Business Development Manager, Midwest
Merck Healthcare KGaA
Summary
This field-based commercial role is focused on managing and growing a portfolio of large, strategic pharma and biopharma accounts. You will build account plans, develop relationships at all levels, and coordinate internal partners to deliver results against quarterly and annual sales objectives.
Job description
Responsibilities
- Meet quarterly and annual sales targets through retention, expansion, competitive conversions, and new business development.
- Own strategic account plans for large pharma/biopharma customers: priorities, forecasts, stakeholder maps, risks, and next steps.
- Identify and engage high-potential small and mid-tier biotech companies early to seed future pipeline and demand.
- Build and maintain relationships across technical, quality, procurement, and executive stakeholders; map buying groups and decision processes.
- Lead business reviews, consultative discovery, and customer presentations; articulate value, negotiate, and advance opportunities.
- Maintain accurate forecasts, CRM records, and opportunity data in Salesforce or equivalent tools.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with technical service, customer service, field marketing, and demand planning to support accounts.
- Monitor market signals — funding, M&A, pipeline trends — to identify emerging opportunities and inform territory strategy.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences (Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, or related field).
- 5-7+ years of commercial sales experience in regulated pharma or biotech contract testing services.
- Proven track record managing a territory or account portfolio and building customer relationships.
- Strong understanding of pharma/biopharma drug production processes and unit operations.
- Consultative selling skills: ability to diagnose needs, negotiate, forecast accurately, and articulate value.
- Proficiency with CRM and sales tools (Salesforce, Palantir, or similar).
Preferred Qualifications
- Advanced degree (MS, PhD, or MBA) or Project Management certification.
- Knowledge of biotech funding trends, M&A activity, and incubator/accelerator ecosystems.
- Experience with global account networks, CDMOs, and cross-functional stakeholder engagement.
Travel Expectations: Able to travel 25-50% of the time.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences (Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, or related field)
- 5-7+ years of commercial sales experience in regulated pharma or biotech contract testing services
- Proven track record managing a territory or account portfolio and building customer relationships
- Strong understanding of pharma/biopharma drug production processes and unit operations
- Consultative selling skills: diagnose needs, negotiate, forecast accurately, articulate value
- Proficiency with CRM and sales tools (Salesforce, Palantir, or similar)
- Able to travel 25-50% of the time
Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Retirement Contributions
- Sales/Performance Bonuses
Company overview
Merck Healthcare KGaA is the healthcare business sector of the Merck Group, a German multinational science and technology company headquartered in Darmstadt. Founded in 1668, Merck is the world's oldest operating pharmaceutical and chemical company. The Healthcare division focuses on developing innovative therapies across multiple therapeutic areas including oncology, neurology & immunology, fertility, and cardiovascular, metabolic, and endocrinological disorders. With approximately 62,557 employees globally, Merck Healthcare operates in more than 65 countries and generated 40% of the Group's sales in 2024. The company's oncology portfolio includes blockbuster products like Erbitux (cetuximab) for colorectal and head and neck cancers, Bavencio (avelumab) for urothelial carcinoma, and Tepmetko (tepotinib) for MET-altered cancers. In neurology, Mavenclad (cladribine) has achieved blockbuster status for treating relapsing multiple sclerosis, while the fertility division has helped bring over 6 million babies into the world through products like Gonal-f. Merck Healthcare combines a strong established business with specialty innovation, delivering a diversified portfolio of therapies to millions of patients worldwide.