Business Development Director

About the role

Responsible for identifying, establishing, and growing strategic relationships that advance CHEST's mission while strengthening the organization's financial sustainability. This role partners with internal subject matter experts and leadership to understand supporter needs, develop innovative solutions, and cultivate meaningful partnerships across the pharmaceutical, medical device, and biotech industries. The position serves as a trusted relationship manager, representing CHEST's capabilities, connecting industry priorities with organizational expertise, and helping create opportunities that deliver value for supporters, clinician members, and the broader medical community.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate a passion for crushing lung disease and embody CHEST values: honor the team, act with integrity, leverage strengths, cultivate innovation, and have serious fun.
• Exceed annual revenue goals for product lines.
• Develop and grow strong relationships with key top-level, cross-functional contacts (marketing, medical, advocacy, market research, etc.) within current and potential new supporters and customers.
• Prospect new opportunities by:
  • Leveraging current established client network to access new disease state verticals and functional verticals within the client organization.
  • Garnering leads through review of business intelligence resources and databases such as Fierce Pharma, Medpage Today, Clinicaltrials.gov, and Pharmawand.
  • Attending and networking at industry events and conferences.
  • Utilizing LinkedIn and referral networks to connect with new potential customers.
  • Working with the internal communication team to establish sales outreach programs.
• Partner with cross-functional teams and CHEST leadership to align strategy, coordinate resources, and ensure organizational and customer objectives are achieved.
• Develop compelling, customized, comprehensive proposals that meet or exceed CHEST margin requirements. Collaborate with cross-functional teams and subject matter experts in the proposal process, including data scientists, digital learning, market research, outcomes reporting, and faculty volunteers.
• Work with CHEST internal stakeholders to ensure buy-in and operationalization of proposed scopes of work.
• Partner with CHEST General Counsel on the negotiation of contracts and legal agreements; understand contract risks, negotiation terms, client compliance, and legal review environments.
• Prepare for and lead “top-to-top” calls with companies on a wide variety of subjects such as new drug go-to-market plans, genomic and biomarker testing, clinical trials, analytics capabilities, underserved populations, unmet needs, and rare diseases.
• Research and speak to company products, developments, goals, and potential interests and their fit with CHEST initiatives, products, and services. Conduct follow-through internally and externally on potential opportunities.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues throughout the organization to ensure successful execution, delivery, and stewardship of funded projects while maintaining strong relationships with supporting companies.
• Educate and coach internal team members and CHEST volunteers (including faculty as necessary), preparing them for industry interactions pre, during, and post-sale. Ensure they understand the client products and goals of the sales call.
• Identify leads and make referrals to colleagues for contacts interested in exhibits, sponsorships, grant-funded programs, charitable contributions, and support of CHEST initiatives and priorities.
• Stay up to date on core pulmonary, critical care, and sleep topic areas and developments.
• Identify funding cycles of pharma customers and partners and utilize that intelligence to develop plans for targeting opportunities and revenue on an annual basis.
• Complete other tasks and projects as assigned.

Requirements

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree with an advanced degree preferred.
• 8 to 10 years of directly relevant experience.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships across departments, influence without direct authority, and work effectively as part of a cross-functional team to achieve shared organizational goals.
• In-depth understanding of compliance and legal issues.
• Strong financial skills with an in-depth understanding of funding cycles for pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Ability to target the right company with the right product.
• Disease state knowledge and understanding.
• In-depth understanding of the pharmaceutical and device industry, product lifecycle, and process for bringing products to market, FDA approvals, clinical trials, and other factors impacting companies’ interests and fit with CHEST opportunities.
• Experience and/or understanding of clinician education product offerings.
• Prior experience in a medical association, specifically in business development.
• Experience working with corporate and industry supporters, non-profit partners, and volunteers to enhance engagement, build relationships, and achieve/exceed revenue goals.

Skills

• Ability to influence, negotiate, and develop support through written and verbal communication.
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to identify and build collaborative solutions that provide organizational opportunities.
• Open to feedback, advice, and input from others.
• Demonstrated ability to creatively conceive of, develop, and secure funding for mission-driven programs that lead to sustainable financial security.
• Skilled at multi-tasking, prioritizing, and project managing multiple concurrent corporate fundraising initiatives to diversify sources of support and achieve development goals.
• Competent in Microsoft Office tools, database technology, and digital communication tools such as email, web, and social media.
• Ability to accommodate up to 20% travel.
• Ability to adhere to CHEST's hybrid work schedule, which includes 2 days per week work-from-home and 3 days per week onsite at CHEST headquarters in Glenview. Tuesday and Wednesday are CHEST's anchor days, and a 3rd onsite day will be decided between employee and supervisor.

Benefits

• Health and Wellness: Medical, dental, and vision insurance*; flexible spending account*; long-term and short-term disability insurance; life/AD&D insurance.
• Work/Life Balance: 37.5-hour work week with flexible start times; Paid Time Off; Paid parental leave; Hybrid work environment; Paid holidays.
• Giving and Sharing: 401(k) with matching contribution from CHEST*; Health club and fitness reimbursement; Employee counseling program; Reimbursement for professional memberships; Tuition Reimbursement.
• Office Perks: Lunch & Learns; Annual Health Fair; Professional development courses; Volunteering opportunities; Annual Holiday Party; In-office “Busy Breaks.”

Pay

The annual base salary range for this position is USD $150,000 to USD $175,000. This pay range represents base pay only and excludes any additional items such as incentives, bonuses, or other items. CHEST considers factors such as, but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, and market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.