By: Melanie Kilsey Merner – Managing Director, Boston Office
In the Greater Boston biotech ecosystem, I’ve had the privilege of partnering with companies at nearly every stage, from early clinical through commercialization and, in some cases, IPO preparation.
Many life sciences companies — including biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical device organizations — face similar operational challenges as they move from clinical-stage development toward commercialization.
Phase III is always an exciting moment. There’s momentum. There’s visibility. There’s real possibility.
Candidly, when I look back at the companies that navigated commercialization smoothly versus the ones that felt constant strain, the difference usually wasn’t about the science. It was about operational readiness.
In biotech, Phase III gets all the attention.
The science.
The data.
The regulatory milestones.
However, what I have seen over and over again in biotech companies throughout Boston, Cambridge, and Metro West is this:
The real inflection point is not just regulatory; it is operational.
When a company moves from clinical-stage to preparing for commercialization, hiring doesn’t just increase. Complexity multiplies.
And that’s where many teams feel the strain. In my experience advising life sciences companies through this transition, three patterns consistently emerge.
Headcount Grows. Infrastructure Often Doesn’t.
In clinical-stage companies, HR and Finance can often operate lean:
- One strong HR leader wearing multiple hats
- A small accounting team focused on burn rate and grants
- Forecasting centered around R&D timelines
Commercialization changes everything:
- Sales teams start forming
- Revenue models shift
- Equity structures evolve
- Compensation becomes more layered
- Reporting cadence tightens
- IPO conversations become more real
What worked at 120 employees rarely works at 350.
What Breaks First
In my experience, the first cracks tend to show up in:
- Compensation structure – legacy equity models don’t align with commercial hires
- Revenue recognition readiness – especially under ASC 606
- FP&A modeling sophistication – scenario planning becomes more complex
- HR systems – processes built for 100 employees don’t scale cleanly to 500
- Close process discipline – especially as external stakeholders increase
None of this reflects a lack of strong leadership; instead, it points to a need for the operating model to evolve.
The Cost of Waiting “Until Approval”
One of the most common patterns is companies delay key hires until approval feels certain.
Here’s the challenge:
By the time commercialization is imminent, you are competing in one of the tightest talent markets in the country, especially in Boston biotech.
The best Controllers, HRBPs, FP&A leaders, and Total Rewards specialists are not sitting idle. They are evaluating companies early. If you wait until urgency peaks, you’re hiring reactively instead of strategically.
The Companies That Navigate This Well
The organizations that transition most smoothly into commercialization tend to:
- Hire key infrastructure roles 6–12 months earlier than they think they need them
- Align HR and Finance leadership around workforce planning
- Treat compensation strategy as a growth lever, not an afterthought
- Pressure-test systems before scale exposes the gaps
Commercial readiness is not just about FDA milestones. It’s about whether your internal foundation can support what’s coming next.
And that foundation almost always starts with the right HR and Finance leadership in place before the acceleration begins.
From where I sit, the companies that take this transition seriously (and invest early) don’t just grow faster. They grow with confidence.
And confidence, at this stage, is incredibly valuable.
About Melanie Kilsey Merner
Melanie Kilsey Merner is a Managing Director at Landing Point, where she focuses on building high-performing Accounting & Finance and HR & Talent Acquisition teams. She brings nearly two decades of recruiting expertise to Landing Point’s Boston office, where she helps companies grow with confidence. Known for her ability to forge long-term relationships, she invests the time to understand each client’s business and culture, ensuring every placement strengthens the organization. Melanie partners closely with both employers and professionals to match skill sets with career goals, serving as a trusted advisor throughout the hiring process.
Outside of work, Melanie is passionate about food, power yoga, and gardening. A lifelong water enthusiast, she enjoys paddleboarding, clamming, and soaking up the sun with her husband, daughter, and their dog, Peanut Butter.