Business Development Associate

Ardena; Franklin Township (NJ); On-site; USD 80,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and tailored benefits package

Flexible working arrangements

Access to professional development and training programs

Job summary

Ardena is seeking a Business Development Associate to support their Sales and Marketing team in Somerset, New Jersey. This role involves lead generation, outbound prospecting, and increasing brand visibility in the biotech ecosystem.

The ideal candidate will have 3-5 years of experience in a related commercial role and strong skills in communication and relationship building. A competitive salary of $80,000 - $95,000 is offered along with flexible working arrangements and access to professional development.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in a related scientific commercial role.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrated success in outbound business development.

Responsibilities

• Identify and qualify early-stage through late phase opportunities.
• Execute structured outreach via calls, email sequences, and campaigns.
• Travel up to 50% to visit prospects and attend events.

Skills

Outbound BD

Relationship building

Communication skills

CRM proficiency

Understanding of drug development workflows

Tools

Salesforce

HubSpot

Job description

About Ardena

Ardena is a global Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) and Contract Research Organization (CRO) specializing in precision medicine development. Ardena supports pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in bringing innovative, complex molecules from discovery to market.

The Ardena Group operates from five sites across Europe and the United States, employing more than 750 professionals. Ardena European sites are located in Oss and Assen (the Netherlands), Ghent (Belgium), and Pamplona (Spain). Ardena US facility is based in Somerset, New Jersey.

Job Overview

Position: Business Development Associate

Department: Business Development

Location: Somerset (US)

Ardena is hiring a Business Development Associate to join the Sales and Marketing team at our Somerset site. This role supports pharmaceutical development and manufacturing activities within a GMP-regulated environment.

Role Description

The Business Development Associate is a junior commercial role (3–5 years experience) focused on new business hunting and lead generation. You will be the face of Ardena to support the BD team—building relationships, identifying new program opportunities, and driving outbound engagement to increase brand visibility.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in the field, enjoys meeting people, and is energized by uncovering new opportunities in the biotech ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead Generation – Identify and qualify early‑stage through late phase opportunities across biotech and pharma.
• Outbound Prospecting – Execute structured outreach via calls, email sequences, LinkedIn campaigns, and in‑person drop‑ins.
• Territory Travel – Travel up to 50% to visit prospects, attend events, and represent Ardena in person.
• Networking & Events – Attend local biotech meetups, innovation gatherings, and industry mixers to expand Ardena’s visibility.
• Brand Awareness – Introduce Ardena’s integrated CRDMO services to new audiences and ensure consistent market messaging.
• Program Hunting – Actively seek out new development and manufacturing programs aligned with Ardena’s capabilities.
• Additional Duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in a CDMO, biotech services, pharma outsourcing, or related scientific commercial role.
• Understanding of drug development workflows (analytical, CMC, manufacturing).
• Demonstrated success in outbound BD or territory development.
• Strong communication and relationship‑building skills.
• Comfortable with frequent travel and in‑person engagement.
• CRM proficiency (Salesforce, HubSpot, or similar).
• Self‑starter with a hunter mindset.

Preferred Skills

• Existing network within the industry.
• Experience attending or exhibiting at industry conferences.
• Ability to translate technical capabilities into commercial value.
• Strong LinkedIn outreach and digital prospecting skills.

What Success Looks Like

• Growth in CRM funnel.
• Increased Ardena visibility in assigned territory.
• Consistent outbound activity and networking presence.
• Strong collaboration with BD and marketing teams.

Benefits and perks at Ardena include:

• Competitive salary and tailored benefits package (adjusted per role and location).
• Flexible working arrangements and paid annual leave (where applicable, depending on role and site).
• International and collaborative work environment across European and US sites.
• Access to professional development and training programs.
• Meaningful work on pharmaceutical development projects that advance patient health.
• A values‑driven culture guided by Ardena’s CARE principles: Communicative, Accountable, Reliable, and Excellent.

Annual Salary Range: $80,000 - $95,000