Executive Director of Clinical Business Development - Strategic Accounts

Taylor Strategy Partners; Valencia; Remote; EUR 150,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Syneos Health is seeking an Executive Director of Business Development (Strategic Accounts) to drive enterprise-level growth, manage strategic partnerships, and engage high-level clients across the biopharma landscape. You will navigate procurement, lead MSAs, and align cross-functional teams to deliver client-centric growth strategies on a global scale.

The role requires deep industry knowledge, strong negotiation skills, and the ability to travel 60%+.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a science-related field or equivalent; graduate degree preferred.
• Proven experience in strategic sales, global business development, or client relationship management.
• Significant experience in the clinical trial industry with deep knowledge of the pharmaceutical landscape.
• Deep understanding of clinical research service lines and the full drug development lifecycle.
• Proven ability to negotiate master service agreements and manage partnerships.
• Proven ability to build and maintain strategic relationships with senior stakeholders.
• Strong consultative selling, communication, and negotiation skills.
• Willingness to travel at least 60% for client engagements and events.

Responsibilities

• Leads global business development efforts across a portfolio of high-value accounts.
• Identifies, evaluates, and pursues enterprise-level opportunities and strategic alliances.
• Develops multi-year strategic growth plans for key global clients.
• Acts as strategic advisor to client executives and understands their priorities.
• Influences procurement and contracting processes across organizations.
• Collaborates with cross-functional teams to co-create client solutions.
• Leads development of high-impact proposals, RFP responses, and executive presentations.
• Maintains records in CRM systems with account strategy and opportunities.
• Represents the company at events to enhance brand visibility and opportunities.
• Monitors market dynamics and refines account strategies accordingly.
• Develops annual sales plans with forecasting and quarterly reviews.
• Prioritizes accounts using data-driven insights and market potential.
• Drives monthly objectives aligned to the sales plan.
• Maintains strategic account plans and client relationships at executive levels.
• Collaborates with operations, strategy, and delivery to tailor solutions.
• Builds relationships with key stakeholders to expand account value.
• Drives tailored multi-touchpoint sales strategies based on client needs.
• Manages renewals and next-phase opportunities for account expansion.
• Maintains CRM data integrity for pipeline and client activity.
• Acts as client advocate to guide proposal development and team alignment.
• Educates clients on the company’s value proposition and service capabilities.
• Represents the company at meetings and industry conferences to uncover opportunities.
• Monitors industry trends and evolving client needs to refine engagement strategies.
• Conducts regular territory performance reviews to inform planning.

Skills

Strategic sales

Global business development

Client relationship management

Cross-functional collaboration

Negotiation

CRM usage

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in science

Graduate degree preferred

Tools

Salesforce

MS Office

Google Workspace

Job description

Description

Are you interested in becoming part of the new wave of business development leaders driving major growth here at Syneos Health? We are looking to build a best in class business development team after significant investment.
Our range of roles are split between a focus on strategic pharma partners and the core to mid-market targets.If you are currently in a similar role for a major CRO managing multi-million-dollar deals then we are looking to speak with you via our executive search partners, TSP.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (STRATEGIC ACCOUNTS)

The Exec Director, Strategic BD is responsible for driving Enterprise-level sales growth through global account strategy, strategic partnerships, and long-term client engagement.
This role focuses on identifying and securing high-impact opportunities across the biopharmaceutical landscape by navigating complex procurement environments, leading preferred provider pursuits, negotiating master service agreements (MSAs), and orchestrating cross-functional solution development. With a strong understanding of the clinical development lifecycle and deep relationships within the pharmaceutical industry, the Exec Director, Strategic BD partners closely with internal stakeholders across therapeutic strategy, operations, legal, finance, and delivery to create client-centric growth strategies that support Syneos Health's global objectives.

Core Responsibilities

• Leads global business development efforts across a portfolio of high-value accounts, driving strategic growth and revenue expansion.
• Identifies, evaluates, and pursues enterprise-level opportunities, including preferred provider arrangements, MSAs, and strategic alliances.
• Creates and maintains multi-year strategic growth plans for key global clients, aligned with Syneos Health’s commercial objectives.
• Serves as a strategic advisor and trusted partner to client executives by understanding their business priorities, development pipelines, and partnership expectations.
• Navigates complex global sourcing and procurement organizations to influence client decision making and streamline contracting processes.
• Collaborates cross-functionally with therapeutic leads, operations, delivery, and marketing to co-create compelling, client-tailored solutions.
• Leads and coordinates the development of high-impact proposals, RFP responses, and executive presentations.
• Maintains up-to-date and accurate records in CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce), including account strategy documentation, contacts, opportunities, and communications.
• Represents Syneos Health at key industry events, conferences, and client meetings to enhance brand visibility and cultivate new opportunities.
• Monitors market dynamics and competitor activity to inform strategic pursuits and continuously refine account strategies.
• Develops and implements an annual sales plan for assigned markets/accounts, including forecasting, objective setting, and quarterly reviews to adjust for evolving needs.
• Prioritizes accounts and territory focus using data-informed insights on client opportunity and market potential.
• Creates and executes monthly objectives aligned to the sales plan, effectively managing time and resources to achieve targets.
• Develops and maintains strategic account plans, proactively identifying client challenges and collaborating with internal teams to deliver solutions.
• Builds and nurtures strong relationships with key client stakeholders, including decision-makers and influencers, to expand account value.
• Leads the design and execution of tailored, multi-touchpoint sales strategies based on client needs, market dynamics, and strategic goals.
• Drives account expansion strategies, including therapeutic alignment, renewals, and next-phase opportunities.
• Collaborates with cross-functional teams - such as operations, therapeutic strategy, deal strategy, and delivery to co-create customized, client-focused solutions.
• Maintains up-to-date records of client activity, pipeline, and sales progress within CRM platforms such as Salesforce.
• Acts as a client advocate internally, sharing insights on culture, preferences, and priorities to guide proposal development and team alignment.
• Educates clients on Syneos Health’s differentiated value proposition and evolving service capabilities across clinical and commercial offerings.
• Represents Syneos Health at client meetings, industry conferences, and professional events to elevate brand visibility and uncover new opportunities.
• Monitors industry trends, competitive landscape, and emerging client needs to continuously refine engagement strategies.
• Conducts regular reviews of territory performance and sales pipeline to inform sales planning and forecasting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in a science related field, Graduate Degree preferred
• Proven experience in strategic sales, global business development, or client relationship management.
• Significant experience in the clinical trial industry, with deep knowledge of the pharmaceutical landscape (required).
• Deep understanding of clinical research service lines (e.g., full-service offer, FSP and RWLP) and the full drug development lifecycle.
• Demonstrated success in leading preferred provider pursuits and negotiating master service agreements.
• Proven ability to build and maintain strategic relationships with mid- to executive-level stakeholders across large, matrixed organizations.
• Strong consultative selling skills with the ability to uncover client needs and co-create impactful, tailored solutions.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
• Collaborative and influential, with experience leading cross-functional sales efforts and managing competing priorities with attention to detail.
• Highly organized and able to prioritize effectively in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Strategic thinker with strong business acumen and data-driven decision-making capability.
• Proficient in MS Office Suite, Google Workspace, and CRM tools such as Salesforce.
• Willingness to travel at least 60% for client engagements, internal meetings, and industry conferences.

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