Senior Director, Strategy & Corporate Development

Company Overview

Lightwave Logic is a publicly traded materials development company focused on bringing its proprietary organic nonlinear polymers to market for electro-optic devices. The company is working at the forefront of high-speed fiber-optic telecom and data communications, with a roadmap aimed at reshaping the industry through organic modulators and photonic integrated circuits that can deliver faster performance, reduced power use, and a smaller footprint than today’s solutions. Its materials also have potential applications in sensing and quantum computing.

Role Summary

The company is hiring a Senior Director, Strategy and Corporate Development to define enterprise strategy and lead the corporate development agenda for a growth-stage electro-optic materials and photonics business moving toward wider commercialization. This position combines long-term strategic planning, evaluation of inorganic growth paths such as acquisitions, investments, and partnerships, market and competitive intelligence, and support for executive and board decisions. The role requires both rigorous analytical thinking and the technical depth to evaluate complex technology choices and convert them into actionable business plans.

Corporate Strategy

• Drive strategy creation for the company and business units, including long-range planning, growth priorities, and the roadmap that supports the move from early commercialization to scaled adoption.
• Turn market and technology insights into a clear strategic story that can be endorsed by the board, with milestones and decision points organized in a sequenced plan for approval.

Corporate Development & M&A

• Lead the full corporate development agenda by identifying, screening, and ranking acquisition, investment, and partnership opportunities that strengthen the technology position, intellectual property portfolio, and competitive advantage.
• Manage M&A work from start to finish, including target identification, strategic fit evaluation, technical and IP due diligence, valuation support, negotiation assistance, and post-deal integration planning.
• Create business cases, market evaluations, and executive recommendations to guide investment choices, portfolio decisions, and allocation of strategic resources.

Market & Competitive Intelligence

• Build competitive and market analyses that shape positioning, product direction, and response strategies.
• Independently validate third-party and internal market data so that strategic decisions are based on sound, primary-source-backed assumptions.

Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem

• Develop and maintain relationships with strategic partners and ecosystem participants to confirm market opportunities and speed up go-to-market execution.
• Design business cases for joint solution opportunities and oversee delivery with partners into the market.

Executive & Board Engagement

• Advise the CEO, executive leadership team, and board on strategic choices, risk trade-offs, technology direction, and transformation opportunities.
• Present strategy, business direction, and competitive position to internal leaders, the board, and external stakeholders across multiple geographies.

Cross-functional Execution

• Coordinate across product, engineering, and commercial teams to ensure strategic initiatives are executed effectively.
• Guide complex programs that combine business strategy, customer needs, and technology capabilities into differentiated market positions.

IP & Standards Positioning

• Contribute to intellectual property portfolio strategy and the company’s presence in industry and standards forums to protect and expand its competitive moat.

Qualifications

• More than 20 years of progressive leadership experience in technology strategy, corporate development, or business transformation.
• Hands-on experience with M&A work, including target evaluation, due diligence, negotiation support, and integration.
• Strong background in strategic planning, business case creation, and market and competitive analysis.
• Proven ability to influence C-suite leaders and senior stakeholders across multiple geographies and functions.
• Experience building, coaching, and scaling technical or strategic teams in matrixed, multicultural settings.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic partnerships and ecosystem development.
• Executive MBA or comparable business education, paired with an engineering or technical foundation.

Benefits

The package includes competitive pay with stock options, plus comprehensive benefits such as fully paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and family members, a generous PTO policy, a $500 annual company contribution to the medical FSA on a prorated basis, and a 401(k) plan with safe harbor and a 4% match.

Equal Opportunity

Lightwave Logic is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.