At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead sales efforts in life sciences, building strategic partnerships with top global companies.
- Company: Join GLG, a leading insight network transforming the healthcare landscape.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, uncapped incentives, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the life sciences sector while advancing your career.
- Qualifications: 7-10 years in B2B sales, preferably in life sciences; strong communication skills required.
- Other info: Dynamic, fast-paced environment with potential for team leadership.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 ÂŁ per year.
GLG is seeking a tenacious, senior commercial leader to join our Healthcare & Life Sciences team, supporting pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, and diagnostics clients. The VP of Sales – Life Sciences is a senior, hunter-focused, individual contributor role on GLG’s Corporate Sales team and will play a critical part in GLG’s growth across EMEA. The role is responsible for originating and developing strategic partnerships across top 30 global pharmaceutical, biotech, medtech and diagnostics companies, as well as high‑growth innovators, and for materially increasing GLG’s share of wallet within these accounts.
Based in London, this role will initially be a senior individual contributor position with clear potential to evolve into a player‑coach remit (building and leading a small team) as the business scales. At GLG you will have the opportunity to grow professionally while working in a collaborative, fast‑paced environment with high‑performing colleagues across Europe, the US, and globally.
Key Responsibilities- Commercial Leadership & New Business Generation
- Lead GLG’s life sciences new logo and expansion efforts in EMEA, with a specific focus on top‑tier pharma, biotech, medtech, and diagnostic clients.
- Own and execute a proactive hunting strategy: identify, qualify, and close high‑value opportunities across priority accounts and whitespace prospects.
- Develop and execute strategic account plans for your book of business, including multi‑year growth strategies, revenue targets, and clear action plans by stakeholder, product, and geography.
- Consistently build, manage, and convert a robust pipeline of opportunities, with strong discipline around qualification, forecasting, and deal progression.
- Senior Client Engagement & C‑Suite Relationship Building
- Build, deepen, and institutionalise senior‑level relationships (Director, VP, SVP, C‑Suite) across R&D, Medical, Commercial, Market Access, Strategy, Business Development / Licensing, and Insights / Market Research.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to clients, articulating how GLG’s expert network, integrated solutions, and data & insights can address strategic, clinical, commercial, and operational challenges.
- Lead complex, multi‑stakeholder sales cycles, including enterprise‑level, cross‑functional agreements, multi‑year commitments, and global / regional frameworks.
- Prepare and deliver compelling, tailored pitches and proposals that clearly demonstrate ROI and differentiation versus alternative information & research providers.
- Territory & Account Strategy
- Define and own a focused territory and account strategy for Life Sciences in the UK & broader EMEA, aligned with GLG’s growth priorities.
- Map key accounts end‑to‑end (functions, decision‑makers, budget owners, influencers), identifying expansion paths across brands, franchises, business units, and geographies.
- Partner closely with regional and global sales leadership to prioritise bets, structure commercial constructs, and align on pricing / negotiation strategy.
- Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Execution
- Work closely with GLG project and client solutions teams to ensure flawless delivery against client needs, including expert consultations, surveys, and integrated solutions.
- Collaborate with research teams to identify emerging therapeutic areas, modalities, and technology trends where GLG can build differentiated offerings for life sciences clients.
- Coordinate with marketing to shape campaigns, events, and content tailored to priority accounts and segments; actively participate in industry conferences and GLG‑hosted events.
- Engage with internal stakeholders (legal, compliance, finance, operations, IT) to structure complex deals, manage risk, and enable scalable growth.
- Leadership & Future Team Building (Player‑Coach Evolution)
- Act as a senior commercial voice within the EMEA Healthcare & Life Sciences team, sharing best practices and supporting the development of more junior sales colleagues.
- Help define the future operating model for Life Sciences sales in London / EMEA, including input into hiring plans, territory design, and go‑to‑market approach.
- Over time, take on management responsibility for a small team of hunters / BDMs while maintaining direct ownership of key strategic accounts (“player‑coach” model).
- Operational Excellence & Governance
- Maintain rigorous CRM hygiene: log activities, opportunities, and account plans; provide accurate, timely pipeline and forecasting updates to senior management.
- Track and report on key sales KPIs (pipeline coverage, win rates, sales cycle length, ACV, expansion, retention), using data to refine strategy and tactics.
- Stay up‑to‑date on pharmaceutical / biotech regulatory developments, market dynamics, and competitive landscape (including other expert networks and insight providers), and translate these into commercial opportunities.
- Travel regularly to client sites and industry events across the UK and EMEA to build and reinforce long‑term client partnerships.
- Bachelor’s degree or above; an advanced degree (e.g. MSc, PhD, MBA) and/or a life sciences‑related field (biology, chemistry, pharmacology, biomedical sciences) is strongly preferred.
- 7–10 years of professional experience, with the majority spent in quota‑carrying B2B sales / business development roles selling into pharmaceutical / biotech / medtech / diagnostics clients.
- Proven track record of hunting and closing new business with enterprise‑scale life sciences organisations, ideally across multiple EMEA markets.
- Experience selling knowledge, data, SaaS, consulting, market research, or analytics solutions to life sciences clients (e.g. expert networks, MR agencies, HEOR, RWE, or clinical / commercial data platforms).
- Demonstrated success managing complex, multi‑stakeholder sales cycles and negotiating significant contracts (six‑figure plus annual contract values; multi‑year agreements a plus).
- Strong understanding of the pharmaceutical and biotech value chain (from discovery and early development through clinical, regulatory, launch and lifecycle management), and how insight / information products support decision‑making at each stage.
- Experience with both new logo acquisition and expansion / cross‑sell / upsell within existing accounts; comfortable building “land & expand” strategies.
- Previous exposure to subscription, SaaS, or recurring revenue models, including experience with renewals and expansion of annual contracts.
- Outstanding written and verbal communication and presentation skills; able to engage credibly with senior scientific, medical, commercial, and strategy stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to work autonomously in a high‑performance environment, take ownership of a revenue number, and consistently meet or exceed targets.
- High integrity, professionalism, and sound commercial judgment; comfortable operating in a highly compliant, regulated environment.
- Proficiency with CRM systems (e.g. Salesforce) and common sales enablement tools; strong command of Microsoft Office (PowerPoint/Excel) for building account plans and client‑ready materials.
- Willingness and ability to travel regularly across the UK and EMEA as client and business needs require.
- Location: London, UK (travel to client sites and GLG offices as required).
- Compensation: Competitive base salary plus uncapped performance‑based incentive plan, commensurate with experience and market benchmarks for senior life sciences sales talent in London.
Vice President, Life Sciences Sales - Global Corporate employer: GLG
Contact Detail:
GLG Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Vice President, Life Sciences Sales - Global Corporate
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry folks at events, conferences, or even online. Building relationships can open doors to opportunities that aren’t even advertised.
✨Tip Number 2
Be the expert! Stay updated on the latest trends in life sciences and be ready to share your insights. When you know your stuff, you’ll impress potential employers and show them you’re the right fit.
✨Tip Number 3
Tailor your pitch! When you get the chance to meet with potential employers, make sure to customise your approach. Highlight how your experience aligns with their needs and how you can help them grow.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search!
We think you need these skills to ace Vice President, Life Sciences Sales - Global Corporate
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the VP of Life Sciences Sales role. Highlight your experience in B2B sales, especially within the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors, and showcase how your skills align with GLG's needs.
Showcase Your Hunting Skills: Since this role is all about hunting for new business, be sure to include specific examples of how you've successfully identified and closed high-value opportunities in your previous roles. We want to see that tenacity!
Demonstrate Client Engagement Experience: C-suite relationship building is key in this position. Share instances where you've engaged with senior stakeholders and how you’ve positioned yourself as a trusted advisor. This will show us you can handle complex sales cycles.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us you're proactive and keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at GLG
✨Know Your Market
Before stepping into the interview, make sure you’ve done your homework on the pharmaceutical and biotech landscape. Understand the key players, recent trends, and how GLG fits into this ecosystem. This knowledge will help you speak confidently about how you can contribute to their growth.
✨Showcase Your Hunting Skills
As a VP of Sales, you’ll need to demonstrate your ability to hunt for new business. Prepare specific examples of how you’ve successfully identified and closed high-value opportunities in the past. Be ready to discuss your proactive strategies and how you’ve built relationships with C-suite executives.
✨Tailor Your Pitch
When discussing your approach to client engagement, tailor your pitch to highlight how you can address GLG’s specific needs. Use examples from your experience that showcase your ability to deliver ROI and differentiate GLG from competitors. This will show that you understand their value proposition.
✨Prepare for Complex Scenarios
Expect to discuss complex, multi-stakeholder sales cycles during the interview. Prepare to share your experiences managing these types of deals, including any challenges you faced and how you overcame them. This will demonstrate your capability to navigate intricate negotiations effectively.