Senior Business Development Director – Life Sciences

CGI•Plymouth Meeting, PA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

CGI is seeking an experienced and successful business developer to drive growth across our IT and managed services portfolio in the Philadelphia metro, with a primary focus on life sciences and a secondary focus across utilities, manufacturing, and banking/financial services. This role is instrumental in strengthening CGI's market positioning, accelerating deal cultivation, deepening executive relationships, and expanding adoption of CGI's services across data management, enterprise support, market access, and research and lab environments, including adjacent areas such as LIMS and quality systems. The ideal candidate has deep local market relationships and a strong, consultative selling approach, with a proven record of closing complex IT and managed services deals — particularly within pharmaceutical and life sciences research organizations. This is a consultative sales role first: the candidate must be skilled at uncovering client needs and shaping solutions around them, not simply presenting services. Alongside that, the ideal candidate brings sound technical and delivery acumen and the credibility to engage confidently with both business and technical stakeholders. This is not a delivery or highly technical role, but CGI seeks candidates who have worked alongside or within technical environments, for example, life sciences technology providers, or platforms like Databricks, as well as candidates who possess a working knowledge of SDLCs, IT fundamentals, data structures and applicability of AI, and can bring a distinct edge in these conversations. This is a highly visible role requiring executive presence, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence both client and internal leadership stakeholders. This role must be performed in Plymouth Meeting, PA.

Requirements

Primary focus on life sciences (pharmaceutical, research/R&D side) required; secondary experience across utilities, manufacturing, or banking/financial services is a plus.
Proven success cultivating and closing large, complex IT and managed services deals — particularly in data management, enterprise support, market access, and research and lab environments (e.g., LIMS, quality systems).
A genuinely consultative sales approach, with a demonstrated ability to understand client business drivers and shape solutions around them, rather than leading with a services pitch.
Sufficient depth in delivery models and technical acumen to personally lead and author proposals, RFP responses, and statements of work — engaging subject matter experts and delivery leads for specific input, yet without relying on them to write or shape the response.
Working knowledge of delivery models and enough technical acumen to engage credibly with technical stakeholders — this is not a delivery or engineering role, but familiarity gained from adjacent experience (e.g., exposure to platforms like Databricks, or having worked for a life sciences technology provider such as Model N) is a strong plus.
Demonstrated ability to build and maintain C suite and senior executive relationships within the Philadelphia metro market.
Exceptional critical thinking and decision-making skills, with the ability to prioritize initiatives that drive business growth with minimal guidance.
Strong presence, self-awareness, and communication skills across all organizational levels, including public speaking and thought leadership.
Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience, with 10-15+ years of professional experience selling complex technology and business solutions in a consulting environment, and a strong track record of business development and deal closure.

Nice To Haves

Manufacturing experience within pharmaceutical or life sciences companies is a plus.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain a strong pipeline of opportunities within new and existing accounts, leading strategic pursuits and guiding proposal development to create tailored business solutions.
Maintain a strong track record of winning opportunities in data management, enterprise support, market access, and research and lab environments — including adjacent areas such as LIMS and quality systems.
Build and maintain relationships with C level client executives, aiming to become their trusted advisor and ensuring client satisfaction in partnership with account management and delivery teams.
Own and drive the proposal and response process from end to end, including RFP responses and statements of work, serving as primary author and lead reviewer. Pull in subject matter experts and delivery leads for targeted technical input where needed, but retain ownership of the overall solution, narrative, and quality of the response.
Partner with solution architects and subject matter experts to shape and propose solutions for complex client problems, applying strong industry knowledge and enough technical and delivery fluency to speak credibly to delivery teams and client technologists alike.