Sr. Director/Director Business Development (Plasmid DNA and Protein CDMO)

Bionova Scientific LLC; United States; Remote; USD 190,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

Bionova Scientific LLC is seeking a dynamic Director/Sr Director of Business Development to drive growth for plasmid DNA and protein CDMO services. The role focuses on securing new business opportunities, building long-term client relationships, and delivering revenue growth across gene therapy and biologics projects.

The position requires strong scientific background in advanced therapies, leadership across cross-functional teams, and ability to work remotely with occasional in-person meetings

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Life Science is required.
• 10+ years of experience in life sciences, biologics, or CDMO preferred.
• Proven ability to lead multi-functional teams through technical discussions and contract negotiations.
• Strong understanding of biomanufacturing processes relevant to business development.
• Willingness to travel 40–50% within the USA.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sales strategies to meet and exceed revenue targets in plasmid DNA and viral vector segments.
• Manage full sales cycle from lead generation to contract negotiation and closure.
• Maintain a robust pipeline of qualified opportunities using CRM tools.
• Identify and cultivate relationships with biotech/biopharma clients developing gene therapies and other modalities.
• Attend industry events and client meetings to represent the company and build brand presence.
• Collaborate with Process Development, Manufacturing, Quality, and Finance to align proposals with capabilities.
• Provide regular sales forecasts and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.
• Identify strategic partnerships or collaborations that drive growth.
• Serve as primary contact for key accounts and ensure exceptional client experience and satisfaction.

Skills

Relationship building

Sales strategy

CRM tools

Biologics/ CDMO domain knowledge

Remote collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Life Science

Advanced degree (preferred)

Tools

CRM tools

Job description

The Asahi Kasei Group operates with a commitment of creating for tomorrow. Our business sectors, Material, Homes, and Health Care, contribute to the development of society by anticipating the changing needs of those around the world. We look for candidates that offer a fresh perspective and a variety of skills to help us achieve our commitment.

Bionova is a rapidly growing, biologics CDMO focused on developing and manufacturing recombinant protein products using mammalian cell culture processes. Our business success is built on bringing together top scientific talent, arming them with the best available tools, and setting them loose in an agile, energized culture focused on solving difficult client problems. Because our success depends on our ability to exceed our clients' expectations, we look for candidates with an innate desire to serve. Adaptability and an interest in transformative action are also common attributes among our team. Bionova became a subsidiary of Asahi Kasei Medical in May 2022, a division of Tokyo-based Asahi Kasei Group. This acquisition has enabled Bionova to greatly accelerate growth of the business, both in capacity of current service offerings and expansion into new service offerings.

Company

Bionova Scientific LLC

Job Description

We are seeking a dynamic and results-driven Director/Sr Director Business Development to drive commercial growth efforts focused for our Plasmid DNA CDMO services and supporting protein CDMO solutions from cell line development, process development and GMP manufacturing. The ideal candidate will bring strong scientific understanding of advanced therapy development and manufacturing platforms and a proven track record of sales success within the cell and gene therapy market, and ideally good knowledge and background for protein biologics. This is a key strategic role responsible for identifying new business opportunities, building long-term client relationships, and driving revenue growth. The position will work closely with SVP BD and the GM/SVP Operations of the new facility in Houston (The Woodlands), Texas. There will also be some cross selling into the mammalian CDMO facility in Fremont.

Location: Remote US (preferably East Coast)

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sales strategies to meet and exceed revenue targets in the Plasmid DNA and Viral Vector market segments.
• Manage the full sales cycle from lead generation to contract negotiation and closure.
• Maintain a robust pipeline of qualified opportunities using CRM tools.
• Identify, engage, and cultivate relationships with biotech and biopharma clients developing gene therapies, mRNA-based therapeutics, and other advanced modalities.
• Attend industry events, conferences, and client meetings to represent the company and build brand presence.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders (Process Development, Manufacturing, Quality, Finance) to ensure proposals align with operational capabilities.
• Monitor market trends, competitive landscape, and customer feedback to inform commercial strategy.
• Provide regular sales forecasts, business updates, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.
• Identify and support strategic partnerships or collaborations that drive growth.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for key accounts in the region, ensuring exceptional client experience and satisfaction.
• Drive client onboarding and technical transfer alignment in collaboration with project management teams.

Working Conditions

This position required to work remote and in office environments, spend significant time meeting clients, attending events, and traveling up to 50% to locations in the USA. The employee must occasionally lift and or move up to 20 pounds independently.

Background, Skills & Experience

• Minimum bachelor's degree in a Life Science field.
• Advanced degree is a plus.
• 10+ years of experience in the life science, Biologics industry or a CDMO would be preferred.
• Ability to develop and maintain relationships with both external (client) and internal stakeholders and decision makers.
• Ability to lead multi-functional teams for technical discussions, scope evaluation and contract negotiation with the goal of ensuring positive client experiences.
• Demonstrated understanding of biomanufacturing processes and projects at a level appropriate for business development activities.
• Demonstrated experience stewarding client relationships to driving revenue growth through technical business-to-business sales in the biopharmaceutical industry.
• Ability to work remotely and remain accountable to meeting business objectives and maintaining timely communications.
• Ability to determine client needs and leverage the technical capabilities of the organization to provide value-based proposals.
• High comfort level with highly competitive situations and complex customer needs and decision factors.
• Demonstrate a strong work ethic, high level of integrity, self-motivation and ability to maintain a trustworthy and credible presence with clients and internal stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to develop strategic accounts and close complex service agreements.
• Willingness to travel up to 40–50% within the USA.

The base compensation range for this role is $190,000-$210,000. Base Compensation is influenced by many factors including, but not limited to: time in the role, previous experience, skills, knowledge, performance, work requirements, internal equity, and business / economic conditions.

Equal Opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, Asahi Kasei believes a diverse workforce will provide us with the ability to continuously support the changes in the economy, society, and environment.

Company Culture and Benefits

Asahi Kasei in North America emphasizes recruiting key talent within the region. Across our multiple business units, we focus on growth, innovation, and initiative to help develop our people and give them the resources they need to succeed. Part of our mission is to be a good corporate citizen, dedicating our time to employees, customers, and communities around us. As an employer, Asahi Kasei offers a comprehensive benefits package, growth opportunities throughout our companies, and a diverse environment to enhance your career.

About Asahi Kasei

The Asahi Kasei Group contributes to life and living for people around the world. Since its foundation in 1922, Asahi Kasei has consistently grown through the proactive transformation of its business portfolio to meet the evolving needs of every age. With more than 46,000 employees around the world, the company contributes to a sustainable society by providing solutions to the world's challenges through its three business sectors of Material, Homes, and Health Care. In North America, Asahi Kasei currently has over 23 business units and 10,000 employees. Our People Asahi Kasei recognizes that our people are our greatest strength. We operate with an emphasis on developing our employees and promoting from within. Our broad spectrum of companies within the Material, Homes, and Health Care sectors allows employees to collaborate across locations and industries. The possibilities for employees will continue to grow as we accelerate new business activity internally and externally through mergers and acquisitions.