Director, Business Development

Director, Business Development

Full-Time 70000 - 90000 £ / year (est.) Hybrid
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Drive new business and expand client partnerships in the life sciences sector.
  • Company: Join Perceptive, a mission-driven company changing clinical research.
  • Benefits: 25 days holiday, health cash plan, generous pension, and life assurance.
  • Other info: Collaborative global team with excellent career growth opportunities.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in a high-growth environment with ownership and visibility.
  • Qualifications: Proven sales success in life sciences and strong strategic planning skills.

The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.

We’re on a mission to change the future of clinical research. At Perceptive, we help the biopharmaceutical industry bring medical treatments to the market, faster. Our mission is to change the world but to do this, we need people like you.

What can we offer you? Apart from job satisfaction, we can offer you:

  • 25 days’ holiday (with the option to buy more)
  • Health Cash Plan
  • Optional private health, dental insurance, and health screens
  • Cycle to work scheme
  • Generous pension scheme with up to 10% employer contribution
  • Life assurance
  • Season ticket loan

About the role

At Perceptive, we are growing our eClinical division and are seeking a high-performing Business Development Director (BDD) to drive new business and expand strategic client partnerships across the life sciences sector. This is a high-impact commercial role, offering full ownership of a defined set of pharmaceutical, biotech, and life sciences accounts. You will be responsible for developing territory strategy, building pipeline, winning new business, and growing existing accounts—playing a key role in our continued growth.

What You’ll Do

  • Drive Revenue & Growth
    • Meet and exceed annual sales targets set by Commercial leadership
    • Own revenue delivery across your assigned territory/accounts
  • Develop Territory & Account Strategy
    • Build and execute strategic territory and account plans aligned to company growth objectives
    • Identify and pursue high-value opportunities to consistently grow revenue
  • Pipeline Management
    • Develop and maintain a strong, qualified sales pipeline
    • Proactively manage pipeline health, risks, and forecasting accuracy
  • Win New Business
    • Collaborate with Lead Generation and senior Commercial stakeholders to identify and pursue new opportunities
    • Lead strategic client engagement from initial approach through to deal close
  • Client Engagement & Deal Leadership
    • Own proposal strategy, including narrative development and executive positioning
    • Lead bid pursuit processes, governance meetings, and cross-functional deal teams
    • Build strong, long-term relationships to establish preferred supplier status
  • Account Development
    • Drive account expansion through strategic account planning
    • Identify opportunities to increase wallet share within existing clients
  • Product & Market Engagement
    • Work with Strategic Marketing and internal teams to introduce new eClinical offerings into the market
    • Support successful go-to-market execution for new capabilities

Experience

  • Proven track record of success in sales within life sciences (CRO, eClinical, clinical technology or related)
  • Demonstrable success building and executing territory and account strategies
  • Strong history of delivering revenue growth and exceeding targets
  • Experience managing complex sales cycles, including proposal development and bid leadership
  • Ability to identify pipeline risks and implement mitigation strategies

Skills & Competencies

  • Strong commercial acumen with a focus on new business development and account expansion
  • Excellent stakeholder management, negotiation, and influencing skills
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
  • Analytical mindset with strong attention to detail
  • Comfortable working cross-functionally in a collaborative environment
  • Proactive, self-motivated, and results-driven

Tools & Systems

  • Experience working with CRM platforms, ideally Salesforce
  • Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel & PowerPoint)

Education & Languages

  • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Life Sciences, or related field (MBA preferred)
  • Fluent in English and German

Why Join Perceptive?

  • Be part of a high-growth, PE-backed organisation with strong market momentum
  • Take on a true ownership role with visibility and impact across the business
  • Work with a collaborative, global team across commercial, marketing, and delivery
  • Play a key role in shaping the success of our eClinical offering

Come as you are. We're proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, colour, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

Director, Business Development employer: Perceptive

As a PET QC Chemist, you will thrive in a supportive and innovative work environment that prioritises your professional growth and well-being. With 25 days of holiday, private healthcare options, and a robust pension scheme, we ensure our employees are well taken care of while contributing to meaningful clinical advancements. Join us in a GMP-compliant setting where your expertise in analytical chemistry will be valued, and you'll have opportunities to train others and present your findings to diverse audiences.

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Contact Details:

Perceptive Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Director, Business Development

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We think you need these skills to ace Director, Business Development

Communication Skills
Problem-Solving Skills
Adaptability
Flexibility
Organizational Skills
Compassion
Caring for Others

Some tips for your application 🫡

Highlight Your Analytical Skills:In the business intelligence field, showcasing your analytical skills is a must. Make sure your CV includes relevant experience with data analysis tools, programming languages like SQL or Python, and any projects where you've interpreted complex data sets to drive business decisions.

Showcase Your Business Acumen:Don't just focus on data; show us how you can apply your insights to real-world business problems. Highlight projects where you made a tangible impact on company performance, and be prepared to explain your thought process in your cover letter.

Tailor Your Documents for Us:When applying for a full-time role at Perceptive, tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect our organisational goals and strategies. Mention specific tools and methodologies that align with what we do—this shows you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested in our mission!

Include Relevant Certifications:Certifications like Google Data Analytics or similar qualifications can really make you stand out in business intelligence. Include these in your application, as they demonstrate your commitment to the field and your willingness to stay current with industry standards.

How to prepare for a job interview at Perceptive

✨Show off your analytical skills

In a business intelligence role, you're going to need to demonstrate your analytical prowess. Be prepared to discuss specific tools you've used, like SQL, Tableau, or Power BI. Have real-world examples ready where you’ve turned data into actionable insights – this is what makes us shine in interviews!

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✨Portfolio of Projects

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✨Know their business model

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