To further strengthen our team, we are currently recruiting for a:
Director Business Development – Europe
The Director Business Development Europe provides strategic leadership to a team of Business Development Managers across the EU region, while maintaining individual responsibility for key client accounts. This role is central to driving regional growth, strengthening client relationships, and expanding the Company’s market presence within the Pharmaceutical, Biotech sectors.
Position
- Manages and develops the European Business Development team, setting clear priorities, performance expectations and operating discipline appropriate to a fast-scaling business.
- Sits on the European management team, contributing to business unit strategy, performance management and execution in a collaborative environment where pace, accountability, metrics and clear communication are critical.
- Drive new business growth across the European region by proactively identifying, qualifying, prioritizing and converting opportunities within pharmaceutical packaging, with injectables being a strategic area of focus, and commercializing Sharp Europe’s packaging capabilities and capacity across its UK, Netherlands and Belgium site network.
- Use market intelligence, trade shows, customer referrals, industry relationships and structured accounts targeting to build a high-quality pipeline of prospective customers and opportunities.
- Build and maintain senior relationships with key customers across large pharmaceutical companies, biotech, virtual and emerging biopharma organizations, strengthening Sharp’s commercial position and reputation in the market.
- Represent Sharp at relevant industry events, conferences and trade shows to build market presence, generate leads and strengthen customer relationships.
- Act as a player-coach by personally leading selected strategic pursuits and customer engagements while coaching the wider team to improve pipeline quality, conversion and account development.
- Support continuity and succession of customer ownership across the team, including the ability over time to assume responsibility for selected strategic accounts where required.
- Partner closely with operations and other cross-functional teams to ensure commercial commitments are aligned with capability, capacity, risk and delivery expectations.
- Support resolution of significant customer or delivery-related escalations where commercial judgement, relationship management or cross-functional alignment is required.
- Establish strong commercial rigor through disciplined use of CRM, pipeline management, forecasting, customer intelligence and performance metrics, with clear accountability for awards, revenue quality and strategic progress.
- Ensure CRM data, account plans, opportunity records and customer intelligence are accurate, current and actively used to support forecasting, prioritization and decision-making.
- Contribute as a member of the European management team to strategy development, business unit performance review, resource prioritization and execution of the next phase of growth.
- Work closely with US commercial and operational colleagues to support global customer opportunities, align account ownership and present Sharp as an integrated international partner.
- Prepare and present high-quality commercial updates, growth plans and performance insights to senior internal stakeholders, including global leadership teams and/or board.
Profile
- Commercially astute leader with the ability to combine strategic thinking with hands-on delivery.
- Strong relationship builder with credibility at senior customer level and the ability to influence complex buying decisions.
- Comfortable operating in a corporate environment with a clear focus on pace, accountability, metrics and outcomes.
- Able to lead, coach and scale a developing team while remaining directly engaged in strategic opportunities and customer relationships.
- Confident communicator and presenter, able to articulate strategy, commercial performance and opportunity pipelines clearly to senior leadership teams.
- High level of personal ownership, resilience and follow-through, with sound judgement and a pragmatic, solution-oriented approach.
- Strong cross-functional orientation with the ability to align commercial ambition with operational reality.
- Degree qualified in a business, scientific or technical discipline, or equivalent relevant commercial experience.
- Significant business development and commercial leadership experience within pharmaceutical services, contract packaging or closely related outsourced pharma manufacturing environments.
- Strong understanding of pharmaceutical packaging formats, materials and customer technical expectations, with injectables experience or exposure highly desirable.
- Working knowledge of serialization requirements, regulated packaging expectations and the technical implications these can have for customer solutions and delivery.
- Demonstrated success in winning and growing business across a broad customer base, including large pharmaceutical companies, biotech and virtual or emerging biopharma customers.
- Experience leading or mentoring commercial teams, ideally within a matrixed international organization.
- Strong commercial discipline, including pipeline management, forecasting, use of CRM and performance reporting.
- Credibility in preparing and delivering clear, data-based updates and recommendations to senior leadership.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills in English; additional European languages would be advantageous.
- Flexible base location within Europe, with willingness to travel extensively across the region, [averaging approximately 25% and higher at times when business demands require]
- Good working knowledge of GMP expectations and the operational realities of serving regulated pharmaceutical customers.
Offer
At Sharp, we strive to create a work environment where all employees can maximize their potential. We offer a versatile and challenging position in a dynamic workplace, with numerous career development opportunities. You can expect a suitable salary package, supplemented with a range of benefits.
Interested?
Apply with your CV and cover letter | Contact: Paul de Lange | paul.delange@sharpserviceseu.com| +31 6 27239309 |
