Senior Manager- CDMO Business Development (Small Molecule Drug Substances/NCEs)

Job Title

Senior Manager / DGM – CDMO Business Development (Small Molecule Drug Substances/NCEs)

Job Summary

This role of Business Development is responsible for driving revenue growth and long-term strategic partnerships for the company's small-molecule drug substance (RSM/Intermediate/API) CDMO services. This role focuses on acquiring, managing, and expanding relationships with global pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients across early- to late-stage development and commercial manufacturing.

The position requires deep technical understanding of small-molecule API development and manufacturing, strong commercial judgment, and the ability to navigate complex customer decision-making processes.

Key Responsibilities

Business Development & Sales Leadership

· Develop and execute global business development strategies to grow the small-molecule drug substance pipeline across discovery, development, and commercial stages.

· Identify, qualify, and pursue new business opportunities with biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

· Own the full sales lifecycle: lead generation, opportunity qualification, proposal development, negotiation, and contract closure.

· Achieve annual revenue, pipeline, and booking targets aligned with company objectives.

Client Relationship Management

· Build and maintain senior-level relationships with key decision-makers, including C-suite, R&D, CMC, sourcing, and procurement leaders.

· Drive account growth through cross-selling and upselling of development, scale-up, and commercial manufacturing services.

· Serve as the primary commercial point of contact

Technical & Strategic Engagement

· Demonstrate strong understanding of small-molecule drug substance development, including route scouting, process development, scale-up, GMP manufacturing, and regulatory requirements.

· Translate client technical needs into viable CDMO solutions in collaboration with technical, manufacturing, and project management teams.

· Support preparation and presentation of technical proposals, RFP responses, and client meetings.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

· Work closely with R&D, manufacturing, quality, regulatory, project management, and legal teams to ensure aligned and executable customer solutions.

· Provide market and customer feedback to internal teams to support capacity planning, capability development, and investment decisions.

· Participate in pricing strategy and contract negotiations in alignment with company margins and risk policies.

Market Intelligence & Strategy

· Monitor industry trends, competitive landscape, and customer outsourcing strategies in the small-molecule CDMO market.

· Identify emerging opportunities (e.g., high-potency APIs, Peptides, Oligos, Payload Linkers etc.,).

· Represent the company at industry conferences, trade shows, and networking events

Qualifications & Experience

Education

· Master's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related field required

Experience

· 10+ years of experience in business development, sales, or commercial roles within small-molecule drug substance CDMOs, CROs, or pharmaceutical manufacturing organizations.

· Proven track record of closing complex, high-value CDMO deals.

· Strong understanding of API development and manufacturing processes under GMP.

· Experience working with global pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients.

Key Competencies

· Strategic selling and negotiation skills

· Strong technical and scientific acumen

· Executive-level communication and presentation skills

· Ability to manage long, complex sales cycles

· Commercial judgment and financial awareness

· Collaborative, results-driven mind-set

Travel Requirement

· Willingness to travel internationally (typically 30 - 40%)