Senior Director of Membership Sales & Growth

Portal Innovations LLC•Chicago, IL

22h

About The Position

We're looking for a senior-level, hands-on sales leader who is equally energized by closing new deals and building lasting member relationships. As the Senior Director of Membership Sales & Growth, you will be the primary revenue driver for the Portal Innovations Chicago—owning the full membership strategy and personally executing it, from first outreach to signed agreement. You'll work closely with the Executive Director, Ops Team and COO to close membership agreements, ensure member needs are met, and deliver a seamless experience from first conversation to long-term membership. In this role, you won't just fill space—you'll be the face of Portal Innovations Chicago, championing the community and helping innovators understand the full value of what Portal offers: world-class lab facilities, a thriving ecosystem of peers and mentors, access to capital, and a team genuinely invested in their success. If you're a proven closer with deep roots in life sciences, pharma, med device, or related fields — and you're ready to lead membership growth for one of the most exciting innovation hubs in the region — this role was built for you.

Requirements

5+ years of progressive sales or business development experience in life sciences, pharma, med device, lab services, commercial real estate, or innovation/incubator environments.
A demonstrated history of personally closing complex, multi-stakeholder deals and growing revenue — not just overseeing others who do.
Experience selling to or working within research institutions, biotech or pharma companies, hospitals, or life sciences organizations.
Strong written and verbal communication skills; equally effective in a cold outreach, an executive pitch, or a personalized lab tour.
Proficiency with CRM platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot, or similar) and a disciplined approach to pipeline management.

Nice To Haves

A proven closer and relationship builder with a track record of exceeding revenue targets in complex, consultative sales environments.
Energized by the startup grind — comfortable building a pipeline from scratch while nurturing an inherited member base.
A credible industry presence with deep knowledge of life sciences, pharma, med device, lab services, or related fields, and the network to match.
Highly organized and metrics-driven, with a rigorous approach to CRM, forecasting, and revenue accountability.
A natural collaborator — equally comfortable working independently and partnering cross-functionally with the Executive Director and Operations teams to get deals done and keep members happy.
Established network within the Chicago and broader Midwest life sciences and startup ecosystem is a strong plus — including ties to area universities, accelerators and VCs, pharma and biotech companies, medical device and med sales organizations, lab equipment vendors, life science and biotech staffing firms and other life sciences ecosystem players who interact with or refer early-stage companies.

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end membership sales—from strategic prospecting to signed agreement—consistently hitting and exceeding occupancy and revenue targets for Portal Innovations Chicago.
Build and maintain a strong, qualified pipeline through proactive outreach, industry networking, referral channels, and your existing network in life sciences and adjacent fields.
Identify and pursue the startup communities and sectors most likely to thrive as Portal Innovations members
Leverage deep knowledge of our Chicago site to match prospect needs with available lab and office configurations, structuring deals that balance member flexibility with Portal's revenue objectives.
Lead the full sales cycle personally: executive-level discovery conversations, space tours, tailored proposals, contract negotiation, and close — working in close partnership with the Executive Director and COO to finalize agreements.
Own pipeline visibility and revenue forecasting, maintaining CRM accuracy and delivering clear reporting to the Executive Director and leadership team.
Inherit and deepen relationships with existing Portal members — understanding their evolving needs and proactively identifying expansion opportunities, contract renewals, and upsell pathways.
Partner closely with the Lab Operations team to ensure member needs are met on the ground, from space configuration, lab needs and their day-to-day experience.
Provide white-glove service throughout the membership journey, collaborating with Member Experience, Lab Operations, and Marketing for seamless onboarding and exceptional ongoing support.
Serve as a strategic advisor to founders and scientists, helping them navigate their evolving needs as their companies grow within Portal Innovations Chicago.
Represent Portal at key industry events, conferences, and networking forums to elevate our presence and generate high-quality leads.
Build and maintain a strong referral network among VCs, accelerators, academic institutions, pharma/biotech startups, medical device companies, AI-driven life sciences, and deep tech ventures to create consistent deal flow.
Collaborate with the Executive Director, COO, to align on business strategy, share best practices, and ensure Portal Innovations Chicago growth is consistent with Portal's broader mission and goals.