Director, Scientific Business Development-Pharma

Overview

Clinical Operations Manager / Director, Scientific Business Development-Pharma

A global molecular diagnostics organization is seeking an experienced Clinical Operations Manager / Director of Scientific Business Development to drive pharmaceutical clinical trial collaborations. This role is focused on advancing an established pipeline of pharma opportunities, closing high-value clinical trial collaboration agreements, and ensuring continuity and growth within a lean, fast-moving business environment. The ideal candidate brings deep pharmaceutical industry experience, strong business development instincts, and a proven ability to close complex, multi-million-dollar deals with large pharma partners.

• Location:
  
  Remote (U.S.
  
  -based; travel as needed)
• Pay Rate: ~$175/hr
• Duration:
  Contract through 12/31/2026 (extension and potential FTE conversion dependent on performance and business outcomes)
• Travel:
  Limited; occasional East Coast pharma site visits and approximately 1 visit per quarter to Sunnyvale, CA

• Develop and actively manage a pipeline of strategic pharmaceutical partners focused on clinical trial collaborations.
• Advance existing funnel opportunities and drive them through outreach, negotiation, and close.
• Lead and support negotiations for pharma clinical trial collaborations, including licensing and partnership agreements.
• Perform economic and strategic analyses of new opportunities to support executive decision-making.
• Prepare and deliver high-impact presentations to internal stakeholders and external pharma partners.
• Provide thought leadership on pharmaceutical market trends, diagnostics integration, and clinical trial enablement strategies.
• Collaborate closely with internal teams (legal, finance, order management) to ensure deals are executed end-to-end in a lean operating environment.
• Work alongside senior leadership and an experienced Director of Business Development to progress opportunities and close transactions.
• Represent the organization professionally in client-facing discussions, demonstrating strong presentation skills and emotional intelligence.

• Bachelor’s degree with 12+ years of relevant experience, or
• Master’s degree with 8+ years of relevant experience, or
• Doctoral degree with 5+ years of relevant experience

• Extensive pharmaceutical industry experience required.
• Proven background in business development and strategic partnerships.
• Demonstrated success closing complex, multi-million-dollar transactions.
• Experience working with large pharmaceutical companies (e.g., Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Merck, Lilly).
• Familiarity with clinical trial collaborations and diagnostics-enabled trial workflows strongly preferred.
• Experience managing alliances, licensing, and collaboration agreements.

• Strong understanding of pharma clinical trial ecosystems and decision-making processes.
• Ability to assess opportunity value, risk, and strategic fit.
• Comfort working with existing product portfolios (platforms and assays) rather than early-stage R&D offerings.
• Ability to quickly learn and articulate product positioning and value propositions.

• Proven “closer” mindset with the ability to move opportunities from discussion to execution.
• Highly perceptive in client conversations with strong executive presence and presentation skills.
• Self-directed, proactive, and comfortable operating in a lean environment with limited back-office support.
• Strong collaboration skills and ability to build trust with internal and external stakeholders.
• Patience and persistence to manage long, complex sales cycles.
• Adaptable, sharp, and able to ramp quickly without extended onboarding.

• Play a critical role in revitalizing and growing a high-impact pharma collaboration business.
• Directly influence revenue growth through closing one or more high-value clinical trial partnerships.
• Potential pathway to full-time employment based on business performance and outcomes.
• Work closely with seasoned industry leaders in a highly visible, strategic role.

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