Director of Business Development – Drug Discovery (USA)

Industry: Contract Research / Drug Discovery

Overview:

An internationally recognized Contract Research Organization (CRO) is seeking a strategic and experienced Director of Business Development to lead commercial expansion efforts across the United States. This role focuses on building client partnerships, increasing revenue, and supporting the organization’s growth in discovery research services—from target ID to candidate selection.

With expertise across key therapeutic areas—including Oncology, CNS disorders, Metabolic Diseases, and Inflammation—this CRO offers integrated platforms that support cutting-edge research, from computational modeling and medicinal chemistry to in vivo and in vitro biology. The company’s flexible models (FFS, FTE, and risk-sharing) have positioned it as a trusted partner to pharma, biotech, and academic institutions globally.

Position Summary:

As the primary client-facing representative in the U.S., the Director will be responsible for deploying growth strategies, nurturing key accounts, and generating new opportunities. This is a high-impact role for someone comfortable navigating the complexities of drug discovery partnerships and driving sustainable revenue.

Reporting To: Global Head of Business Development

Role Type: Individual contributor (with future growth potential)

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead business development efforts across an assigned U.S. territory, targeting pharmaceutical companies, biotechs, and academic research institutions.
• Represent the company’s full suite of drug discovery capabilities in client meetings, proposals, and negotiations.
• Oversee key elements of the sales cycle including NDAs, MSAs, pricing, technical scoping, and contract negotiation.
• Strengthen and grow relationships with current clients while identifying cross-sell and up-sell opportunities.
• Attend major industry events and conferences to represent the organization, expand networks, and uncover new leads.
• Capture insights through CRM reporting and regularly communicate market feedback to internal teams.
• Coordinate closely with scientific leadership, legal, and operational teams to align business goals with client delivery.

Candidate Profile:

• 15–20 years of industry experience, including at least 5 years in a senior business development or client-facing role.
• Proven background in drug discovery, preferably with exposure to both small and large molecule projects.
• Strong understanding of how CRO services integrate across the pharma value chain.
• Skilled in deal structuring, contract development, and stakeholder management.
• Strategic mindset with the ability to operate autonomously in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with a solid track record of closing deals in complex sales cycles.

What’s On Offer:

• Competitive compensation with performance-linked incentives.
• The chance to shape U.S. commercial growth for a globally recognized CRO.
• A collaborative team environment working with top-tier scientists and technical experts.
• Opportunities to contribute to strategic partnerships in cutting-edge areas like medicinal chemistry, biology, and translational research.