Job Title: Business Development Manager
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Location: UK
Role Type: Remote (hybrid during initial 3 months)
Salary: Competitive salary + commission and benefits
Start Date: October/November 2025
Travel: UK & occasional global travel
Role Description
PHARMExcel is a leading UK-based Clinical Research Organisation (CRO), supporting academic and commercial sponsors in the delivery of early to late-phase trials. We’re at a pivotal growth stage and are seeking a results-driven Business Development Manager (BDM) to spear head the next phase of sales expansion.
This is a high-impact role designed for a self-motivated professional with proven professional service sales experience who can own the sales process from pipeline generation through to deal closure.
You’ll be joining a passionate and inclusive team where you’ll have the opportunity to grow with PHARMExcel-building confidence, capability, and impact as we scale. Life at PHARMExcel is fast-paced and ambitious, but also deeply rewarding. We value the collective strength of our people, and it’s through close collaboration that we’ve achieved our success-and will continue to shape our future together.
Key Responsibilities
* Drive new client/study acquisition and deliver against agreed sales targets, securing new contracts across biotech, MedTech, and academic sectors.
* Translate PHARMExcel’s vision, strategy, and services into compelling value propositions for senior stakeholders, from academic KOLs and NHS leaders to biotech and MedTech executives.
* Take ownership of the full business development lifecycle—from lead qualification and opportunity development to proposal, bid defence, and contract close.
* Cultivate and strengthen long-term client relationships, nurturing prospects through all stages of the sales cycle.
* Represent PHARMExcel at industry conferences and exhibitions, generating high-quality leads and securing client meetings.
* Work closely with the CEO and senior leadership to progress opportunities to progress shared lead opportunities
* Contribute to building a high-performing business development function through knowledge sharing, mentoring, and continuous improvement.
* Understand PHARMExcel’s vision, strategy, and services and comprehensively convey this to prospective clients- from academic Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), Senior NHS staff, through to C-suite level entrepreneurs within the biotech and MedTech sectors.
* Work alongside the CEO to qualify new leads.
* Develop a balanced pipeline of academic and commercial opportunities, aligned with the company’s strategic revenue mix.
* Take ownership of opportunities from first contact to signed contract, including facilitating RFP response, bid defence, and handover to project delivery teams.
* Nurture prospects through sales cycles, building strong, trust-based relationships.
* Attend and represent PHARMExcel at relevant industry conferences and exhibitions, generating onsite leads and qualified meetings.
* Collaborate with the CEO and Head of Clinical Operations to progress shared lead pipelines.
* Coaching and sharing sales knowledge, including development and refinement of new processes with the view to departmental expansion as the company attains financial growth.
Revenue and Performance
You will consistently meet or exceed, quarterly and yearly key performance metrics and goals, with a strong focus on:
* Securing new clients
* Converting high-probability pipeline opportunities
* Strengthening and expanding lower probability leads into converted contracts
* Maintain a healthy pipeline that supports organisational targets with year-on-year acceleration.
CRM and Reporting
* Maintain accurate and up-to-date records in HubSpot of your sales pipeline and those of the CEOs and Clin Ops team.
* Take ownership of all BD CRM administration, data hygiene, and back-office processes typically handled by a sales assistant, given our lean team structure.
* Contribute to the development and refinement of lead-generation and sales best practices.
* Create new BD reports and dashboards in HubSpot as required for Sales, Marketing and Finance.
* Provide input on forecasting and pipeline health in team meetings.
Essential Skills and Experience Required
* 3-5 years + working in a BD/Sales role with minimum 2 years in life sciences/clinical research (preferably a CRO) (essential)
* Proven track record in achieving or exceeding sales targets
* In-depth knowledge of using CRM systems, specifically HubSpot.
* Strong independent worker, understanding when and how best to work collaboratively when required.
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
* Proven experience in long sales cycles including lead nurture tactics and relationship management.
* Solid understanding and hands on experience in cold outreach and prospecting to hit KPIs.
* Ability to quickly understand and articulate scientific/technical concepts and business value.
* Proactive, self-motivated, and resilient when facing challenges.
* Organised with excellent follow-through and high attention to detail.
Personal Attributes
* Self-motivated and target driven-with a strong desire to close deals and exceed goals.
* Professional communicator-face-to-face, over the phone, and in writing.
* High integrity and alignment to PHARMExcel values.
* Collaborative by nature, thrives in a team-first culture where success is shared.
* Comfortable navigating ambiguity, with the flexibility to adapt in a growing SME setting.
* Resilient under pressure, remains positive and solutions-oriented when navigating challenges.
* A genuine interest in clinical research, innovation, and improving patient outcome.
Equal Opportunity Statement
PHARMExcel is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, gender reassignment, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability or age. Our ethos is to respect and value people’s differences, and to help everyone achieve and be their best at work as well as in their personal lives so that they feel proud of the part they play in our success. We believe that all decisions about people at work should be based on the individual’s abilities, skills, performance and behaviour and our business requirements. PHARMExcel operates a zero-tolerance policy to any form of discrimination, abuse or harassment.
Ready to make a difference?
Apply today and be part of something exceptional at PHARMExcel!
For further information contact: Dani Harrison, Head of People & Culture – dani.harrison@pharmexcel-cro.com
Or apply on our website https://pharmexcel-cro.com/careers
We are currently reviewing all applications and will respond to applicants once this has been completed over the next 2 weeks. Thank you for your patience.