Senior Vice President, Sell Side Business Development

Formation Bio•Boston, MA

5h•Hybrid

About The Position

This is a sell-side, outbound deal originator role for a biotech platform that acquires, builds, and monetizes assets through Phase 2 and beyond. The role drives monetization outcomes for Formation’s portfolio assets — not capital raising for Formation itself, not inbound BD, and not execution-only deal work. This person creates demand, opens doors, shapes narratives, and drives transactions forward from white space to signed deals. They are senior, externally credible, and deeply networked — someone who has led multiple sell-side licensing, M&A, or structured asset transactions, and is ready for a future CBO role.

Requirements

Deal Experience
Demonstrated sell-side deal sheet where the candidate was a key driver and leader, not a passenger.
Meaningful experience leading:
M&A
Asset out-licensing
Company financings (secondary importance)
Proven ability to originate deals — not just execute them.
Market Credibility & Network
Deep, authentic network across:
Pharma BD and therapeutic leadership
Senior biotech executives
Healthcare investors and bankers
Known as someone who can create momentum and demand around assets.
Seniority & Trajectory
Very senior profile, but not yet a career CBO.
Someone who could credibly become a CBO in their next role.
Typical profiles may include:
Senior biotech BD leaders below the C-suite
Former or current bankers only if they clearly drove outcomes and relationships themselves
This is a narrow-band talent pool by design.
Key Attributes
Highly outbound, relationship-driven, and self-directed.
Obsessed with origination more than execution.
Strategic thinker who understands how assets are positioned, perceived, and sold.
Comfortable operating independently with minimal structure.
Energized by ambiguity and white space.

Responsibilities

Lead Sell-Side / Outbound BD for Portfolio Assets
Work closely with Formation Bio’s leadership team to lead sell-side asset monetization strategy across Formation’s asset-centric portfolio companies.
Proactively originate outbound deal discussions with pharma, biotech, and strategic investors.
Drive licensing, M&A, and structured asset transactions Serve as the primary external face to acquirers and partners during asset monetization discussions.
Deal Origination & Relationship Development
Be consistently “out in the market” — cultivating and maintaining senior-level relationships across:
Pharma and biotech BD leadership
Scientific and therapeutic area leadership
Healthcare investors (VC, crossover, public equity)
Banking and advisory community
Build and sustain long-running, high-trust dialogues that translate into concrete deal interest.
Generate inbound interest through outbound relationship development.
Transaction Strategy & Structuring
Shape overall deal strategy and positioning for each asset:
Target partner universe
Transaction type and timing
Competitive tension strategy
Collaborate closely with internal leadership on asset narratives and value inflection points.
Partner with the transactions team to move from strategy to signed transactions.
Internal Leadership & Collaboration
Operate initially as a high-impact individual contributor, with access to:
BD analytics
BDLs
Scientific and operational teams
Be personally involved (“in the bushes”) in early deal shaping and relationship development.
Over time, help define whether and how a broader outbound BD function is built.