Business Development Manager (Medical Communications)

Role Summary

Responsibilities: As our first Business Development Manager, you will be responsible for securing new client accounts, developing growth strategies, expanding our market presence, and representing Costello Medical at industry events to foster relationships and generate new business opportunities.

Salary: £55,000 to £60,000 per annum (please note that we have established salary bands that are determined by your previous experience to ensure a fair and consistent approach for all applicants, eliminating the need for individual negotiations).

Bonuses: We offer discretionary cash bonuses twice per year. These are based on overall company performance and are not commission based.

Benefits: Hybrid and flexible working options, generous holiday allowance, private medical insurance, critical illness cover, income protection, full funding for external training and more.

Role Type: Full-time or part-time, permanent role. Our standard working week is hours, Monday to Friday, however we can also consider applicants looking for part-time hours of hours (3 days) or 30 hours (4 days) per week.

Start Date: We are currently recruiting for start dates throughout 2025, including August, September and deferred start dates. You will be asked to state your availability on your application form.

Application Deadlines: Whilst there are no set application deadlines, we strongly recommend applying as early as possible. The role will close when a suitable candidate is found.

Location: The successful candidate will ideally be based in our Global Headquarters in Cambridge or our London office. However, we also have offices in Manchester and Bristol which could be considered.

About the Role: Due to the ongoing growth and expansion across Costello Medical, particularly within our UK Medical Communications team, we are excited to introduce our first Business Development Manager role. This key position will be crucial in driving our client acquisition efforts, expanding our market reach, and opening new opportunities for our innovative services.

As a leader within the Medical Communications team, the Business Development Manager will focus on identifying and securing new client accounts, leveraging their network and industry knowledge to establish and foster relationships with new clients. They will also play a key role in representing Costello Medical externally at industry congresses, and working with senior leadership to develop and deliver our overall business development strategy.

This makes the Business Development Manager role a rare and exciting senior opportunity for experienced professionals looking to make a significant impact within a fast-growing company. This hire also reflects our commitment to strategic growth and is a fantastic opportunity to help us continue delivering exceptional value to clients in a dynamic and competitive environment.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Drive new business growth by identifying and securing new multi-million-pound Medical Communications accounts, leveraging industry knowledge, strategic prospecting, and relationship-building skills to expand the company's market presence and revenue.
• Develop and drive our business development strategy alongside senior company leadership, identifying strategic opportunities for the future growth of Costello Medical based on industry trends and scientific advancements, and developing our value proposition for these opportunities.
• Provide expert training and guidance to internal teams on identifying and capitalising on business development opportunities, sharing your experience and knowledge to enhance the company's overall client acquisition strategies and sales effectiveness.
• Utilise and expand your existing professional network within the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors to generate new business opportunities, build strategic partnerships, and enhance the company's visibility and reputation.
• Represent the company at national and international congresses and industry events, confidently presenting our MedComms services and value proposition to potential clients, partners, and industry stakeholders to foster new relationships and reinforce our market position.

Costello Medical is a rapidly growing global healthcare agency specialising in medical communications, market access, and health economic and outcomes research. We work with a wide range of clients, including the industry's most successful pharmaceutical and medical technology companies, patient and public health bodies, and charitable organisations. We have been listed in the Top 100 Best Companies to Work For list since 2017 and were proud to receive B Corporation accreditation in 2022.

Hybrid Working Policy: We believe that having face-to-face time in the office holds many benefits and is central to ensuring that the community we have created, where people have a workplace they belong to and feel part of, is never lost. At the same time, we recognise that homeworking can improve work life balance, reduce commuting times and costs, and provide the opportunity to juggle personal commitments. Therefore, we offer flexible working arrangements that allow our colleagues who have passed probation to work from home for up to half of the time, measured across a 2-week rolling period. During your probationary period (normally the first 6 months of the role), you will be able to work from home for 1 day per week.

Requirements

About You: We are seeking an experienced and proactive professional who is motivated by growth and relationship-building. You will have a strong entrepreneurial mindset, exceptional communication skills and will thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Essential requirements for the role are:

• A minimum of 5 years of experience within the Medical Communications field, with at least 2 years spent in a business development or sales-focused role.
• A proven track record of winning large client accounts and driving growth within MedComms or healthcare communications.
• A (or equivalent) degree in a relevant field such as life sciences, marketing, business, or a related discipline.
• A variety of business development skills, including identifying growth opportunities, networking, strategy development, researching target clients and pipeline products, initiating and fostering strategic partnerships, pitching to clients, and more.
• Adept at building and maintaining a professional network which can be utilised to generate leads and develop new business opportunities.
• Experience in training and mentoring teams on sales techniques, pitching skills, and business development practices.
• Strong sector knowledge, including drug development pipelines, with the ability to translate industry trends into project or account leads.
• The ability to adapt to and align with our company ethos, whilst continuously finding innovative approaches to selling our MedComms services.
• Exceptional communication skills, capable of engaging with diverse stakeholders, both internally and externally, at all levels.
• Strong client relationship management and customer service skills, with a demonstrated ability to foster and grow long-term client relationships.
• The flexibility and adaptability to meet multiple, competing deadlines and stay on top of changing priorities.
• A meticulous attention to detail.

Desired requirements for the role are:

• Experience in delivering MedComms projects directly, providing insight into the work you are now selling and building credibility with clients.

What We Offer: Alongside our award-winning company culture, where every team member is celebrated, respected, and has their voice heard, we are proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• A starting salary of £55,000 to £60,000 per annum, depending on your previous experience, as well as a discretionary profit share bonus paid twice per year. Please note that we have established salary bands to ensure a fair and consistent approach for all applicants, eliminating the need for individual negotiations.
• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank and public holidays, as well as a holiday buy and sell scheme.
• Flexible working hours and the chance to work from home for up to half of your working time after passing probation.
• Flexible benefits scheme offering cash payments, additional pension contributions and more.
• Private Medical Insurance which offers comprehensive cover on a “medical history disregard” basis.
• Paid study leave and funding for external qualifications.
• Critical Illness Cover, Income Protection and Life Assurance.
• Paid and unpaid sabbaticals based on length of service.

The Application Process: You are required to submit your CV and a cover letter via our online application form. In your cover letter, you must explain why you think you would be suited to the role and why you would like to join Costello Medical, with examples to support both. Your CV should clearly state the dates of all qualifications and grades achieved where applicable.

Then, our recruitment process includes a telephone interview with a member of the Talent Acquisition team, followed by an interview and presentation, which you can prepare for in advance, with senior members of our MedComms team. Please note that the successful candidate may be required to undergo security/background checks, and any employment offer will be conditional on the results of these. Our standard recruitment process lasts around 4 to 6 weeks, however, this can be adapted if necessary.

As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce and, throughout the recruitment process, there are a number of reasonable adjustments we can provide.

Please note that, whilst we embrace AI to innovate and improve processes, your role may involve confidential data that cannot be uploaded to AI. Therefore, it is important for us to assess your own skills and abilities, so we recommend that you do not rely solely on this technology to generate any application materials.

We can provide visa sponsorship for eligible candidates for our Business Development Manager role. You will be asked to provide details of your right to work in the UK within your application, however this will have no impact on the processing of your application.