Director, Business Development & Licensing

Overview
Lead the strategic planning and execution of business development and licensing activities within a global CDMO. This role drives due diligence processes, coordinates cross-functional teams, and evaluates external opportunities across multiple therapeutic modalities.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Oversight

• Manage the full BD and Licensing lifecycle, including preparation of executive materials and oversight of deliverables.

• Lead confidential assessments and due diligence for co-development, M&A, and licensing opportunities.

• Develop risk evaluations, mitigation plans, diligence reports, and support contract review.

Process Improvement & Enablement

• Build and refine project management frameworks to support BD activities.

• Standardize tools and best practices for efficient and consistent deal execution.

Core Accountabilities

• Guide teams through due diligence, decision-making, and transaction execution.

• Partner with global BD teams through evaluations, term sheets, negotiations, and deal closure.

• Communicate strategic capabilities internally and externally.

• Apply working knowledge of BD frameworks, legal agreements (CDAs, MTAs), and financial modeling.

Capabilities & Expertise

Technical Proficiency

• Deep industry knowledge across drug development stages and modalities.

• Experience in deal structuring, financial inputs (COGS, CapEx, OpEx), and contract negotiations.

Leadership & Decision-Making

• Champion a collaborative, agile culture.

• Drive alignment and effective decisions in complex or time-sensitive scenarios.

• Act as a subject matter lead to ensure high-quality BD execution.

Innovation & Change Leadership

• Propose creative solutions to overcome complex challenges.

• Promote ongoing innovation and improvement in BD processes.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in science or engineering; PhD preferred.

• 10+ years in the pharmaceutical or biotech sector.

• Proven BD/licensing experience, including contract negotiation.

• Strong stakeholder and communication skills across global teams.

• Comfortable challenging norms and simplifying complex issues.

• Committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.