Senior Business Development Specialist, Commercial Life Sciences

Overview

RTI International is an independent, scientific research institute dedicated to improving the human condition. Our vision is to address the world's most critical problems with technical and science-based solutions in pursuit of a better future. Clients rely on us to answer questions that demand an objective and multidisciplinary approach—one that integrates expertise across social, statistical, data, and laboratory sciences, engineering, and other technical disciplines to solve the world's most challenging problems.

We believe in the promise of science and technical solutions, and we push ourselves every day to deliver on that promise for the good of people, communities, and businesses in the US and around the world. If you are looking for the opportunity to make a real difference, RTI is the place for you.

About the Hiring Group

This position will fall with RTI's Growth Unit (Commercial Sector), which is responsible for managing how the institute pursues, wins, and grows our project portfolio. This unit works in close collaboration with RTI's operations and technical solutions units. This position is open to remote candidates as well as those who would prefer to be hybrid or on-site at our Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina campus.

It is expected that this position will require frequent travel and conference attendance. This role reports to the Strategic Account Executive (SAE) and Sector Lead, Life Sciences.

RTI is recruiting for a Senior Business Development Specialist, Life Sciences. The primary focus of this role is on expanding RTI's business and impact in the life sciences industry, connecting commercial clients to RTI's service portfolios spanning from wet labs for physical experiments to dry labs for computational, data-driven work, and nonclinical and clinical services.

As a Senior Business Development (BD) Specialist, you will leverage your experience and skills in market and competitor research and analysis, the planning and execution of effective sales campaigns and events, client outreach and lead generation techniques, and account planning and management to expand RTI's business in the life sciences sector. This role offers you the opportunity to apply your capabilities in client needs analysis, opportunity identification, and positioning strategies to enable RTI to significantly increase our business with both existing and new clients.

In this role, you will join a collaborative team of commercial business development staff who specialize in the business of science. In addition to Life Sciences, our broader team's priorities include Energy, Environmental Services, and Food & Agriculture. Although your primary focus will be on the Life Sciences sector, you will partner with the BD teams from the other sectors to share best practices and provide mutual backup support, as needed.

Detailed responsibilities for this position include:

• Conduct research and analysis on trends in the Life Sciences market, client needs, and competitor actions.

• Research existing and target accounts, identify key contacts, connect with prospects, and generate interest in services and products through timely, regular outreach.

• For designated key accounts, partner with sector leader, client management and delivery teams to develop and implement account plans focused on cross-selling and buyer base expansion, and assist with ongoing account management activities.

• For other assigned commercial accounts, play a lead role in coordinating and delivering business development support to client management and delivery teams.

• Conduct background research for pitch meetings, help with development of BD collateral (e.g., pitch decks), document activities.

• Participate in and lead client calls and coordinate follow-up items.

• Use marketing and sales information services and platforms to complete actions required for all phases of the sales cycle—from lead generation through closing.

• Proactively anticipate customer needs based on market activity to identify emerging projects and cross-selling opportunities with current clients.

• Coordinate with Marketing and/or Client Delivery teams to help identify and execute business development opportunities, including conferences, events, and outreach campaigns.

• Participate in marketing, account planning, and sales pipeline meetings. Follow up on assigned tasks.

• Contribute to the application of business development best practices, continuous improvement methodologies, tools, and training to facilitate successful business development, forecasting, and planning activities.

• Participate in intra-group collaboration and coordination efforts related to business development and strategic planning.

• Continuously build the RTI brand by demonstrating how RTI adds value to clients.

Minimum Qualifications Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree and at least 5 years of relevant professional experience, or a Master0's degree and at least 3 years of relevant professional experience.

• At least 2 years'…