understanding of the Company’s pipeline, disease areas and indications, and strategic initiatives, including, competitive positioning, growth drivers, and key milestones.
• Serve as the principal investor relations liaison for assigned business areas, working closely with relevant Medical, Research, and Regulatory, and other cross-functional teams.
• Develop investor-facing narratives, presentations, Q&A materials, and supporting analysis related to assigned business areas.
• Monitor relevant industry trends, competitor activity, market dynamics, and external developments to inform investor messaging and engagement.
• Support investor communications around data readouts, product launches, commercial milestones, strategic developments, and other significant events within assigned areas.
• Identify potential investor questions, areas of market misunderstanding, and opportunities to improve external understanding of the company's business.

Financial Communications and Earnings

• Play a leading role in preparing quarterly and annual earnings communications, including earnings releases, conference call scripts, investor presentations, executive talking points, and Q&A documents.
• Work closely with Medical Affairs, Finance, and other internal stakeholders to develop accurate and compelling messages around medical conferences and quarterly earnings.
• Support the development and refinement of the company's investment narrative and key investor communication materials.
• Ensure materials are aligned with company disclosure policies and applicable regulatory requirements.

Cross-Functional Collaboration and Project Ownership

• Work closely with the Head of Investor Relations and senior leadership to deliver key investor relations priorities.
• Partner with other functions within the Company to ensure accurate and consistent investor messaging.
• Take ownership of assigned investor relations projects and initiatives, managing timelines, stakeholders, and deliverables.
• Provide guidance and support to more junior IR team members, where appropriate.
• Identify opportunities to enhance investor engagement, improve internal IR processes, and strengthen the effectiveness of investor communications.

Required Education, Experience, Skills, and Knowledge

• Bachelor's or higher degree in Biological/Medical or related sciences, Finance, Business, Economics, Accounting, Communications, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing investor relations strategies, preferably within a U.S. publicly traded company.
• Proven ability to develop sophisticated investor communications and translate complex financial, pipeline and business information into compelling investment narratives.
• Experience managing institutional investor and analyst relationships, including direct participation in investor meetings and conferences.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence and executive presence to engage effectively with senior leadership and external stakeholders.
• Strong analytical capabilities and the ability to synthesize financial, operational, and market information into actionable recommendations.
• Demonstrated leadership, project management, and stakeholder management skills.
• High standards of professionalism, integrity, discretion, and judgment when handling confidential or market-sensitive information.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize competing demands, and perform effectively in a dynamic, deadline-driven environment.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, and relevant financial information and investor relations platforms.

Preferred Qualifications

• 8+ years of relevant professional experience preferred in investor relations, equity research, investment banking, corporate finance, financial communications, or related capital markets functions.
• PhD, MD, MBA, CFA designation, or other relevant advanced qualification.
• Previous investor relations leadership experience in the biotechnology / pharmaceutical space at a publicly traded company.
• Established relationships with institutional investors, sell-side analysts, or relevant capital markets participants.
• Familiarity with SEC reporting, Regulation FD, and relevant financial disclosure requirements.
• Familiarity with relevant investor relations CRM platforms, and shareholder analytics tools.
• Experience supporting investor events/capital markets days, strategic corporate initiatives, or major financial communications events.
• Previous experience managing direct reports, agencies, or external investor relations advisors.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Kardigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process.