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

About the role

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.

About the role

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.

Pay and benefits

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.

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