Sales Lead, Business Development

We are seeking a Sales Lead, Business Development to support the growth and scaling of our Data business for therapeutic research and development. The ideal candidate will have a life sciences background and familiarity with the pharma and biotech space. This role will report to and work closely with the Sr. Director, Business Development and interact with a broad range of 23andMe teams.

You can learn more about our data partnership business here:  Come join our gene pool!

We are a group of individuals passionate about genetic discovery. 23andMe Research Institute is a nonprofit medical research organization that enables people everywhere to access their genetic information, learn about themselves, and participate in the world's largest crowdsourced research initiative. The Institute aims to be the world's most significant contributor to scientific advancement, uniting people with the common goal of improving health and deepening our understanding of DNA — the code of life.

• Support the development and implementation of a sales strategy for 23andMe’s data business.
• Design, negotiate, and oversee B2B SaaS partnerships with biopharma companies.
• Drive identification of potential customers and competitive landscape assessments across the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.
• Manage and close a pipeline of deals.
• Work cross‑functionally to facilitate robust internal feasibility assessment of potential partnerships.
• Use sound judgement and data to drive internal consensus on prospective deals.
• Support the pitching of collaboration opportunities to prospective clients and partners.
• Provide suggestions for deal terms that follow standard models using available data.
• Collaborate to draft project plans and statements of work, including resource planning.
• Assist with opportunity pipeline tracking and analysis to enhance visibility across stakeholder groups and enable process improvement.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to facilitate project start‑up and handoff.
• Establish subject matter expertise in the genetic data field.
• Assist with managing project performance and tracking financial projections for awarded projects.
• Attend industry conferences and actively engage in networking to develop and maintain industry contacts.
• Limited travel to support customer meetings or conferences as needed.

• A Bachelor’s degree in a life science discipline. An advanced degree (Ph.D., MBA, JD) preferred.
• Minimum of 4+ years work experience in a relevant sales role that includes familiarity with the biotech and pharma industry.
• Strong foundational sales skills including prospecting, qualifying leads, and handling objections.
• Experience with consultative selling, especially in complex industries where solutions need to be tailored to client needs.
• Proven success in managing sales cycles and closing contracts.
• Ability to build and nurture long‑term customer relationships.
• Strong commitment to delivering exceptional customer service and post‑sale support, ensuring satisfaction and repeat business.
• Familiarity with CRM systems (Salesforce, Hub Spot, etc.) and sales enablement tools.
• Confident communication skills, including presentation and negotiation. Ability to explain concepts well at a high level and anticipate the needs and knowledge level of an audience.
• Excellent consensus building skills and experience working with cross‑functional teams.
• Self‑motivated and results‑oriented, with a focus on achieving targets and driving growth.
• Comfortable navigating pricing discussions and negotiating terms.
• Ability to represent 23andMe to external parties with limited oversight.
• A foundational understanding of genomics, biotechnology, and drug discovery processes. Motivated to dive in deeply on the subject matter.
• Passionate about science, medicine, and business.

23andMe, headquartered in California, is a leading consumer genetics and research company. The company’s mission is to help people access, understand, and benefit from the human genome. 23andMe has pioneered direct access to genetic information as the only company with multiple FDA authorizations for genetic health risk reports. The company has…