About AcelaBio

AcelaBio is a CAP- and CLIA-accredited specialty histopathology laboratory based in San Diego, CA. We deliver anatomic histopathology, immunostaining, digital image analysis, spatial transcriptomics, and biomarker endpoints to pharmaceutical and biotechnology sponsors. Our team is scientifically driven, client-focused, and committed to advancing translational research through rigorous, reproducible methods.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Business Development Director plays a key role in driving growth within a designated region or customer segment, helping expand AcelaBio’s partnerships and market presence. This is a highly collaborative, client-facing role that combines strategic thinking, relationship management, and commercial leadership in a fast-paced environment.

In this role, you will identify and pursue new business opportunities, build strong sponsor and partner relationships, develop targeted sales strategies, and lead initiatives that support AcelaBio’s continued growth. You’ll work closely with internal teams and external stakeholders to deliver high-quality solutions from proposal development and client meetings through to bid defenses and contract negotiations.

The ideal candidate is commercially driven, proactive, and energized by building lasting partnerships, navigating complex opportunities, and contributing to the success of an innovative, client-focused organization.

Positions Available: 1; Primarily focused on East Coast coverage in North America (Canada/US).

About the role: Sales Growth and New Business Development (50-60%)

Achieve annual sales target objectives for a defined region and build the client base in new markets

Develop and lead client presentations; manage the internal proposal development process including draft proposals, cost estimates, and quality control of proposal documents

Support the VP and Contracts team throughout the contract negotiation cycle; lead negotiations for select clients

Lead BD marketing activities by attending trade and scientific conferences and collaborating with the Marketing and Scientific team to develop brochures, web content, and presentations

Client Management and Sales Strategy Support (25-35%)

Assist with strategic sales planning and implementation and support geographic or new market expansion planning

Regularly meet with existing and prospective sponsors to ensure a clear understanding of AcelaBio’s capabilities and gauge satisfaction levels

Partner with the Project Operations team to keep abreast of project updates and milestones to strengthen client relationships with regular updates, address ongoing issues, and manage expectations throughout the project life cycle

Maintain CRM system (HubSpot or Salesforce) is updated to ensure accurate, complete and current records for all leads, contacts, opportunities and customer interactions

Analyze and report on market trends and competitor offerings; contribute sales and client perspectives when the organization is developing new products, services, or market growth strategies

Partner and Vendor Development and Support (15-25%)

Support Operations teams in identifying and sourcing new vendors in compliance with AcelaBio and industry standard requirements

Assist with creation, review, and selection of vendor and partner RFPs; lead or support vendor meetings and negotiations as required.

Support the Contracts team with contract finalization and the QA team with vendor qualification requirements; monitor vendor budgets on an ongoing basis

About you:

Undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s or Honors Bachelor’s) with 5-8 years of related experience; OR college diploma with a minimum of 8 years of related experience

Ability to cover EST-based clients

Science or business degree preferred; industry experience required. Continuous training and professional development expected

Proven track record in B2B sales and business development in clinical research, CRO, or a related life sciences services sector

Ability to analyze market trends, assess competitor positioning, and translate insights into actionable sales strategies. Strong communication skills across technical, scientific, and executive audiences; experience with proposal development, RFP responses, and contract negotiation

Strategic business development with demonstrated ability to grow a regional client base in a CRO or life sciences environment

Executive-level client relationship management and complex negotiation across multi-stakeholder environments.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.