Director Business Development & Licensing (Full-/Part-time) (all genders)

Work Your Magic with us!

Ready to explore, break barriers, and discover more? We know you’ve got big plans – so do we! Our colleagues across the globe love innovating with science and technology to enrich people’s lives with our solutions in Healthcare, Life Science, and Electronics. Together, we dream big and are passionate about caring for our rich mix of people, customers, patients, and planet. That's why we are always looking for curious minds that see themselves imagining the unimaginable with us.

Your Role:

Reporting to the Head of Business Development & Licensing Life Science Services, the Director of Business Development & Licensing- Life Science Services is a critical position in the Life Science Business Development function focused on supporting and advancing Merck’s services offer in contract testing and CDMO covering Life Science Service focus modalities like e.g. ADC, mRNA or viral vectors through inorganic activities including partnerships, licenses, M&A, and minority investments.

The successful candidate is a seasoned professional with broad experience in Corporate / Business Development functions or has a CDMO, and/or contract testing background and strong business acumen. The individual is able to naturally establish credibility, trust, and respect across the organization and externally, to be seen as true thought partner and to successfully navigate a global matrixed organization. The individual needs to be able to appropriately balance multiple priorities and work against tight timelines.

The position is flexible/remote regarding location with a preference in either the EU or US.

Your Responsibilities:

• Establish strong relationships with the businesses and business partners in the Life Science Services organization (business leads, strategy, marketing, commercial and innovation functions), the Inorganic Strategy group and the other BU BD teams within LSBD and enabling functions (Group M&A, M Ventures) to ensure alignment and clear visibility into all identified inorganic initiatives.
• Apply robust strategy and financial frameworks to drive prioritization and execution of inorganic areas of interest.
• Build and maintain a prioritized project funnel within the testing business and focus modalities within the CDMO business, in close collaboration with marketing, innovation and strategy partners to support the Life Science inorganic strategy roadmaps.
• Drive origination and cultivation of near to long term partnership/licensing targets and support origination and cultivation efforts for M&A in close collaboration with LSBD Inorganic Strategy as well as deal evolution in collaboration and under guidance from LSBD Inorganic Strategy and Group M&A.
• Lead/support end to end BD activities relating to market assessment, target strategic fit analysis, business case development, deal terms/structures and contract negotiations in close collaboration with LSBD Inorganic Strategy team, the LSS Strategy Team and respective LSS business functions.

Who you are:

Minimum Qualifications:

• BS with 7 or more years, or MS degree with 6 or more years, or PHD 5 or more years of relevant professional experience, preferably with a scientific background in biology, chemistry, pharmacy or toxicology.
• Significant exposure to roles in business / corporate development, M&A, partnerships, venture capital and/or business / corporate strategy or in strategic business/innovation roles.
• Experience in leading cross functional BD engagements from ideation / inception through relationship cultivation and deal signing.
• Strong understanding strategy concepts and of financial modeling.
• Ability to work in an agile, fast-paced, matrixed environment with cultural adaptability; high energy and motivation while navigating ambiguity.
• Very strong demonstrated relationship/communication/influencing skills, needs to be able to influence at the leadership level across a matrixed organization while driving projects.
• Highly collaborative within the team, with stakeholders, and potential partners.
• Exceptional project management skills, having managed and successfully completed diverse projects on time and with multiple, global stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in life sciences / biopharmaceutical/ pharmaceutical CDMO and/or in contract testing.
• Direct experience leading strategy and/or deal execution in Life Science, especially in contract testing or CDMO markets.
• Direct experience identifying and evaluating opportunities and providing guidance within the Life Sciences, Pharmaceutical or Biotech markets.
• Master’s Degree or PhD in Scientific / Business discipline.

What we offer: We are curious minds that come from a broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences. We celebrate all dimensions of diversity and believe that it drives excellence and innovation, strengthening our ability to lead in science and technology. We are committed to creating access and opportunities for all to develop and grow at your own pace. Join us in building a culture of inclusion and belonging that impacts millions and empowers everyone to work their magic and champion human progress!

Apply now and become a part of our diverse team!