Senior Account Director, Business Development (GMP Labs) US -West Coast, Northern California Territory

Thermo Fisher Scientific • San Francisco, CA

1d • $129,000 - $173,000

About The Position

At Thermo Fisher Scientific, you’ll engage in meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. Our Mission—enabling our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer—guides everything we do. We support our colleagues with the resources needed to achieve individual career goals while advancing science through the research, development, and delivery of life-changing therapies. Through our PPD™ clinical research portfolio, we conduct clinical trials in more than 100 countries and continue to develop innovative frameworks for laboratory, digital, and decentralized clinical research. In this Business Development role, you will represent PPD as a leading global provider of contract research (CRO) and product support solutions. PPD delivers comprehensive drug development, laboratory, and lifecycle services to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, academic, and government organizations—helping customers bring therapies to market faster through scientific expertise and innovative technology. It is required that the candidate for this role lives in Northern California region, with easy access to San Francisco metropolitan geography.

The Senior Account Director, Business Development is responsible for securing and retaining business for PPD’s Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) laboratory services through professional, consultative, and proactive sales engagement. This role is responsible for development of the Northern California territory including the fertile San Francisco Biotech marketplace, focusing on building strong relationships with decision-makers and influencers at existing and prospective drug development, biotechnology, and biopharmaceutical sponsors.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant academic or vocational qualification required. Degrees in Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Finance, or Business are preferred.
• A minimum of five years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Strong scientific, sales, or marketing background within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology sector.
• Excellent interpersonal and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across Operations, Finance, and Marketing teams.
• Proven success in lead generation, professional presentations, sales execution through close, and contract negotiations.
• Proficiency with sales automation tools and Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with diverse audiences.
• Ability to work in a stationary, upright position for standard working hours.
• Proficiency in using standard office equipment and technology.
• Ability to perform effectively under pressure while managing multiple priorities.
• Willingness to travel independently up to 50%, including automobile, air, and rail travel.

Nice To Haves

• Prior consultative sales experience—particularly within scientific services, CRO, or CDMO environments—is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Secure new business and retain existing GMP laboratory accounts, consistently exceeding quarterly and annual sales targets.
• Position PPD as a primary or preferred partner for outsourced GMP clinical development and commercial product testing services.
• Expand the regional client base by acquiring new accounts, increasing market awareness, and strengthening PPD’s reputation as a partner of choice within the assigned territory.
• Qualify opportunities and develop proposals by defining solutions and recommending pricing aligned with strategic company objectives.
• Serve as the primary client contact through deal closure and coordinate with internal teams to ensure successful implementation.
• Act as a liaison between sponsors and internal stakeholders on all business development activities.
• Monitor market trends, competitor offerings, and pricing to inform sales strategy.
• Manage the full sales lifecycle, from account qualification and opportunity identification through proposal development, contract negotiation, and close.
• Execute the opportunity management process, including RFP allocation, strategy coordination, proposal development, presentation preparation, negotiation, and final contract execution.
• Achieve or exceed assigned new business authorization targets.
• Collaborate effectively with GMP operations and support teams to ensure successful opportunity execution and sustained client satisfaction.
• Conduct cold outreach and client visits; accurately document account activity in CRM systems.
• Maintain ongoing client engagement to assess satisfaction, address concerns, and respond promptly to client requests.

Benefits

• A choice of national medical and dental plans, and a national vision plan, including health incentive programs
• Employee assistance and family support programs, including commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement
• At least 120 hours paid time off (PTO), 10 paid holidays annually, paid parental leave (3 weeks for bonding and 8 weeks for caregiver leave), accident and life insurance, and short- and long-term disability in accordance with company policy
• Retirement and savings programs, such as our competitive 401(k) U.S. retirement savings plan
• Employees’ Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) offers eligible colleagues the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount

What This Job Offers

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