Director of Business Development - (Southwest Region)

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Director of Business Development - Southwest Region based in the United States.

The Director of Business Development will lead new business development while strengthening long-term relationships with existing clients and strategic partners. This role owns the sales lifecycle from lead generation through conversion and ongoing account growth. You will develop and execute sales strategies, pursue significant revenue opportunities, and manage complex national accounts. The position combines consultative selling, technical knowledge, relationship management, and commercial negotiation within the life sciences and pharmaceutical outsourcing market. You will work closely with project management, marketing, leadership, and other sales professionals to identify opportunities and deliver value to clients. The role requires autonomy, strong business judgment, frequent client interaction, and travel across the United States.

• Develop and execute sales strategies designed to generate significant new business and expand the client base.
• Present technical and service capabilities effectively to prospective and existing clients.
• Manage the full sales cycle, from lead generation and prospecting through conversion and transition to active client status.
• Build and maintain long-term relationships with existing clients and strategic partners through regular engagement and collaboration with project management teams.
• Identify and pursue cross-selling and upselling opportunities within existing accounts.
• Prepare, present, negotiate, and finalize pricing proposals and service contracts.
• Achieve assigned sales and revenue objectives while developing sustainable account growth.
• Manage larger national-level accounts, including opportunities exceeding $2 million in annual revenue.
• Maintain accurate and timely customer and opportunity information in Salesforce CRM.
• Gather market intelligence and communicate relevant insights to leadership and marketing teams.
• Support marketing initiatives, professional networking activities, conferences, and industry events that contribute to business growth.
• Collaborate effectively with local and national colleagues to coordinate sales activities and client strategies.
• Travel throughout the United States and attend professional networking events, including occasional activities outside standard business hours.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Chemistry, Biology, or a related scientific discipline.
• More than 7 years of sales experience within the life sciences or pharmaceutical outsourcing marketplace, or at least 5 years of relevant experience within the organization.
• Demonstrated success in acquiring new clients and generating new revenue.
• Experience managing large national accounts and complex commercial relationships, particularly accounts exceeding $2 million in annual revenue.
• Previous laboratory experience in analytical or microbiology testing is preferred.
• Strong understanding of pharmaceutical and laboratory testing services, including USP microbiological procedures, HPLC, GC, dissolution, method validation, extractables and leachables testing, product release and stability testing, and current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP).
• Understanding of characterization requirements for biologic drug forms, including live biotherapeutic products (LBPs).
• Formal sales training is preferred.
• Strong presentation, communication, negotiation, analytical, and customer service skills.
• Strong business acumen and demonstrated ability to identify, develop, and close commercial opportunities.
• Excellent organizational, time-management, technical documentation, and prioritization skills.
• Ability to manage multiple opportunities and projects simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail.
• Self-motivated and capable of working independently with limited supervision.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build productive relationships with clients, internal teams, and stakeholders across departments.
• Ability to quickly learn and apply new knowledge and skills.
• Collaborative mindset, professional integrity, and commitment to high-quality products, services, and client relationships.
• Willingness to travel within the United States and participate in professional networking activities outside normal business hours when required.

Benefits:

• Opportunity to lead business development across the Southwest region of the United States.
• Responsibility for significant new-business and revenue-generation initiatives.
• Exposure to national-level life sciences and pharmaceutical accounts.
• Opportunity to build long-term relationships with clients and industry partners.
• Cross-functional collaboration with sales, project management, marketing, and leadership teams.
• Professional networking and participation in industry conferences and events.
• Travel opportunities throughout the United States.