VP of Product - Oncology – Somatic Tissue

Passionate about precision medicine and advancing the healthcare industry?

Recent advancements in underlying technology have finally made it possible for AI to impact clinical care in a meaningful way. Tempus' proprietary platform connects an entire ecosystem of real-world evidence to deliver real-time, actionable insights to physicians, providing critical information about the right treatments for the right patients, at the right time.

The Vice President of Product, Oncology – Somatic Tissue Diagnostics, is a visionary executive responsible for setting the strategic direction, execution, and innovation of the company’s somatic tissue diagnostic portfolio. This role oversees the entire product lifecycle—from ideation and R&D coordination to commercial launch, promotion, and P&L management—ensuring all initiatives address current and emerging clinical oncology needs and align with business objectives. You will lead the development of cutting-edge diagnostic technologies, including advanced NGS-based assays and multiomic platforms, to deliver precise, actionable insights for cancer care and drive improved patient outcomes. The ideal candidate is an entrepreneurial, expert-level leader with hands-on experience in product management of somatic tissue diagnostics (LDTs or IVDs) and a proven ability to implement phase-gated Product Development Processes (PDP) in oncology.

 Responsibilities:

• Strategic Oncology Portfolio Roadmap: Develop and manage a comprehensive product roadmap for the oncology somatic tissue diagnostics portfolio, integrating customer feedback, technology advancements, and clinical oncology trends to address unmet needs in cancer diagnostics. 

• Market & Competitive Analysis: Lead in-depth market research and competitive analyses against industry leaders in oncology diagnostics (e.g., Foundation Medicine, Guardant Health, Caris Life Sciences) to identify portfolio gaps, emerging opportunities, and potential differentiators. 

• Product Lifecycle Management: Oversee upstream Product Managers in end-to-end lifecycle management for somatic tissue molecular testing services, ensuring successful launches and continuous enhancements of assays and platforms tailored for oncology applications. 

• Commercial Strategy Execution: Drive product positioning, messaging, and go-to-market (GTM) strategies for oncology diagnostics by guiding downstream Marketing Managers and collaborating closely with sales, market access, and medical affairs teams to maximize adoption and clinical impact. 

• Portfolio P&L Management: Maintain full accountability for the oncology product portfolio P&L, focusing on revenue growth, resource allocation, and measurable business outcomes. 

• Stakeholder Engagement: Build strong relationships with key opinion leaders, oncologists, pathologists, and patient advocacy groups to inform product strategy and support clinical adoption. 

• Regulatory & Compliance Leadership: Ensure product development and commercialization meet all regulatory requirements for oncology diagnostics, including FDA, CLIA, CAP, and international standards.

Required Skills:

• Strategic Market Access & Value Storytelling: Ability to develop and communicate a compelling value proposition that demonstrates the clinical and economic benefits of oncology diagnostics to payers, providers, and health systems. Expertise in navigating complex reimbursement landscapes and designing creative pricing or risk-sharing models for cancer testing. 

• Patient-Centric Advocacy & Empathy: Specialized capability to integrate the patient journey and voice into product design and commercial strategy, including engagement with oncology patient advocacy groups to address barriers such as access, cost, and equity. 

• Data-Driven Predictive Analytics: Proficiency in leveraging advanced data science and AI models to identify clinical gaps, optimize test utilization, and forecast adoption obstacles in oncology diagnostics. 

• Cross-Functional Matrix Leadership: Ability to influence and lead multidisciplinary teams—including R&D, Medical Affairs, Regulatory, and Sales—without direct authority, harmonizing these groups to ensure products remain clinically relevant and commercially successful. 

• Agile & Adaptive Decision-Making: High-level ability to make critical, data-informed decisions under pressure in the rapidly evolving oncology diagnostics landscape, including strategic agility to pivot the product roadmap in response to new clinical discoveries or regulatory changes. 

• Regulatory & Quality Expertise: Strong understanding of regulatory pathways and quality standards for oncology diagnostics, including FDA submissions, CLIA validation, and CAP accreditation.

Required Education & Experience:

• Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Genetics, Oncology, or a related scientific field. 

• Preferred Education: Advanced degree such as an MBA, PhD, or MD is highly preferred, bridging the gap between complex science, clinical oncology, and business strategy.

• Specialized Knowledge: Deep understanding of oncology, including somatic mutation biology, cancer genomics, clinical workflows, and the evolving landscape of tissue diagnostics. 

• Commercial Knowledge: Extensive knowledge of market demands, technology trends, and the regulatory environment for oncology molecular diagnostics.

Preferred Experience:

• Leadership Tenure: Minimum of 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in product management, specifically within oncology diagnostics, molecular pathology, or genetics-based healthcare. 

• Portfolio Growth: Proven track record of developing complex portfolio plans and leading successful commercial launches of oncology diagnostic tests at scale in a competitive market. 

• Oncology Expertise: Significant experience navigating the unique challenges of the oncology diagnostics market, including specialized billing practices, regulatory pathways, and patient-centric programs.

This role works with Personal Health Information (PHI) on a regular basis both in paper and electronic form, and therefore training relating to HIPAA/PHI privacy, General Policies and Procedure Compliance training and security training will be required upon hire.  

Salary Range: 250,000- 350,000 USD

The expected salary range above is applicable if the role is performed from Illinois and may vary for other locations (California, Colorado, New York). Actual salary may vary based on qualifications and experience. Tempus offers a full range of benefits, which may include incentive compensation, restricted stock units, medical and other benefits depending on the position.

We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.