Bulb - Principal, Business Development

Unispace Life Sciences; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Unispace Life Sciences in London seeks a Principal, Business Development to drive regional growth, deepen client relationships, and shape strategy across life sciences sectors.

You will lead a local BD team, map opportunities, and collaborate with marketing, design and delivery to win major projects. The role requires a proven track record in leadership, client engagement, and market insight within pharma, biopharma, and medical device spaces.

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of the local market, industry trends, and client landscape.
• Proven experience in lead generation, client-facing relationship management, and business development strategies.
• Strong track record of achieving business growth targets and building lasting client relationships.
• Experience coaching and managing a diverse team to achieve exceptional results.
• A relationship builder who excels in client orientation and communicating with impact.
• Strong business acumen and organizational agility to navigate complex markets.
• Resilience and initiative to tackle challenges with creativity and adaptability.
• A natural collaborator who thrives in a team-focused, inclusive environment.
• Ability to influence others, drive results, and develop talent within your team.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a localized business development strategy aligned with regional and global goals.
• Conduct lead source analysis and implement effective lead management strategies.
• Collaborate with marketing, design, and delivery teams to develop insights and analytics that support strategy evolution.
• Foster strong, mutually beneficial relationships with target clients and industry leaders.
• Implement creative and innovative approaches to attract and engage prospective clients.
• Lead research projects and events that reflect the brand and drive engagement with clients.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across regions to identify key opportunities and ensure alignment with company strategy.
• Partner with the Global Business Development team to identify and nurture cross-regional client opportunities.
• Facilitate open communication and foster partnerships across teams and disciplines to create holistic solutions.
• Build, coach, and mentor a high-performing local business development team with clear goals and objectives.
• Develop expertise within the team in key areas, including networking, research, cold calling, and client intelligence.
• Promote inclusivity and ensure open communication, supporting team growth and success.
• Demonstrate strong leadership by setting clear expectations, providing feedback, and celebrating achievements.

Job description

Unispace Life Sciences is one of the leading engineering design and project management firms in the industry. We deliver process and utility facility as well as laboratory and workspace design and construction projects for pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, advanced therapeutics, medical device, and other life sciences companies. Part of Unispace Group, our award-winning and multi-disciplinary engineering, design, and construction project teams design and build complex process-driven life sciences facilities, labs, and workplaces for the world’s top bio-pharma companies. We promote a culture of integrity, professional excellence, and teamwork that informs everything we do. If you're interested in joining our Centre of Excellence and working with top biopharma clients around the world, we'd love to hear from you.

Why you’re here

As the Principal, Business Development, you play a vital role in expanding our business in your region through meaningful client relationships, strategic planning, and innovative approaches to identifying new opportunities. You are passionate about delivering results, developing long term relationships, and fostering a collaborative culture that drives success. Your leadership will position our studio and team as industry leaders while promoting inclusivity, creativity, and growth.

What you’re responsible for:

• Develop and execute a localized business development strategy aligned with regional and global goals.
• Conduct lead source analysis and implement effective lead management strategies.
• Collaborate with marketing, design, and delivery teams to develop insights and analytics that support strategy evolution.
• Foster strong, mutually beneficial relationships with target clients and industry leaders.
• Implement creative and innovative approaches to attract and engage prospective clients.
• Actively map and track client relationships, leveraging past connections and industry insights to drive results.
• Lead research projects and events that reflect the brand and drive engagement with clients.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across regions to identify key opportunities and ensure alignment with company strategy.
• Partner with the Global Business Development team to identify and nurture cross-regional client opportunities.
• Facilitate open communication and foster partnerships across teams and disciplines to create holistic solutions.
• Build, coach, and mentor a high-performing local business development team with clear goals and objectives.
• Develop expertise within the team in key areas, including networking, research, cold calling, and client intelligence.
• Promote inclusivity and ensure open communication, supporting team growth and success.
• Demonstrate strong leadership by setting clear expectations, providing feedback, and celebrating achievements.

Your experience and skills:

• Extensive knowledge of the local market, industry trends, and client landscape.
• Proven experience in lead generation, client-facing relationship management, and business development strategies.
• Strong track record of achieving business growth targets and building lasting client relationships.
• Experience coaching and managing a diverse team to achieve exceptional results.
• A relationship builder who excels in client orientation and communicating with impact.
• Strong business acumen and organizational agility to navigate complex markets.
• Resilience and initiative to tackle challenges with creativity and adaptability.
• A natural collaborator who thrives in a team-focused, inclusive environment.
• Ability to influence others, drive results, and develop talent within your team.

How we’ll measure it:

• Champion the adoption of Business Development methodologies, standards, and technology solutions within the studio to empower team effectiveness and promote organizational excellence.
• Foster a culture of precision and thoroughness in research and intelligence gathering to ensure seamless and informed handovers.
• Collaborate with the head of business development to design and implement local risk management plans, addressing legal, reputational, and financial risks proactively and inclusively.
• Promote a data-driven approach by ensuring accurate and timely information is consistently entered into the CRM system.
• Aid in the alignment of local studio standards, technology solutions, and processes with global practices to enhance brand consistency, support efficiencies, and foster innovation.
• Partner with Marketing & Communications to enhance the impact of events, ensuring they are innovative, engaging, and accessible to diverse audiences.
• Apply insights from lessons learned to continuously refine and improve strategies for long-term success.
• Demonstrate measurable progress in implementing CSR initiatives that positively impact the community and reflect a commitment to sustainability and inclusivity.

Inclusion and Diversity Commitment:

At Unispace, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We proudly embrace equal opportunity hiring and will evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, religion, colour, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, marital status, medical condition (as defined by state law), physical or mental disability, military service, veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

We are proud that our leadership reflects this commitment, with persons of colour, women, LGBTQ+ and neurodiverse individuals playing pivotal roles in shaping the future of our organization. Their unique perspectives and experiences drive innovation and help us create a truly inclusive culture. We are dedicated to ensuring that every voice is heard and that our workplace is a space where diversity is not only celebrated but is integral to our success.

The statements in this job description are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the person(s) assigned to this job. This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required.

We encourage applicants of all backgrounds to apply, and we are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities, allowing them to perform essential job functions as determined on a case-by-case basis.

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