Head – CDMO & API Business Development (US)

Healthcaa; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Healthcaa is seeking an accomplished Head – CDMO & API Business Development to lead the company's global commercial strategy for CDMO services, based in the United States.

This leadership role drives new business acquisition, develops strategic partnerships, expands key accounts, and accelerates revenue growth across North America and other regulated markets, leveraging an extensive pharma/biotech network.

Qualifications

• 12–20 years of progressive experience in pharmaceutical business development, commercial operations, or strategic sales.
• Significant experience in CDMO commercial sales and client acquisition.
• Proven success in winning and managing high-value CDMO projects in the US and other regulated markets.
• Strong understanding of pharmaceutical development, API development and manufacturing, process development, technology transfer, scale-up, and cGMP manufacturing.
• Experience in negotiating multi-million-dollar outsourcing agreements.

Responsibilities

• Lead the global commercial strategy for the CDMO business, with primary responsibility for growth in the United States and other regulated markets.
• Identify, develop, and acquire new CDMO opportunities across drug substance development, API development and manufacturing, process development, analytical services, technology transfer, scale-up, and validation.
• Build and maintain strategic client relationships and long-term account strategies.
• Lead complex commercial negotiations, including RFP/RFQ responses, proposal development, pricing negotiations, contracts, and master service agreements.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Technical Operations, R&D / Process Development, Manufacturing, Analytical Development, Regulatory Affairs, Quality, Supply Chain, Project Management, Finance and Legal.
• Represent the company at major industry events and monitor market trends to inform strategy and identify outsourcing opportunities.

Skills

CDMO sales experience

Strategic account management

US market knowledge

Complex deal negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Pharmacy, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Life Sciences

MBA or Master's degree

Job description

• Drug substance development

HEAD – CDMO & API BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (US)

Location: United States

Position Type: Full-Time

Experience: 12–20 Years

Industry: Pharmaceutical | CDMO | API | Life Sciences

Function: Business Development / Commercial

POSITION SUMMARY

We are seeking an accomplished Head – CDMO & API Business Development to lead the company's global commercial strategy, with a primary focus on Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) services.

Based in the United States, this leadership role will be responsible for driving new business acquisition, developing strategic partnerships, expanding key accounts, and accelerating revenue growth across North America and other regulated markets.

The successful candidate will possess an extensive network within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry and a proven track record of securing high-value CDMO projects involving drug development, technology transfer, process development, scale-up, validation, and commercial manufacturing.

Experience in API business development will be an added advantage.

Candidates currently working with, or having prior experience at, leading global CDMOs such as Lonza, Curia, Catalent, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Patheon), Recipharm, PCI Pharma Services, Almac Group, Cambrex, or similar organizations will be highly preferred.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES1. Business Development & Commercial Strategy

• Lead the global commercial strategy for the company's CDMO business, with primary responsibility for business growth in the United States and other regulated markets.
• Identify, develop, and acquire new CDMO opportunities across:
• Drug substance development
• API development and manufacturing
• Process development
• Analytical services
• Technology transfer
• Scale-up
• Process validation
• cGMP manufacturing
• Commercial manufacturing
• Build and maintain a robust sales pipeline to consistently achieve annual revenue, business growth, and profitability targets.
• Identify emerging outsourcing opportunities and develop market-entry strategies for new customer segments and therapeutic areas.

2. Client Acquisition & Strategic Partnerships

• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with:
• Pharmaceutical innovators
• Biotechnology companies
• Specialty pharmaceutical companies
• Generic pharmaceutical manufacturers
• Emerging and virtual biotech companies
• Develop long-term account strategies for strategic customers and key accounts.
• Identify opportunities for expanding existing customer relationships and increasing share of wallet.
• Build senior-level relationships with key decision-makers across client organizations.

3. Commercial Negotiations & Deal Management

• Lead complex commercial discussions, including:
• RFP/RFQ responses
• Proposal development
• Commercial strategy
• Pricing negotiations
• Contract negotiations
• Master Service Agreements
• Long-term outsourcing agreements
• Lead negotiations for high-value and multi-million-dollar CDMO opportunities.
• Work closely with internal stakeholders to ensure commercially viable and technically deliverable proposals.

4. Cross-Functional Leadership

Collaborate closely with:

• Technical Operations
• R&D / Process Development
• Manufacturing
• Analytical Development
• Regulatory Affairs
• Quality
• Supply Chain
• Project Management
• Finance and Legal

to develop integrated, customer-focused solutions and ensure successful conversion of opportunities into long-term business partnerships.

5. Market Development & Industry Representation

• Represent the company at major global pharmaceutical and biotechnology events, conferences, and partnering forums, including:
• CPHI
• BIO International Convention
• DCAT Week
• Other key pharmaceutical and CDMO industry events
• Monitor industry trends, competitor activities, outsourcing models, customer requirements, and emerging therapeutic segments.
• Develop and provide actionable market intelligence to support strategic business decisions.
• Identify opportunities arising from pharmaceutical outsourcing, supply-chain diversification, nearshoring, and dual-sourcing strategies.

6. Commercial Leadership & Reporting

• Provide regular updates to senior management on:
• Sales pipeline
• Revenue projections
• Business development opportunities
• Key account performance
• Market trends
• Competitive intelligence
• New customer acquisition
• Establish appropriate business development metrics and track performance against agreed commercial objectives.
• Contribute to the company's long-term global CDMO and API growth strategy.

QUALIFICATIONS

Educational Qualification

• Bachelor's degree in Pharmacy, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Life Sciences, or a related discipline.
• MBA or Master's degree in a relevant field will be preferred.

Professional Experience

• 12–20 years of progressive experience in pharmaceutical business development, commercial operations, or strategic sales.
• Significant experience in CDMO commercial sales, business development, and client acquisition.
• Demonstrated success in winning and managing high-value CDMO projects in the US and other regulated markets.
• Strong understanding of:
• Pharmaceutical development
• API development and manufacturing
• Process development
• Technology transfer
• Scale-up
• cGMP manufacturing
• Commercialization
• Proven experience in negotiating complex and multi-million-dollar outsourcing agreements.

Core Competencies

• Strong commercial and business acumen
• Strategic account management
• Client acquisition and relationship management
• Complex deal negotiation
• Consultative selling
• Excellent presentation and communication skills
• Strong stakeholder management
• Commercial forecasting and pipeline management
• Ability to work effectively across technical and commercial functions
• Strong understanding of pharmaceutical outsourcing and CDMO business models

Mobility

• Willingness to travel extensively across North America and internationally as required.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

The following experience will be highly valued:

• Experience with globally recognized CDMOs, pharmaceutical outsourcing organizations, or API manufacturers.
• Strong network across US-based pharmaceutical, biotechnology, specialty pharma, and generic pharmaceutical companies.
• Experience managing customers across the United States, Europe, Canada, and other regulated markets.
• Working knowledge of FDA, EMA, MHRA, ICH, and cGMP requirements.
• Experience selling integrated pharmaceutical development and manufacturing solutions from early-stage development through commercial manufacturing.
• Experience in building and managing strategic accounts with large pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers.
• Proven ability to convert technical capabilities into commercially attractive customer solutions.

PREFERRED COMPANY BACKGROUND

Candidates currently working with, or having prior experience at, the following organizations — or equivalent global CDMO/API companies — will be highly preferred:

• Lonza
• Curia
• Catalent
• Thermo Fisher Scientific / Patheon
• Recipharm
• PCI Pharma Services
• Almac Group
• Cambrex
• Piramal Pharma Solutions
• Jubilant Biosys / Jubilant Pharmova
• Sai Life Sciences
• Aragen Life Sciences
• Syngene International
• Dishman Carbogen Amcis
• Hikal
• Divi's Laboratories

KEY SUCCESS FACTORS

The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate:

• A strong and relevant US pharmaceutical and biotechnology customer network
• Proven ability to generate and convert high-value CDMO opportunities
• Strong understanding of the end-to-end pharmaceutical development and manufacturing lifecycle
• Ability to engage effectively with C-suite and senior decision-makers
• Track record of delivering measurable revenue and business growth
• Strong understanding of the competitive CDMO landscape
• Ability to translate the company's technical capabilities into compelling customer propositions
• Strong commercial leadership and ownership mindset

WHY JOIN US?

This is an opportunity to lead the commercial growth of a rapidly expanding pharmaceutical organization with ambitious global CDMO and API aspirations.

The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in:

• Building strategic relationships with global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies
• Driving international business expansion
• Developing and scaling the US commercial organization
• Securing high-value CDMO partnerships
• Expanding the company's presence in regulated markets
• Positioning the company as a preferred CDMO partner for pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers worldwide

This role offers significant strategic visibility and the opportunity to shape and lead the company's global CDMO and API business development agenda.