Global Strategic BD Executive Director - Pharma Growth

TSP, a Syneos Health company; Greater Manchester; On-site; GBP 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Syneos Health is seeking an Executive Director, Business Development (Strategic Accounts) to drive Enterprise-level sales growth, global account strategy, and long-term client engagement. You will negotiate MSAs, orchestrate cross-functional solution development, and lead executive-level pursuits with deep pharmaceutical industry partnerships.

The role focuses on building multi-year growth plans, leveraging CRM insights, and collaborating with stakeholders across strategy, operations, legal, and

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.
• Deep understanding of clinical research service lines and full drug development lifecycle.
• Proven ability to build and maintain strategic relationships with mid- to executive-level stakeholders.
• Strong consultative selling skills with ability to uncover client needs and co-create tailored solutions.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
• Collaborative and influential with cross-functional leadership experience.
• Highly organized with ability to prioritize in a dynamic environment.
• Willingness to travel at least 60%.

Responsibilities

• Leads global business development 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 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 client-tailored solutions.
• Leads and coordinates the development of high-impact proposals, RFP responses, and executive presentations.
• Maintains up-to-date records in CRM systems, 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.
• 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.

Skills

Strategic sales

Global business development

Client relationship management

Consultative selling

Cross-functional collaboration

Negotiation skills

Communication skills

Data-driven decision making

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in a science related field

Graduate Degree preferred

Tools

MS Office Suite

Google Workspace

Salesforce

Job description

Syneos Health is seeking an Executive Director, Business Development (Strategic Accounts) to drive Enterprise-level sales growth, global account strategy, and long-term client engagement. You will negotiate MSAs, orchestrate cross-functional solution development, and lead executive-level pursuits with deep pharmaceutical industry partnerships.

The role focuses on building multi-year growth plans, leveraging CRM insights, and collaborating with stakeholders across strategy, operations, legal, and