Strategic Business Development lead EMEA (f/m)

JobsCloseBy Editorial Insights

Merck Group is seeking a Strategic Business Development Lead for EMEA (f/m) to identify and develop highly strategic, large‑impact projects across the region such as site expansions, greenfield facilities, and major technology upgrades that reshape customers’ networks. You’ll work with sales and technical experts to shape opportunities from inception, drive early engagement with senior stakeholders, run cross‑functional discovery workshops, and convert digital leads into end‑to‑end pursuits using CRM and market intelligence. Ideal candidates have 7+ years in BD or solutions sales in biopharma or life sciences, a proven pipeline of large opportunities moved from idea to project, fluent English, willingness to travel across EMEA, and a relevant degree. In applying, tailor your CV to highlight large‑scale wins, quantify impact, show senior stakeholder management and cross‑functional collaboration, and demonstrate comfort with digital tools and bioprocessing drivers.

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Ready to explore, break barriers, and discover more? We know you’ve got big plans – so do we! Our colleagues across the globe love innovating with science and technology to enrich people’s lives with our solutions in Healthcare, Life Science, and Electronics. Together, we dream big and are passionate about caring for our rich mix of people, customers, patients, and planet. That's why we are always looking for curious minds that see themselves imagining the unimaginable with us.  

Your role:

In your role as Strategic Business Development Lead – EMEA (f/m), you focus on identifying, qualifying and developing highly strategic, large-impact projects across the region. These projects typically involve major investments such as site expansions, greenfield facilities, large technology upgrades or new modality capabilities that have a significant impact on customers’ manufacturing networks and long-term competitiveness. You work in very close collaboration with the sales team and technical solution experts to shape these opportunities from the earliest stages.

You drive early customer engagement by initiating strategic roadmap discussions with senior stakeholders, leading cross-functional discovery workshops, co-hosting technology days and following up on high-potential contacts and leads from digital campaigns, webinars and industry events. You use digital tools and data (for example CRM, marketing automation, market and intent intelligence, digital analytics) to detect early buying signals and prioritize the most impactful opportunities. You assess whether projects fit the process solutions portfolio and work with the broader team to transform them into well-structured, end-to-end solution pursuits.

Covering all of EMEA, you build strong relationships with decision makers at target accounts, travel extensively across the region for customer and internal meetings and ensure a smooth transition of qualified strategic opportunities into the solution design and sales process.

Who you are:

• You have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Life Sciences, Engineering, Business Administration or a related field; an advanced degree is a plus.
• You bring at least 7 years of experience in business development, strategic account management or solutions sales in the biopharma, bioprocessing or life science tools environment, with a clear focus on complex, high-value projects.
• You have a strong track record of building and managing a pipeline of large, strategic opportunities (for example facility expansions, network investments or major technology upgrade programs) and moving them from early idea to concrete project.
• You are skilled at engaging customers early, for example by leading senior-level strategy conversations, facilitating discovery workshops with cross-functional customer teams and systematically following up on high-quality digital and event-generated leads.
• You are confident using digital tools such as CRM systems, marketing automation platforms, market or intent intelligence tools and digital analytics to identify, qualify and prioritize the most promising opportunities.
• You understand bioprocessing markets and typical customer decision drivers and can connect customer investment plans to a differentiated process solutions offering.
• You work closely and collaboratively with sales colleagues and technical experts, enjoy joint account and opportunity planning and are comfortable engaging with stakeholders at different seniority levels, including senior management.
• You are based in EMEA, business-fluent in English and willing and able to travel frequently and extensively across the region to meet customers and internal stakeholders.

What we offer: We are curious minds that come from a broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences. We believe that this variety drives excellence and innovation, strengthening our ability to lead in science and technology. We are committed to creating access and opportunities for all to develop and grow at your own pace. Join us in building a culture of inclusion and belonging that impacts millions and empowers everyone to work their magic and champion human progress!

Apply now and become a part of a team that is dedicated to Sparking Discovery and Elevating Humanity!