Business Development Director (Team Lead)
About The Position
Element has an opportunity for a Business Development Director, Team Lead to drive commercial growth for our Santa Fe Springs, California laboratory, a leading provider of analytical chemistry, pharmaceutical testing, and regulatory support services. In this role, you will lead a team of territory-based sales professionals focused on expanding Element’s footprint across pharmaceutical, biotech, and life sciences markets. You will play a critical role in aligning commercial strategy with the laboratory’s advanced capabilities—including method development and validation, extractables & leachables, elemental impurities, and compendial testing—to help customers achieve regulatory compliance and accelerate time to market. The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong sales leadership, managerial courage, customer focus, and entrepreneurial drive, while building a high-performance, accountable, and collaborative sales culture.
Requirements
- 3–5 years of experience managing an outside sales team
- 5–10 years of technical sales experience in pharmaceutical, biotech, or life sciences markets
- Strong understanding of FDA, cGMP, and global regulatory frameworks
- Experience selling analytical testing, laboratory services, or pharmaceutical development solutions
- Proven ability to lead teams, manage complex technical sales cycles, and influence stakeholders
- Ability to interpret testing specifications, contracts, and customer requirements
- Strong communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills
- Proficiency with CRM systems (e.g., Microsoft Dynamics) and Microsoft Office tools
- Ability to travel up to 75%, including overnight travel
- Valid driver’s license with acceptable driving record
Nice To Haves
- Bachelor’s degree preferred (scientific discipline strongly desired)
Responsibilities
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of outside sales professionals, driving performance against revenue targets
- Provide hands-on leadership throughout the full sales cycle, including prospecting, discovery, solution development, negotiation, and closing
- Partner with your team in the field to support complex, technical customer engagements
- Drive revenue growth across Santa Fe Springs core services, including: Analytical chemistry testing, Pharmaceutical method development and validation, Regulatory and compliance testing
- Help identify and position opportunities early in the sales cycle to maximize share of wallet and long-term account growth
- Collaborate closely with laboratory operations and technical SMEs to develop strong, feasible customer solutions
- Build and maintain executive-level relationships across pharma, biotech, and regulated industries
- Represent Element at industry associations, conferences, and client events
- Lead pipeline management and forecasting, ensuring CRM accuracy and visibility into key opportunities
- Guide development of proposals, scopes of work, pricing, and commercial terms
- Ensure team alignment with Element’s quality standards, regulatory requirements, and commercial strategy
- Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
