Associate Director - Business Development

To drive technical, commercial, financial evaluations / Due Diligence of new M&A and asset in-licensing  as well as organic growth opportunities.; screen, identify and evaluate potential targets (assets or companies) aligned to the company’s growth objectives; conduct product-market research, data analysis and commercial assessment to build business cases; support commercial and financial due diligence; build detailed P&L / NPV valuation models, conduct sensitivity analysis, develop structured offer proposals; maintain the BD and M&A Pipeline; manage database resources to generate business insights and competitive intelligence; keep stakeholders abreast of new opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Work with information and databases such as IQVIA, Evaluate, PharmaProjects, AlphaSense etc to generate R&D pipeline / commercial portfolio insights for target identification, selection and business case development. 
• Design and conduct primary and secondary market research for detailed assessment of targets and develop output reports for senior management and for due diligence. 
• Sizing, forecasting in-licensing and acquisition opportunities as well as lifecycle opportunities using commercial data, epidemiology, reviewing published clinical literature, pricing information and performing competitive landscape analysis. 
• Building business cases, including development of financial forecast scenarios in MS Excel. .
• Managing, leading Commercial and Financial due diligence, including project managing interactions with external advisors / consultants and being responsible for outputs.
• Proactively collaborating with cross-functional teams to assess value opportunity of targets and inform business cases. 
• Track market activity, competitor M&A moves, and industry trends to inform corporate strategy.
• Generating regular recommendations, advising and supporting the VP, M&A on in-licensing and acquisition targets for the business.
• Supporting the preparation of investment thesis papers for internal stakeholders.
• Maintaining, refreshing the M&A Pipeline. 

Requirements

Qualifications

• Degree in life science is an strong advantage (such as Medicine, Biochemistry, Biology, Biomedical Sciences). 
• MBA, CFA, CIMA or other similar qualification      would be an advantage.

 
Experience

• 5+ years of relevant experience in M&A, investment banking, corporate development, or strategic finance, with a focus on the pharmaceutical or life sciences sector.
• Demonstrated experience building and analyzing complex financial models and valuations.
• Evidence of strategic investment analysis and business case development.
• Experience in competitor analysis, design of competitive growth strategy.
• Experience in using secondary industry resources for pharmaceutical and scientific data. 
• Previous demonstration of working effectively as part of team with strong collaboration.
• Multinational experience, minimum pan-European.

 
 
Competencies

• High numeracy and analytical skills with good attention to detail; strong Excel skills.
• Creative thinking in generating financial models. 
• Capacity to work with large data sets to extract insights.
• Excellent written and reporting skills.
• Resourceful in conducting research or using databases to obtain information.
• Agile thinker who can adapt to situations of high-speed change.
• Problem solver who can work through complex issues.
• Inquisitive, curious and investigative mindset with willingness to challenge and learn.
• Must demonstrate integrity and high ethical standards. 
• Demonstrates a willingness to achieve goals together and respect the view of others.
• Results-orientated and accountable for actions.
• Excellent with managing workflow expectations.

Benefits

What We Offer

• Competitive salary

• We understand that productivity requires balance, so we offer office-based contracts and allow flexibility on locations of work when required and appropriate. This can be different for each department so please have that conversation at interview
• £150 towards your home office
• Healthcare 
• Pension – you contribute 5% and we offer 5%.
• Life Insurance – lump sum (tax free) death benefit of 4 x basic salary.
• Enhanced family leave 
• Enhanced sick pay 
• 25 days annual leave 
• Discretionary annual performance bonus 

What To Expect

• At Essential Pharma, every colleague matters: we want every member of the team to thrive and grow during their time with us
• Right from the interview stage, we encourage candidates to ask us questions, voice opinions and be curious 
• This is a dynamic, fast-paced working environment. We expect individuals to be responsible and accountable, while understanding the importance of collaborating with colleagues to fuel success
• We pride ourselves on our inclusive culture, based on the belief that everyone brings unique strengths and perspectives
• We have an unwavering dedication to employee growth and development