Principal Project Manager

Principal Project Manager

Chesterford Research Park – Cambridge

Full Time Permanent

Hybrid and on-site working

On Site Parking

Full benefits package

Never losing sight of our purpose

Mestag Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the discovery and development of antibody therapeutics targeting cancer and inflammatory disease. Our science is rooted in fibroblast immunology, leveraging cutting-edge biological and translational insights to uncover novel pathways that drive immune modulation in disease. 

Mestag is backed by committed leading global investors, has world-class founders and a highly experienced leadership team.

We are now transitioning our lead programme into clinic - there has never been a better time to join #TeamMestag

Scope of role

The Principal Project Manager will report into the Chief Development Officer as a member of the project management team, working closely with senior function leads across the organisation. You will provide project management support to target discovery activities, new/early antibody therapeutic programs, and to selected business development activities. Your role will include managing budgets, preparing and driving timelines and scenarios, organising meetings, supporting Program Leads in facilitating program-level decision-making, internal and external stakeholder management and active support to critical company decision-making.

You will play a central role as:  

• Project manager to Mestag’s Target Discovery activities and RAFT platform, facilitating delivery of internal activities together with interactions with external partners as we deliver ground-breaking new targets; and


• project manager to early-stage antibody therapeutic programs and to selected business development activities.

Key Responsibilities

Target Discovery & RAFT Platform

Programme Planning

• Partners with the Head of Target Discovery and team members to generate and maintain detailed programme plans, budgets and risk registers


• Understands critical path activities, anticipates risks, and assists in creating contingency plans

Programme Operations

• Ensures communication, activities and alignment, working with function heads, Head of Target Discovery and BD/alliance management


• Lead and administer programme meetings to ensure actions and deliverables are met


• Facilitate the decision-making process working with the Head of Target Discovery


• Identifies issues and facilitates problem-solving and contingency planning


• Supports the Head of Target Discovery in managing outsourced activities with consultants/ CROs around contracting, work plan definition and delivery to time and budget


• Manage financial tracking for assigned projects in close collaboration with the Finance team, including forecasting, budget updates, and purchase order oversight.

Programme Information/Communication

• Ensures central access to key programme documents, presentations and assessments. Works with the team to ensure collaborative communication


• Prepares periodic reports (e.g. monthly reports, programme milestones, dashboards) to support decision making, business planning and budgeting.


• Informs key stakeholders of status, issues, and proposed solutions


• Works with Head of Target Discovery and collaboration alliance managers to prepare materials for and coordinate collaboration JPT/JSC meetings.

New / Early Programs

• Partnering with the appropriate Program Leads/functional heads, provide project management support for new antibody therapeutic project initiatives from inception and selected business development activities.


• Develop and manage early‑stage project budgets and timelines, including scenario building


• Ensure structured documentation and project governance from the outset


• Supports outsourced activities with consultants, KOL and CROs to ensure contracting, work plan definition and delivery to time and budget


• Organise internal and external meetings with consultants, KOL and CROs


• Track and drive follow‑up on actions to maintain momentum

Member of Project management team

• Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of tools, templates, and processes within the Project Management function.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience Required.

Project Management:

• Degree/MSc in biomedical research/chemistry or related


• Substantial project management experience within the pharmaceutical and/or biotech sector essential, with a focus on new target discovery or early therapeutic programs


• Experience with target discovery and validation preferred


• Solid experience of driving multiple therapeutic projects (ideally antibodies) from concept to development candidate towards IND file preferred


• Proven ability to manage complex timelines and budgets in matrixed environments.


• Ability to create, coordinate, and maintain integrated project plans with their source material/data and to control or respond to changes in strategy and scope, including scenario planning


• Competent user of project management software solutions, including skills in critical path analysis. Experience with MS Project is essential.  


• Ability to create high quality presentations and reports using PowerPoint, Excel, and project management software


• Effective meeting management tools and techniques, with knowledge of decision-making and conflict resolution techniques


• Understanding of financial and resource planning systems and experience in budget management is essential

• Professional PM qualifications (PMP, Prince2 or equivalent) are an advantage but not essential

Other Experience/Abilities:

• Experience with, and/or background in oncology and autoimmune/ inflammatory disease programmes would be preferred but not essential.


• Engaged, motivated and enthusiastic approach, enjoys working with people and teams and partnering closely with Programme Leads

• Proactive, detail orientated individual with a style that ensures effective interfacing with cross-functional teams and across cultures. Experience working collaboratively with scientific and finance teams to align operational plans with strategic objectives.

• Expert at building and managing effective relationships.


• A can-do attitude and not afraid to roll up sleeves and provide general support to project team/ Programme Lead as needed. 


• Excellent oral and written communication, ability to influence without direct authority


• Strong organisational skills required, including good time management skills; able to work independently on multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment


• Ability to synthesise complex concepts into focused materials for decision-making


• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial setting and adaptable to evolving priorities

In return we can offer you

You will join our expert project management team and help shape Mestag's target discovery and highly specialist RAFT platform internally and via collaboration with leading pharma companies. You will also play a key role in shaping our early and future therapeutic portfolio. Now is an exciting time to join our company as we progress our lead bispecific into clinical trial.

We work flexibly with a strong team spirit and offer a highly competitive total rewards package including competitive salaries, pension contributions, private medical insurance, income protection and more. We have access to a range of onsite facilities including a gym, canteen, golf course and free on-site parking.

As a team we achieve great things each day, and we take the time to celebrate successes, share and learn. We value the relationships of our close-knit team and strive to make meaningful connections in our community. We frequently hold Town Halls and team lunches, and have an active social committee, organizing regular events and ‘giving back’ activities supporting charities close to our hearts.

Feel free to have an informal discussion with us for any questions you may have, we are happy to talk to you.

About Mestag Therapeutics

Mestag harnesses new insights into fibroblast immunology to develop impactful treatments for patients with cancer and inflammatory diseases. We are progressing a unique pipeline of novel antibodies designed to direct and drive the immune system using known and emerging fibroblast-immune biology. 

Our pipeline includes MST-0312, a FAP-targeted LTBR agonist bispecific antibody that leverages a new understanding of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) in solid tumors and their role in driving improved patient outcomes; the M402 program, an agonist antibody targeting a stromal inhibitory receptor to dampen down the activation of specific immune cell subsets in inflammatory disease; and earlier programs in discovery stage.

Separately, we are also identifying novel targets for future therapies utilizing our specialist fibroblast-immune RAFT Platform. In 2024, we entered into a license and research collaboration with MSD (tradename of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA) to identify novel targets for inflammatory diseases, and licensed a novel target to Johnson & Johnson under a 2021 target discovery, option and license agreement with Janssen Biotech, Inc.

Our founding investigators comprise global experts in inflammatory disease, cancer, computational biology and fibroblast biology from the University of Oxford, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Mestag was founded by SV Health Investors and is supported by leading life science investors Johnson & Johnson, through its corporate venture capital organization, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc., Forbion, GV (Google Ventures) and Northpond Ventures.

For further information, please visit our website www.mestagtherapeutics.com.