Position Title: Associate Director – Business Development (CDMO)
Location: United States (Preferred: East Coast / EST Time Zone)
Reporting To: Director, Business Development
Territory: East Coast and Midwest U.S. Accounts
Key Responsibilities
- Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with existing customers by promptly addressing communications and coordinating with internal technical, project management, and leadership teams to ensure seamless execution
- Identify and generate new leads, engage decision-makers, and qualify potential business opportunities
- Collaborate closely with the reporting manager to evaluate and pursue new leads
- Demonstrate excellence in leadership, communication, selling, closing, objection handling, and account management
- Define and implement a prospecting strategy that builds a sustainable pipeline of new business opportunities
- Identify and target new product opportunities; build relationships with pharma and biotech decision-makers seeking CDMO services
- Maintain and update Salesforce (SFDC) with target accounts, opportunities, and RFP outcomes (won/lost)
- Coordinate timely execution of Confidentiality Disclosure Agreements (CDAs) with new and existing customers
- Partner with the RFP development team to manage new project opportunities and present RFPs/RFIs to customers
- Represent the company at industry tradeshows, conferences, networking events, and client meetings (on-site and off-site)
- Participate actively in customer project updates, internal team meetings, and senior leadership discussions
Qualifications & Requirements
- Master’s degree with 5–8 years or PhD with 2–3 years of relevant experience in Life Sciences, Business Management, or Engineering
- Proven success in managing client relationships and closing new business opportunities
- Deep understanding of the CDMO industry across APIs, intermediates, and finished dosage forms—from both customer and provider perspectives
- Familiarity with cGMP manufacturing standards and relevant regulatory/environmental considerations
- Process-driven, solutions-focused, and results-oriented, with a strong sense of urgency and execution
- Entrepreneurial mindset with high energy, accountability, and a drive to meet business objectives
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders across all organizational levels
- Strong relationship-building skills across technical, commercial, operational, and leadership functions
- Demonstrated ability to thrive in fast-paced, multi-project environments
- High level of creativity, determination, and personal motivation