Director of Business Development

We are a growing pharmaceutical organisation with an expanding international presence and a diversified portfolio of healthcare products.

As part of its continued growth and business development strategy, the organisation is looking to appoint a senior Business Development and Alliance professional to lead strategic transactions, licensing opportunities and long-term partnerships across multiple international markets.

This is a deal-leading role with end-to-end ownership — from identifying and evaluating opportunities through structuring, negotiation and execution, followed by ongoing alliance and partner relationship management.

The Role

You will work closely with senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to identify and execute opportunities that support portfolio expansion and long-term commercial growth.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the identification, origination and assessment of new business development, licensing and strategic partnership opportunities.
• Own the end-to-end transaction process from market and competitive assessment, business case development and valuation through deal structuring, negotiation, contracting and execution.
• Develop and maintain a prioritised pipeline of potential licensing, partnership and business development opportunities.
• Conduct market landscaping, competitive intelligence and commercial assessments to identify attractive opportunities and potential partners.
• Develop investment-quality business cases, transaction recommendations and deal proposals for senior management review.
• Lead commercial negotiations with potential partners, licensors, licensees and other external counterparties.
• Structure and negotiate key commercial terms and transaction frameworks.
• Coordinate cross-functional due diligence covering commercial, financial, regulatory, medical, scientific and legal considerations.
• Lead the preparation and negotiation of term sheets and definitive agreements together with relevant internal and external stakeholders.
• Build and maintain a strong network of potential partners, licensors, licensees and industry contacts.
• Take ownership of alliance management following transaction completion, including governance, milestone tracking, performance monitoring, issue resolution and partner relationship management.
• Work closely with commercial and market leadership teams to translate partnership commitments into effective local execution.
• Provide business development input into corporate strategy, portfolio expansion, competitive intelligence and market-entry initiatives.
• Maintain clear oversight of active transactions, including project plans, deal trackers, documentation and management reporting.
• Prepare and present business development pipeline updates, transaction status and recommendations to senior leadership.
• As the function develops, mentor and lead junior business development professionals and provide guidance on transaction execution and negotiation.
• Work effectively across functions and markets, influencing stakeholders without direct reporting authority.
• Ensure business development activities comply with applicable legal, regulatory, ethical and compliance requirements.
• Identify opportunities to improve BD processes, tools and workflows, including the use of technology and AI-enabled solutions.
• Manage multiple concurrent transactions and strategic initiatives with strong commercial judgement, ownership and organisational discipline.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences, Medicine, Pharmacy, or a related scientific discipline. An MBA, CFA, or other relevant advanced qualification would be an advantage.
• 8–10+ years of relevant experience in business development, strategic partnerships, commercial strategy, or transaction-related roles, preferably within the pharmaceutical, biotech, healthcare, or life sciences sectors.
• Proven track record of evaluating and developing business opportunities and leading complex transactions or strategic initiatives from initial assessment and negotiation through to execution.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, with the ability to assess opportunities, business models, financial considerations, and potential value creation.
• Experience working in a regional or international business environment, with the ability to navigate complex, cross-functional and multicultural settings.
• Ability to operate confidently in a bilingual business environment.

Tagged as: Deal Desk, Pipeline Management