Director, Business Development

The Director leads complex, multi-stakeholder transactions including in-licensing, partnerships, distribution arrangements and acquisitions regarding products, portfolios or technologies across all the major animal species. Reporting to the Strategic Alliances VP, the Director partners closely with Commercial leadership, Finance, Legal, Regulatory, R&D, and other functions, as well as Ceva's global strategy and business development teams.

Responsibilities

• Deal sourcing and assessment: Partner with internal and external stakeholders and coordinate efforts to ensure consistent sourcing and evaluation of potential opportunities.
• Deal execution and closing: Own opportunities from mid-funnel through signature, advancing diligence, structuring terms, driving negotiations, and securing internal approvals.
• Pipeline progression: Manage a portfolio of active opportunities, removing bottlenecks and maintaining momentum across stage gates.
• Cross-functional orchestration: Coordinate diligence and deal teams spanning Finance, Legal, Regulatory, R&D, Marketing, and Supply Chain.
• Commercial and financial structuring: Partner with Finance to build and pressure-test deal models, valuation assumptions, and business cases.
• Negotiation: Lead or co-lead commercial and contractual negotiations with partners, licensors, and counterparties.
• Governance and approvals: Prepare and present opportunity reviews, deal recommendations, and approval materials to leadership.
• Transition to integration: Ensure a clean handoff of closed deals to commercial, operational, R&D and integration owners.
• Market and partner intelligence: Maintain awareness of the competitive, regulatory, and partnering landscape.
• Pipeline reporting: Provide accurate, timely visibility into deal status, risks, and probability to leadership.

Core Competencies

• Shape solutions out of complexity
• Client focus
• Collaborate with empathy
• Engage and develop
• Drive ambition and accountability
• Influence others

Technical Competencies

• Deal structuring, valuation, and sound understanding of financial modeling (DCF, NPV, scenario analysis)
• Contract and commercial negotiation
• Due diligence management across functions
• Knowledge of animal health, pharmaceutical, or life sciences markets and partnering dynamics
• Understanding of regulatory, IP, and supply considerations relevant to product and portfolio transactions
• Project and stakeholder management across complex, time-sensitive workstreams
• Executive-level communication and presentation

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, life sciences, finance, or a related field required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in business development, corporate development, transactions, strategic marketing or commercial roles, with a demonstrated record of closing deals.
• Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional transactions from diligence through close.
• Animal health, pharmaceutical, biotech, or related industry experience strongly preferred.

Working Conditions

Standard office environment. Hybrid work arrangements may apply consistent with Ceva policy. Overnight travel required, some international; approximately 30-40% to support partner meetings, diligence, and negotiations.