Director, Major Accounts - Strategic Partners

Avantor • Cambridge, MA

6d

About The Position

Join Avantor as a Global Account Director and lead strategic growth across our most valued global partnerships in the life sciences, biotech, and advanced manufacturing sectors.
This high-impact role is ideal for a seasoned commercial leader with experience in global account management, cross-functional collaboration, and customer-centric strategy.
You’ll serve as the executive point of contact for key accounts, driving alignment across geographies and functions to deliver exceptional value, margin growth, and customer satisfaction.
Candidates should be based near Cambridge, MA to support collaboration with key stakeholders and global accounts.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required; advanced degree or industry certifications (e.g., APICS, Six Sigma, MBA) preferred.
• 7+ years of sales leadership in a global, matrixed environment.
• Proven success managing executive-level customer relationships and leading cross-functional teams.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to influence across legal, finance, operations, and technical functions.
• Expertise in pricing strategy, contract negotiation, and vendor management.
• Skilled in leading presentations, proposal development, change management and driving strategic initiatives.
• Global market awareness and cultural fluency in customer engagement.
• Up to 50% travel required to maintain global account performance and customer engagement.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in life sciences, pharma, biotech, or specialty chemicals.
• Experience with multi-supplier/channel distribution or scientific supplier networks.
• Exposure to CDMO, CRO, capital equipment, or regulated environments.
• Familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, Dynamics), forecasting tools (e.g., Power BI), and global compliance standards (e.g., GMP, ISO).

Responsibilities

• Lead global account strategy, ensuring alignment across sales, supply chain, pricing, and contract teams.
• Drive growth in a matrix-selling environment through collaboration with internal teams and external suppliers.
• Serve as the executive liaison for global accounts, managing communications, performance metrics, and strategic initiatives.
• Develop and execute pricing and margin strategies in partnership with finance and procurement.
• Negotiate favorable terms with manufacturers and channel partners.
• Deliver impactful presentations and lead contract proposals for new and existing opportunities.
• Advocate for customer needs internally, ensuring timely resolution and long-term alignment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director