Associate Director, Business Development
This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for an Associate Director, Business Development based in United States.
This role offers the opportunity to drive strategic growth within the clinical research and pharmaceutical services sector.
You will build and expand relationships with biotechnology and pharmaceutical decision-makers across an assigned territory.
The position combines new business development, strategic account growth, industry networking, and consultative selling.
You will work across sales, proposals, contracts, and leadership teams to turn market opportunities into sustainable revenue.
Success requires strong commercial judgment, persistence, and the ability to adapt your approach to different clients and stakeholders.
You will also contribute market intelligence that can influence new service offerings and broader business investments.
With significant autonomy and up to 50% travel, this is a high-impact opportunity for an experienced life sciences sales professional.
Accountabilities:
- Identify, pursue, qualify, and secure new business opportunities across assigned new and existing customer accounts.
- Build and maintain relationships with senior decision-makers within biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, and clinical research organizations.
- Develop and execute territory-specific sales and marketing plans in collaboration with sales leadership and sales operations.
- Network actively through industry events, conferences, virtual meetings, and other professional channels to generate new and expanded opportunities.
- Maintain accurate CRM records covering contacts, leads, opportunities, pipeline status, and sales activity.
- Consistently pursue and achieve territory sales targets and pipeline objectives.
- Partner with proposals and contracts teams to develop, negotiate, and formalize customer engagements, leading business development activities internally and externally.
- Provide senior leadership with regular updates on pipeline activity, key deliverables, market developments, and high-potential opportunities.
- Identify market-driven opportunities for new investments, service enhancements, and revenue growth.
- Monitor industry trends, competitive developments, customer needs, and emerging opportunities through research, conferences, and market engagement.
- Represent the organization at local, national, and international industry meetings and events when appropriate.
- Support recruitment, interviewing, selection, and training activities when needed to strengthen the broader business development team.
- Bachelor's degree required; an MBA or other relevant advanced degree is preferred.
- At least 5 years of progressively responsible business development experience within a Clinical Research Organization (CRO), pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or related environment.
- Thorough knowledge of the medical and pharmaceutical industries, including relevant terminology, commercial practices, and customer dynamics.
- Ophthalmology experience is preferred.
- Demonstrated success with long-cycle sales and national or global account development within the biopharmaceutical, medical device, or CRO sectors.
- Established relationships with senior decision-makers across national and global biopharmaceutical organizations.
- Proven track record of meeting or exceeding sales quotas and building sustainable sales pipelines.
- Strong consultative selling, lead generation, qualification, presentation, negotiation, and closing capabilities.
- Experience with structured sales methodologies such as SPIN Selling or Miller Heiman Strategic Selling is advantageous.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including strong presentation and facilitation abilities.
- Highly self-motivated, enthusiastic, proactive, and able to operate with a strong sense of urgency.
- Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, follow-through, and CRM discipline.
- Demonstrated business and financial acumen, with the ability to understand commercial opportunities and their revenue implications.
- Strong leadership, problem-solving, decision-making, relationship-management, and negotiation skills.
- Comfortable adapting sales strategies to different stakeholders, accounts, and stages of the customer relationship.
- Willingness and ability to travel up to 50%.
- Able to meet the physical requirements associated with frequent business travel, conferences, meetings, and prolonged computer-based work.
- Salary: $120,000–$130,000 per year.
- Opportunity to work in a strategic business development role within the clinical research and life sciences sector.
- Remote position based in the United States.
- Significant autonomy and exposure to national and global biopharmaceutical accounts.
- Opportunities to contribute to sales strategy, market development, service innovation, and organizational growth.
- Professional networking opportunities through industry conferences, meetings, and client engagements.
- Career development opportunities through increasing responsibility and cross-functional collaboration.