Role Summary
The Senior Director, Business Development will partner with External Innovation, Commercial, Legal, and Finance teams and external resources to identify and evaluate external assets to strengthen the Acadia portfolio. The role leads a team and collaborates with Executive management to implement corporate BD strategies, targeting in-licensing, asset acquisitions, strategic collaborations, and company acquisitions. Reports to the Vice President, Business Development. Location options: San Diego, CA or Princeton, NJ, with a hybrid requirement to work in-office three days per week on average.
Responsibilities
- Effectively manages the transaction process (approach, opportunity assessment, due diligence, valuation, deal negotiations, deal structuring, internal governance, closing, and integration planning). Develop a solid business case for each transaction.
- Drives search efforts to identify BD acquisition or in-licensing opportunities.
- Performs in-depth evaluations, interpreting competitive landscape and analyzing financial data.
- Assembles and utilizes internal and external resources to support each transaction.
- Collaborates with senior BD leadership to develop negotiation strategies.
- Works with Finance to create forecasting and deal evaluation models.
- Works with Legal to draft and negotiate contracts for transactions.
- Coordinates all deal-related activities; External Innovation and Commercial teams lead scientific and commercial assessments incorporated into the deal package by BD.
- Maintains awareness of product strategy to assess fit of potential candidates.
- Keeps abreast of healthcare and pharmaceutical industry trends and assesses their impact on strategy.
- Cultivates and maintains relationships with biopharma companies, venture capitalists, investment bankers, and industry executives.
Qualifications
- Preferred: Educational background in a scientific discipline; advanced degree (PhD highly preferred).
- Required: Minimum of 12 years of progressively responsible experience in Business Development or investment banking focusing on in-licensing or acquisitions in pharma/biotech. Prior experience in neurology and/or rare disease strongly preferred.
- Substantial and varied transaction and negotiation experience.
- Proven ability to lead in a complex matrix environment and demonstrate cross-functional leadership.
- Strong scientific knowledge in CNS, neurology, or orphan/rare diseases and related R&D, Clinical Development, and Medical Affairs.
- Excellent financial analysis and research skills; ability to translate analyses into strategic recommendations.
- Proven negotiation skills with senior stakeholders and ability to influence executive leadership.
- Strong understanding of pharmaceutical industry trends and the ability to balance speed with quality in decision-making.
- Strategic thinking with tactical execution capability; ability to work in a results-oriented, project-driven environment and manage multiple priorities.
- Excellent written and verbal communication, presentation skills, and proficiency with MS Office and databases.
- Ability to travel extensively within and outside the U.S.
Skills
- Deal sourcing and pipeline development
- Financial modeling and forecasting for deal evaluation
- Due diligence coordination and integration planning
- Contract drafting and negotiation
- Strategic relationship building with external partners
- Cross-functional leadership and matrix management
- Market and competitive landscape analysis
- Executive communication and presentation
Additional Requirements
- Regular standing, walking, sitting, handling or operating equipment; ability to travel overnight as required; manual dexterity for standard office tasks.
- Travel availability: extensive travel within and outside the U.S.