Senior Director, Business Development

Alchemab; Whittlesford; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Alchemab is seeking a Senior Director, Business Development to lead strategic partnerships and licensing collaborations that maximise value across the company's pipeline and discovery platform. You will be the external face to pharmaceutical partners, building a structured partnering function and guiding commercial due diligence, deal structuring and execution with integrity and scientific credibility.

This role requires deep biotech and pharma experience, exceptional negotiation and stakeholder

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in business development or licensing within biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies.
• Proven track record of negotiating and executing licensing agreements and strategic collaborations.
• Ability to build and sustain engagement with pharmaceutical partners from first contact to signed agreement.
• Strong commercial and strategic judgement with ability to translate market insight into partnerships.
• Experience across one or more therapeutic areas; neuroscience background advantageous.
• High ethical standards and commitment to integrity and corporate responsibility.

Responsibilities

• End-to-end leadership of licensing projects, from identifying and approaching potential partners through evaluation, negotiation and execution.
• Identify and secure discovery collaborations, co-development partnerships and strategic alliances.
• Build and manage a structured pipeline of partnering opportunities and manage incoming discussions.
• Develop deal structures that maximise long-term value of assets, platform and IP.
• Support negotiation and management of contractual agreements with pharmaceutical, biotechnology and academic partners.
• Represent Alchemab at international partnering conferences, investor events and industry forums.
• Monitor market intelligence and translate it into partnering recommendations.
• Support corporate strategy and financing, including investor engagement and materials.
• Support due diligence, valuation and financial assessment of potential partnerships.

Skills

Communication

Negotiation

Influencing

Strategic judgement

Partnership development

Education

PhD or MBA

Job description

The Role

The Senior Director, Business Development reports to the Chief Business Officer (CBO) and will lead the identification, evaluation, negotiation and execution of strategic partnerships that maximise the value of the Company's therapeutic pipeline and discovery platform. The primary focus of the role is the partner development candidates stage programs. The role will also pursue selective discovery platform partnerships and support the CBO and Leadership team on corporate strategy and financing.

This is an outward-facing role. The successful candidate will be the Company's front-line representative to pharmaceutical partners, building a structured and professional partnering function and positioning Alchemab as a partner of choice.

Key Responsibilities

Business Development & Strategic Partnerships

• End-to-end leadership of licensing projects, from identifying and approaching potential partners through evaluation, negotiation and execution.
• Identify and secure discovery collaborations, co-development partnerships and strategic alliances that strengthen Alchemab's platform and pipeline.
• Build and manage a structured pipeline of partnering opportunities and manage incoming partnering discussions.
• Develop deal structures that maximise the long-term value of Alchemab's assets, technology platform and intellectual property.
• Support the negotiation and management of the Company's contractual agreements with pharmaceutical, biotechnology and academic partners.

External Engagement

• Represent Alchemab at international partnering conferences, investor events and industry forums, and lead the development of the Company's external partnering narrative and materials.
• Monitor scientific, commercial and competitive developments and translate market intelligence into partnering recommendations.

Corporate Strategy and Financing

• Support the CBO and management team on corporate strategy and financing, including investor engagement and materials.
• Support commercial due diligence, valuation and financial assessment of potential partnerships and strategic transactions.

Experience & Knowledge

• Substantial experience in business development or licensing within the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry, with a proven track record of negotiating and executing licensing agreements and strategic collaborations with pharmaceutical companies.
• Experience of partnering from the biotech side is highly relevant, including the ability to build and sustain engagement with pharmaceutical partners from first contact through to signed agreement. Experience within a pharmaceutical business development or search and evaluation function is also valued.
• Strong commercial and strategic judgement, with the ability to assess the value of scientific assets and translate market insight into partnering opportunities.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and influencing skills, with the credibility to represent a highly scientific organisation to pharmaceutical executives, scientific leaders and investors.
• Experience across one or more therapeutic areas; a background in neuroscience is an advantage but not a requirement.
• Strong ethical principles and commitment to integrity, compliance and corporate responsibility.

Personal Qualities

• Collaborative, approachable and humble, with the firmness to negotiate effectively.
• Builds partnerships founded on scientific quality and genuine fit rather than transactional selling.
• Persistent and resilient, able to sustain long partnering processes and difficult negotiations.

Formal Qualifications

• A PhD, MBA or equivalent qualification in a relevant scientific or business discipline is desirable.

NOTE:

This job description is not intended to be all inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organisation.