Head Global Business Development

We are looking for a Head Global Business Development will lead commercial growth across the US and European markets, driving strategic customer acquisition, key account management, partnerships, and revenue generation for medicinal chemistry and discovery services. The role requires extensive experience selling CRO/CDMO/discovery research services to biotech, pharma, and venture-backed drug discovery companies.

The incumbent will develop and execute commercial strategies, build a high-performing BD team, establish relationships with decision-makers across the drug discovery ecosystem, and contribute to the company's long-term global expansion.

Key Responsibilities:

Business Growth & Revenue Generation

• Develop and execute global business development strategies for US and European markets.
• Drive annual revenue growth and achieve commercial targets.
• Identify and secure new business opportunities from biotech, pharma, virtual biotech, and academic spin-outs.
• Build a strong sales pipeline through networking, referrals, industry conferences, digital outreach, and strategic partnerships.
• Lead proposal development, negotiation, and contract closure activities.

Strategic Account Management

• Establish and manage relationships with senior stakeholders including:
• VP Discovery
• Head of Chemistry
• Chief Scientific Officers (CSOs)
• Procurement Leaders
• R&D Executives
• Develop long-term strategic accounts and expand existing client relationships.
• Identify opportunities for cross-selling integrated discovery services.

Market Expansion

• Build market penetration strategies for North America and European regions.
• Analyze industry trends, competitor activities, and customer requirements.
• Identify emerging therapeutic areas and technology opportunities.
• Establish partnerships with biotech incubators, venture networks, and industry associations.

Leadership & Team Management

• Build and mentor business development team.
• Implement sales processes, CRM discipline, forecasting, and KPI tracking.
• Foster collaboration between BD, scientific teams, project management, and operations.
• Drive customer-centric culture and commercial excellence.

Proposal & Contract Management

• Lead preparation of scientific and commercial proposals.
• Work with scientific teams to develop customized solutions.
• Negotiate Master Service Agreements (MSAs), Statements of Work (SOWs), and strategic collaborations.
• Ensure smooth handover from business development to project execution teams.

Industry Representation

• Represent the company at international conferences.
• Enhance company visibility and brand recognition globally.

Required Qualifications:

Education

• PhD / Master's in Medicinal Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences,Biotechnology, or related life science discipline.
• MBA (preferred).

Experience

• 12-18+ years of experience in Business Development, Sales, Alliance Management, or Commercial Leadership.
• Minimum 8+ years in CRO/CDMO/Drug Discovery Services industry.
• Proven experience selling:
• Medicinal Chemistry Services
• Discovery Chemistry
• FTE Models
• Integrated Drug Discovery Services
• Biology/DMPK Services
• Strong network of contacts within US and European biotech/pharma sectors.
• Demonstrated success in achieving multi-million-dollar annual sales targets.

Technical Knowledge

Strong understanding of:

• Drug Discovery Process
• Medicinal Chemistry
• Hit Identification
• Hit-to-Lead
• Lead Optimization
• Biology/DMPK
• Integrated Discovery Platforms
• CRO Business Models
• FTE and Fee-for-Service Engagement Models

Key Competencies:

Commercial Excellence

• Strategic Selling
• Deal Negotiation
• Pipeline Development
• Revenue Forecasting
• Account Expansion

Leadership

• Team Building
• Coaching & Mentoring
• Stakeholder Management
• Cross-functional Collaboration

Personal Attributes

• Entrepreneurial mindset
• Strong communication and presentation skills
• Ability to engage scientific and executive stakeholders
• Results-driven and highly customer-focused
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities