Director, Pharma Business Development - 3PL and Specialty Distribution

Optum; Columbus (OH); Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 231,000; Full time

Job summary

Optum in Etna, Ohio (Columbus market) is seeking a Director, Pharma Business Development to lead strategy for manufacturer client acquisition and revenue growth in specialty distribution and 3PL services. This senior role blends sales leadership with regulatory and operations insight.

The role requires travel to client sites and industry events, a proven track record in US pharma commercialization, and the ability to build executive relationships across commercial, supply chain, and legal

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in pharmaceutical distribution, manufacturer services, specialty pharmacy, healthcare supply chain, or strategic business development.
• 3+ years of experience supporting pharmaceutical commercialization, specialty distribution, 3PL services, manufacturer services, or related business development activities.
• Experience engaging and influencing senior executives and key decision makers within pharmaceutical and biotechnology organizations.
• Solid understanding of pharmaceutical supply chain operations, manufacturer commercialization needs, and applicable US regulatory requirements.
• Demonstrated success sourcing, developing, and closing complex pharmaceutical manufacturer opportunities resulting in significant revenue growth.
• Proven excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrated success building and managing large-scale pharmaceutical business development pipelines and delivering significant revenue growth.

Responsibilities

• Market and client development: develop and execute market development strategies to expand manufacturer partnerships and revenue growth.
• Sales strategy and execution: lead complex commercial negotiations including pricing, terms, service scope, and executive alignment.
• Solution design: leverage knowledge of pharmaceutical storage, handling, and compliance to create tailored proposals.
• Relationship building: maintain executive-level relationships with leaders across commercial, market access, trade, supply chain, operations, and business development.
• Cross-functional collaboration: work with operations, industry relations, and account management to refine offerings and onboard clients.
• Commercial leadership: develop account strategies for priority opportunities and maintain a multi-million-dollar sales pipeline.
• Enterprise influence: own the commercial strategy and execution for complex opportunities with cross-functional stakeholders.

Skills

Executive communication

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Relationship building

Strategic business development

Sales pipeline development

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

CRM platforms

Word

Job description

Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health optimization on a global scale.

Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

Optum is seeking a Director, Pharma Business Development based in Etna, Ohio (Columbus market). This role offers a hybrid work arrangement and requires travel to client sites, industry conferences, and manufacturer meetings as needed. This role is a senior individual contributor specifically responsible for driving new manufacturer client acquisition and revenue growth through strategic business development activities for Optum's specialty distribution and third-party logistics (3PL) services.

This role blends strategic sales leadership with operational expertise in both pharmaceutical and 3PL domains, requiring a mix of market insight, regulatory knowledge, and relationship building skills to drive growth in a highly regulated, high value industry. The ideal candidate will bring deep knowledge of the Pharma 3PL landscape, along with demonstrated success in U.S. pharmaceutical commercialization, and strategic alliance management. Success will require solid commercial acumen, cross-functional leadership, and the ability to translate strategy into measurable revenue growth. This role will play a key role in building and scaling a business that sets a new standard for distribution.

If you are located in Ohio, you will have the flexibility to work remotely* as you take on some tough challenges.

You’ll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, we offer benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). No matter where or when you begin a career with us, you’ll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives. The salary for this role will range from $134,600 - $230,800 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

Application Deadline: This will be posted for a minimum of 2 business days or until a sufficient candidate pool has been collected. Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants.

Primary Responsibilities

• Market & Client Development - Develop and execute market development strategies aligned with Optum Specialty Distribution and 3PL growth objectives Identify emerging pharmaceutical and biotech opportunities, prioritize target segments, and establish market engagement plans that expand manufacturer partnerships and revenue growth
• Sales Strategy & Execution - Lead complex commercial negotiations, including pricing strategy, contractual terms, service scope development, and executive stakeholder alignment through contract execution
• Solution Design - Leverage expertise in pharmaceutical storage, handling, and compliance to create tailored proposals highlighting operational efficiency and regulatory compliance
• Relationship Building - Build and maintain executive-level relationships with senior leaders across commercial, market access, trade, supply chain, operations, and business development functions within pharmaceutical and biotechnology organizations
• Cross Functional Collaboration - Work with operations, industry relations, and account management teams to refine offerings, ensure smooth onboarding, and ongoing management of client agreements
• Commercial Leadership - Develop account strategies for priority manufacturer opportunities to build and manage a robust multi-million-dollar sales pipeline Maintain accurate forecasting to achieve and exceed annual revenue growth objectives
• Enterprise Influence - Own the commercial strategy and execution for complex opportunities, partnering with cross-functional stakeholders across operations, legal, finance, and compliance to develop solutions, structure agreements, negotiate contracts, and deliver commercially viable outcomes

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in pharmaceutical distribution, manufacturer services, specialty pharmacy, healthcare supply chain, or strategic business development
• 3+ years of experience supporting pharmaceutical commercialization, specialty distribution, 3PL services, manufacturer services, or related business development activities
• Experience engaging and influencing senior executives and key decision makers within pharmaceutical and biotechnology organizations
• Solid understanding of pharmaceutical supply chain operations, manufacturer commercialization needs, and applicable US regulatory requirements
• Demonstrated success sourcing, developing, and closing complex pharmaceutical manufacturer opportunities resulting in significant revenue growth
• Proven excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills
• Demonstrated success building and managing large-scale pharmaceutical business development pipelines and delivering significant revenue growth

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience selling services or solutions directly to pharmaceutical manufacturers
• Experience supporting product launches, commercialization strategies, or channel design
• Global distribution experience
• Proficiency with Excel, PowerPoint, Word and other reporting tools
• Proficiency with CRM platforms
• Proven existing relationships within pharmaceutical, biotech, or specialty pharmaceutical organizations
• All employees working remotely will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group's Telecommuter Policy

UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug - free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone-of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income-deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes - an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.