Director, Business Development

CEVA SANTE ANIMALE; Bridgewater (MA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Ceva Sante Animale in the United States seeks a Director of Business Development to drive disciplined execution of North American external growth deals from qualification through close. You will coordinate diligence, structure terms, and lead negotiations, ensuring timely, value‑creating agreements.

The role requires a track record of closing complex cross‑functional transactions in life sciences, with strong leadership and strategic thinking.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's in business, life sciences, finance; MBA preferred.
• At least 10 years in business development/transactions with a closing record.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional transactions from diligence to close.
• Experience in animal health, pharma, biotech, or related industry preferred.

Responsibilities

• Source, evaluate, and prioritize external growth opportunities.
• Own mid-funnel opportunities through signature and closing.
• Drive due diligence and negotiate deal terms.
• Coordinate cross-functional diligence across Finance, Legal, R&D, and more.
• Prepare approvals and present recommendations to leadership.
• Ensure smooth handoff of closed deals to operations and integration.
• Monitor deal pipeline and remove bottlenecks.
• Maintain market intelligence on Ceva’s segments.
• Manage travel for partner meetings and negotiations.

Skills

Deal making

Cross-functional leadership

Strategic thinking

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/life sciences/finance

MBA preferred

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

The Director of Business Development will drive the disciplined execution of Ceva’s North American external growth and external innovation deals from qualification through close, ensuring that mid‑pipeline opportunities are strategically validated, negotiated, and transitioned into signed, value‑creating agreements.

Responsibilities

• Deal sourcing and assessment: Partner with internal and external stakeholders (both locally and globally) to source, evaluate, and prioritize potential opportunities, supporting critical or major projects when time permits.
• Deal execution and closing: Own opportunities from the mid‑funnel through signature, advancing due diligence, structuring terms, driving negotiations, and securing internal approvals to close deals on target timelines.
• Pipeline progression: Manage a portfolio of active opportunities, removing bottlenecks, maintaining momentum across stage gates, and ensuring no deal stalls due to lack of ownership or follow‑through.
• Cross‑functional orchestration: Coordinate diligence and transaction teams across Finance, Legal, Regulatory, R&D, Marketing, and Supply Chain; align internal stakeholders and resolve competing priorities to keep transactions progressing.
• Commercial and financial structuring: Partner with Finance to build and pressure‑test deal models, valuation assumptions, and business cases; work with Legal to structure terms that protect Ceva’s interests.
• Negotiation: Lead or co‑lead commercial and contractual negotiations with partners, licensors, and counterparties, balancing speed and deal certainty with the protection of long‑term value.
• Governance and approvals: Prepare and present opportunity reviews, deal recommendations, and approval materials to North American and Global leadership, including investment committee submissions.
• Transition to integration: Ensure a clean handoff of closed deals to commercial, operational, R&D, and integration owners, with clear documentation of terms, commitments, and value drivers.
• Market and partner intelligence: Maintain awareness of the competitive, regulatory, and partnering landscape across Ceva’s business lines to inform deal strategy and sourcing.
• Pipeline reporting: Provide accurate, timely visibility into deal status, risks, and probability to leadership.

Core Competencies

• Shape solutions out of complexity
• Client focus
• Collaborate with empathy
• Engage and develop
• Drive ambition and accountability
• Influence others

Technical Competencies

• Deal structuring, valuation, and sound understanding of financial modeling (DCF, NPV, scenario analysis)
• Contract and commercial negotiation
• Due diligence management across functions
• Knowledge of animal health, pharmaceutical, or life‑sciences markets and partnering dynamics
• Understanding of regulatory, IP, and supply considerations relevant to product and portfolio transactions
• Project and stakeholder management across complex, time‑sensitive workstreams
• Executive‑level communication and presentation

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, life sciences, finance, or a related field required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in business development, corporate development, transactions, strategic marketing or commercial roles, with a documented record of closing deals.
• Proven ability to lead complex, cross‑functional transactions from diligence through close.
• Experience in animal health, pharmaceutical, biotech, or related industry strongly preferred.

Physical Requirements

• Must talk and hear; use hands to manipulate keys on a keyboard; sit, stand, and walk as required.

Working Conditions

• Standard office environment. Hybrid work arrangements may apply consistent with Ceva policy.

Travel Requirements

• Mandatory overnight travel, including international trips, accounting for 30–40% of the role to conduct partner meetings, diligence, and negotiations.

Equal Employment Opportunity

VEVRAA Federal Contractor. Ceva is an equal‑opportunity employer; all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, self‑identified sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Ceva encourages men and women, members of all racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply.