Director – Business Development & Strategic Partnerships, Life Sciences

Argonaut Manufacturing Services Inc. is a contract manufacturing organization (CMO) headquartered in Carlsbad, CA with over 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space across four locations. The company is dedicated to serving highly innovative companies in the biopharmaceutical and molecular diagnostics industries. Argonaut is a full-service, cost-effective partner, providing complete solutions in formulation, filling, and final kitting of reagents and consumables, with quality and regulatory expertise to assure the highest standards in manufacturing and supply chain excellence.

About the role

We are seeking an experienced and motivated business development professional with a background in the combination product, life science, and/or diagnostics industry. This individual will operate at a high level, work independently, and thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. Reporting directly to the Chief Commercial Officer, this role will be an active member of the Commercial Team, responsible for delivering high-growth results through new business revenue objectives and the expansion of existing accounts. The position is 100% hunter-focused, tasked with identifying, targeting, cultivating, structuring, and closing new sales opportunities. Additionally, this role will support the development and implementation of the company’s overall Commercial Strategy and contribute to pipeline insights.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain an active funnel of opportunities to drive continuous business generation.
• Close, maintain, and grow strategic customer relationships within the life science and molecular diagnostic sectors.
• Plan and implement a detailed, cohesive sales strategy for acquiring and managing business opportunities in assigned territories and segments.
• Research, identify, and develop new business prospects through industry contacts, organic prospecting, and inbound leads.
• Collaborate with Commercial leadership to align business development efforts with the company’s growth objectives.
• Lead client project teams by driving account strategy, owning client relationships, serving as an escalation pathway, and ensuring cross-functional alignment with client needs.
• Support contract negotiations, including structure, terms, conditions, and pricing, with legal and senior management.
• Represent the company at trade shows, industry events, and conferences, and maintain active participation in industry trade groups.
• Gather market intelligence on customers, competitors, and industry trends.
• Identify commercial portfolio opportunities, risks, financing needs, and organizational capabilities to expand revenue streams.
• Lead business development initiatives, including partner identification, outreach, and transaction structuring/negotiation/execution.
• Develop business analyses to support pipeline valuation and evaluate changes in the customer and competitive landscape.
• Partner with internal stakeholders in Operations, Program Management, and Finance to support commercial opportunities and client relationships.
• Support the development of commercial and competitive strategy, and present updates on pipeline, opportunities, and initiatives.
• Lead and execute a consistent process for lead management and development within the defined sales territory.
• Build brand awareness of the company’s service offerings, technologies, and customer service excellence.
• Travel as required for industry events, conferences, and key stakeholder meetings (up to 30-50%).

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree (BS, MS) in Biology, Chemistry, or a related scientific/technical field; advanced degree (e.g., MS, MBA) strongly preferred.
• At least 10 years of experience in client-facing commercial, sales, project/product/program management, or business development roles within the CDMO or life science/diagnostics industries.
• Proficiency in CRM tools (e.g., SalesForce) to support the sales process.
• Ability to organize and present compelling content for executive-level audiences.
• Strong understanding of sales performance metrics and the ability to use them to drive strategies.
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills, with the ability to communicate effectively across all levels of the organization.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Word, Teams).
• Understanding of new technologies and trends in the biopharmaceutical industry, particularly within biologics and diagnostic markets.
• Analytical, challenge-focused mindset with a bias toward action and value creation.
• Ideal candidates will have fluency in both life science/diagnostics markets and drug development processes, with prior exposure to CMO service commercialization.
• Willingness to engage deeply with operational issues to inform strategic thinking without compromising functional integrity.
• Resilient, self-motivated, and self-directed, with the ability to delegate, hold teams accountable, and escalate issues as needed.
• Strong organizational and multitasking skills, with the ability to work under strict deadlines and take on new tasks with minimal guidance.
• Field-based role requiring up to 30-50% travel.

Benefits

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Company-Paid Life Insurance (1x annual salary)
• Voluntary Life Insurance
• Long-Term and Short-Term Disability Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA)
• 401(K) Retirement Plan
• 10 Days of Paid Time Off
• 10 Paid Holidays Annually

Pay

The pay range for this position is $180,000.00 - $210,000.00 annually. Factors affecting starting pay within this range may include geography/market, skills, education, experience, and other qualifications of the successful candidate.