Head of Business Development

The Head of Business Development (HoBD) will lead and manage a high-performing global business development team. This role is responsible for driving new client acquisition and expanding existing relationships across Uniphar Pharma’s full suite of services. The HoBD will define and execute the business development strategy, set and monitor performance targets, and collaborate cross-functionally to deliver enterprise-wide value to clients. This leader must combine forward-thinking commercial strategy with people-first team coaching to deliver exceptional value across Uniphar Pharma, supporting Uniphar’s integrated, global growth organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership & Strategy
  • Lead, mentor, and manage a high-performing Business Development team across multiple geographies, fostering a collaborative and growth-focused environment.
  • Define, communicate and implement the global business development strategic plan.
  • Set individual and team sales targets aligned with corporate objectives, driving both new client acquisition and expansion of existing partnerships.
  • Develop and execute customer segmentation and targeting strategies including determining the optimal approach for each account considering Uniphar’s global capabilities.
  • Collaborate with global Uniphar teams to drive transformation and break down silos between previously independent businesses, enabling the delivery of seamless, end-to-end client solutions.
• Client Engagement & Growth
  • Drive a sales culture centred around consultative, solutions-based selling, enabling services and solutions across the full product lifecycle.
  • Use market and business insights to align Uniphar’s value proposition with client needs.
  • Build and maintain relationships with key client stakeholders, positioning Uniphar as a strategic partner across product lifecycles.
  • Oversee delivery excellence by collaborating with operational teams, ensuring seamless client experiences and satisfaction.
  • Represent Uniphar at conferences, network with clients and industry leaders, and enhance the company’s global brand.
• Operational Excellence
  • Monitor and drive team performance through KPIs and regular reviews.
  • Provide strategic input into proposal development, pricing and deal structuring, collaborating closely with marketing, finance and business leaders.
  • Ensure accurate and up-to-date CRM records, including account profiles, contacts, opportunities and communications.
  • Maintain a high level of knowledge across Uniphar’s service offerings and the broader pharmaceutical development landscape.
• Collaboration & Communication
  • Act as a liaison between clients and internal operational teams to ensure seamless delivery and client satisfaction.
  • Regularly update senior management with pipeline activity, wins, strategic challenges and market opportunities.

Qualifications & Experience

• 10+ years of experience in business development or commercial leadership roles within the pharmaceutical or life sciences industry.
• Proven track record of meeting/exceeding personal business goals, as well as leading high-performing teams and achieving associated sales targets.
• Deep understanding of pharmaceutical services, including areas such as EAPs, Medical Affairs, Market Access and Commercialisation.
• Strong strategic thinking, negotiation and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation abilities.
• Experience working in a global, matrixed environment, including integrating acquired business to drive cultural and operational transformation.

Uniphar Background

Uniphar Group is a rapidly expanding diversified healthcare services business with a global footprint and a proud heritage in Ireland. Since Uniphar became a publicly listed company in 2019, the Group has grown organically and through a series of strategic acquisitions, which continue to strengthen Uniphar’s international reach. With a workforce of more than 3,000 spread across Ireland, United Kingdom, Mainland Europe, MENA and the USA, Uniphar is a trusted global partner to pharma and medtech manufacturers, working to improve patient access to medicines and treatments around the world. Uniphar provides outsourced and specialised services to its clients, leveraging the strong relationships with 200+ of the world’s best known pharmaco-medical manufacturers across multiple geographies, enabled by our cutting-edge digital technology and our expert teams.

Culture at Uniphar

From our leadership team and across all of our divisions, Uniphar lives and breathes four key culture pillars:

• We have a People First approach, we do the right thing and take a stand for our people.
• We foster a strong Entrepreneurial Spirit where Adaptability, Commitment & Resilience is embodied in our way of working.
• We have a Common Purpose that connects our diversified businesses and people.
• Finally, Trust is at the heart of how we operate.

How we’d like to work together

As we are a global team, there is flexibility to be based in one of Uniphar’s offices or work from home. There may be a need for face-to-face meetings in other locations, as needed. There may also some flexibility required to interact with colleagues or clients in their time zones (i.e. it’s not a ‘9 to 5’ type of job). In return, you will be joining an environment that understands how intertwined work and life have become - and both the benefits and challenges that brings - and therefore offers a flexible, progressive way of supporting it through our Hybrid Working philosophy.