Senior Manager / Director, Business Development – CDMO

LeoForce; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

LeoForce is seeking a Senior Manager/Director of Business Development for its CDMO platform. The role drives the full commercial cycle from prospecting to contract close, engaging Operations, Quality, and executive stakeholders to win strategic accounts.

The position requires 5+ years in CDMO or biologics pharma sales, with a track record of closing complex technical deals and willingness to travel up to 50%. Base salary is $175k–$200k with incentive compensation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, engineering, or a related technical field.
• At least five years of business development or sales experience within a CDMO, biologics, or pharmaceutical manufacturing environment.
• Director-level candidates should bring at least seven years of relevant experience and ownership of the full commercial cycle.
• Experience with drug substance and/or drug product manufacturing, including biologics, microbial fermentation, sterile fill-finish, or injectable products.
• Proven success prospecting, closing, and growing business through complex technical sales cycles.
• Experience negotiating MSAs, Supply Agreements, SOWs, and/or change orders.
• Strong technical fluency and the ability to engage Operations, Quality, Engineering, and executive stakeholders.
• Ability to travel up to approximately 50%.

Responsibilities

• Develop new opportunities across biologics and/or sterile injectable and fill-finish CDMO services.
• Manage the sales pipeline from initial outreach through contract close.
• Grow existing strategic accounts and identify expansion opportunities.
• Lead proposals and negotiations involving MSAs, Supply Agreements, SOWs, and change orders.
• Represent the organization’s drug substance and drug product manufacturing capabilities.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Program Management, Quality, Operations, Finance, and Legal.
• Meet revenue targets and maintain accurate pipeline forecasts.
• Support a smooth transition from contract close through customer onboarding and program execution.
• Monitor CDMO market trends, competitors, and customer procurement activity.

Skills

Business development

Sales

CDMO knowledge

Stakeholder engagement

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree in life sciences, engineering, or a related technical field

Master’s degree or PhD in life sciences, engineering, or a related discipline

Job description

Senior Manager / Director, Business Development – CDMO

Experience: Senior Level

Salary: $175,000 - $200,000 per year

Job Details

Department: Business Development / Commercial

Reports To: Vice President, Business Development

Location: North Carolina – Field-based with travel

Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Base Salary: $175,000 plus performance-based incentive compensation

Company Overview

Our client is a growing contract development and manufacturing organization supporting biopharmaceutical companies across drug substance and drug product manufacturing. The company partners with customers from process development through commercial supply and is expanding its commercial presence within biologics and sterile injectable manufacturing.

Position Summary

Our client is seeking a Senior Manager or Director of Business Development to generate new business and manage strategic accounts across its CDMO platform. The final title will be determined by the selected candidate’s experience and previous scope of responsibility.

This individual will own the full commercial cycle, including prospecting, pipeline development, proposal creation, commercial structuring, and contract negotiation. The role will also serve as the primary point of contact for existing strategic accounts.

This is a quota-carrying sales position with direct responsibility for new revenue and account growth. The ideal candidate will combine CDMO business development experience with the technical knowledge required to engage customers and internal Operations, Quality, and Technical teams credibly.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop new opportunities across biologics and/or sterile injectable and fill-finish CDMO services.
• Manage the sales pipeline from initial outreach through contract close.
• Grow existing strategic accounts and identify expansion opportunities.
• Lead proposals and negotiations involving MSAs, Supply Agreements, SOWs, and change orders.
• Represent the organization’s drug substance and drug product manufacturing capabilities.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Program Management, Quality, Operations, Finance, and Legal.
• Meet revenue targets and maintain accurate pipeline forecasts.
• Support a smooth transition from contract close through customer onboarding and program execution.
• Monitor CDMO market trends, competitors, and customer procurement activity.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, engineering, or a related technical field.
• At least five years of business development or sales experience within a CDMO, biologics, or pharmaceutical manufacturing environment.
• Director-level candidates should bring at least seven years of relevant experience and demonstrated ownership of the full commercial cycle.
• Experience with drug substance and/or drug product manufacturing, including biologics, micrOur Cliental fermentation, sterile fill-finish, or injectable products.
• Proven success prospecting, closing, and growing business through complex technical sales cycles.
• Experience negotiating MSAs, Supply Agreements, SOWs, and/or change orders.
• Strong technical fluency and the ability to engage Operations, Quality, Engineering, and executive stakeholders.
• Ability to travel up to approximately 50%.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or PhD in life sciences, engineering, or a related discipline.
• Previous manufacturing, engineering, or technical operations experience.
• Experience managing both new-business development and strategic account growth.
• Career progression from a technical or scientific position into a commercial role.
• Established industry relationships across the Southeast or Mid-Atlantic United States.

Compensation and Benefits

• $175,000 base salary, commensurate with experience.
• Performance-based incentive compensation.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• 401(k) and paid time off.

Our client is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic.

A bit about us:

We’re a growing contract development and manufacturing organization that partners with biopharmaceutical companies from early-stage process development through commercial manufacturing.

Why join us?

This is an opportunity to join a growing organization where your work will have a direct impact on the company’s commercial success. You’ll have the freedom to build relationships, develop new business, and grow strategic accounts without getting lost in a large corporate structure. You’ll also work closely with experienced technical and operational teams while helping biopharmaceutical customers move important therapies from development through commercial manufacturing.