Director of Business Development

Con science; Canada; Remote; CAD 105,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative non-profit organization is seeking a Director of Business Development to lead the growth of open science drug discovery programs. This role is pivotal in engaging academic researchers and pharmaceutical companies to foster collaboration and funding opportunities. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in business development within the life sciences sector and a passion for advancing open science. You will develop comprehensive strategies, build partnerships, and contribute to educational initiatives, all while working in a flexible, remote environment that values diversity and collaboration. Join a mission-driven team dedicated to transforming drug discovery into a collaborative effort, ensuring no patient is left behind.

Benefits

Enhanced Medical Coverage

Dental Coverage

Disability Coverage

Annual Matched RRSP Contributions

4 Weeks Paid Vacation

Flexible Work Hours

Qualifications

• 7+ years experience in business development and drug development.
• Master’s degree or equivalent in life sciences or business administration.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain relationships with strategic partners.
• Develop and implement strategic outreach initiatives.
• Negotiate partnerships and collaboration agreements.

Skills

Business Development

Life-Sciences Technology Transfer

Alliance Management

Drug Development Industry Experience

Communication Skills

Organizational Skills

Problem-Solving Skills

Open Science Interest

Education

Master's Degree in Life Sciences

PhD, MBA, or JD

Job description

Current job opportunities are posted here as they become available.

Together, there's something science can do.

Job Purpose

The Director of Business Development will drive the growth of Conscience’s open science drug discovery programs, with a specific focus on engaging academic researchers and technology transfer offices, contract research organizations (CROs) and pharmaceutical companies to participate in Conscience programs and funding opportunities. This role will play a pivotal part in advancing Conscience's mission to enable drug discovery and development in areas where open sharing and collaboration are key to advancement and where market solutions are limited, such as rare or infectious diseases. This position requires a deep understanding of business principles in drug discovery and development, coupled with exceptional interpersonal and strategic skills and a strong interest in advancing open science for drug discovery.

In the first year, the Director of Business Development will:

Develop a comprehensive business strategy to ensure growth of the program with clear goals, target audiences, pipeline development, outreach messaging, and tactics for development, engagement, and fundraising efforts.

Identify and establish new relationships with potential strategic partners; lead the negotiation and close deals bringing new business opportunities to Conscience.

Develop targets and tracking for business lead generation.

Responsibilities

Build and maintain relationships with partners and collaborators in academic research and technology transfer offices, contract research organizations (CROs) and pharmaceutical companies, and more.

Develop and implement strategic outreach initiatives to enhance partner engagement.

Design and implement outreach initiatives to ensure an adequate supply of participants in Conscience programs, and qualified respondents for Conscience funding offerings.

Design and execute a business strategy for advancing open science drug development initiatives.

Actively collaborate with health research funders, including academic institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and health authorities, to identify and pursue new business opportunities.

Negotiate partnerships and collaboration agreements, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and mission.

Contribute to Conscience’s educational and awareness efforts about open science drug development and alternative pathways.

Qualifications & Skills

7+ years experience in business development, life-sciences technology transfer, and alliance management; including experience in the drug development industry (biotech, pharmaceutical).

Master’s degree or equivalent experience in life sciences, business administration or law. PhD, MBA, or JD preferred. Experience in medicinal chemistry would be an asset.

Outstanding oral and written communication and interpersonal skills, including excellent presentation skills and the ability to be a clear and persuasive advocate.

Excellent business and industry awareness, and a thorough understanding of industry trends and impact on the business.

Solid understanding of investment and commercialization principles of drug discovery and development, open science experience is an asset.

Team player who thrives in an environment of exchanging information and ideas, and who will support other members of the Conscience team to meet collective goals.

Experience with asset acquisition, due diligence, in- and out-licensing deals, and closing deals with multiple stakeholders.

Ability to identify priorities and deliver results on deadline.

Works and thinks independently with strong organizational and problem-solving capabilities.

Strong interest in open science and radical collaboration

Fluent in English, proficiency in French (written and spoken) an advantage

Up to 20% travel may be required

Our team works virtually in a remote environment built around daily Slack, Zoom, collaborative docs, and email, along with structured in-person time as needed (regular staff retreats, working meetings). We do not have a central office, though eventually we may add that as part of our work environment. We provide every employee with the essential work tools like a laptop, headset, etc. Remote work allows for some work hour flexibility, which is helpful when managing life commitments and family. Most roles include some travel as needed.

While we’re legally based in Canada, our approach to drug discovery and science is global. We believe that collaboration can happen in every corner of the world, from the most established leaders to also the most unlikely of partners. With that in mind, we invite candidates from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences, including those from historically marginalized or underestimated groups — women, indigenous people, people with disabilities, people of colour, formerly incarcerated people, people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or gender nonconforming, first and second generation immigrants, and people from low-income families. A diversity of lived experiences makes our work, and our network community, stronger.

Salary and benefits

The salary range for this position is $105,000 to $135,000 CAD, to be determined by the successful candidate’s relevant skills, training, and experience. In addition, we offer a competitive benefits package that includes enhanced medical, pharmacare, dental, and disability coverage, along with annual matched RRSP contributions. We provide a minimum of 4 weeks paid vacation annually, plus flexible work hours, as part of a hybrid work environment.

About Conscience

Conscience is a non-profit focused on enabling drug discovery and development in areas where open sharing and collaboration are key to advancement and where market solutions are limited, such as rare or infectious diseases. It does so by encouraging teamwork, the open sharing of knowledge and tools, the use of artificial intelligence, and the development of policies that break down barriers of traditional drug development models. Powered by a network that includes academics, industry, technologists, policy experts, and public support, Conscience seeks to drive innovation by turning drug discovery and development into a team sport. Through key initiatives, such as its DMOS (Developing Medicines through Open Science) program and CACHE (Critical Assessment of Computation Hit-finding Experiments) Challenges, Conscience is accelerating the path to treatments for those who need them most so no patient is left behind. For more information, visit www.conscience.ca.