Director of Program Development

Who we are looking for

We are seeking a highly motivated, results-oriented program development and client engagement professional. WARNING:
This is not a typical “biz dev” position. Everything we do is custom. We work on emerging technologies across life sciences, fluidic systems, greentech, and industrial products and collaborate very closely with our clients to commercialize those technologies. We are looking for someone who has had experience as a practicing engineer developing technology-centric hardware products with a passion for connecting with clients, building relationships, and securing programs that our technical team is excited to work on.

• Manage opportunities:
  Initiate and drive communications with prospective clients, manage overall interactions and information flow in the early stages of the client engagement, leverage our CRM system for contact management, tasks, and deal tracking, and work closely with senior leadership to prioritize opportunities.
• Communicate capabilities and understand client needs:
  Meet with prospective clients, present our overall capabilities, identify the key areas of opportunity, and assess how we can best support the client team.
• Build client relationships:
  Develop relationships with key decision-makers and collaborators at client organizations considering both the short term opportunities and the longer term relationship.
• Develop and present proposals:
  In collaboration with the technical project team, prepare and present proposals, statements of work, and presentations to prospective clients, highlighting our value proposition, technical capabilities, and competitive advantages.
• Initiate and manage legal document execution:
  Collaborate with the legal team and Fikst leadership to ensure timely execution of NDAs, MSAs, and finalized contracts.
• Negotiate and close program opportunities:
  Work with the technical project teams and senior leadership to negotiate and close program opportunities.
• Stay connected to project work and advocate for client relationship building:
  Be engaged and aware of the execution of the various projects. Be an advocate for the mutual success of the engagement throughout the life of the project and for the establishment of a long term client relationship.
• Make connections with potential, new clients – Through participation in industry events, contacts at local organizations, online platforms, and the leveraging of your personal network, expand the awareness of Fikst and our capabilities and identify opportunities for potential engagement with new clients.

• Experience:
  
  8+ years in a product development environment. Consulting and/or business development experience is a plus.
• Education:
  
  BS degree in engineering or technical field, or equivalent.
• Technical Knowledge:
  First‑hand understanding of early‑stage technology development and product commercialization, life sciences experience is a plus.
• Passion for business: A true passion to land programs that the technical team is excited to work on and that add value to the Fikst business.
• Industry Network and Knowledge:
  Knowledge of relevant industries and a network of contacts.
• Communication/People
  
  Skills:
  
  Versatile and professional communication skills – verbal and written – with the ability to articulate sophisticated technical content in a clear and concise manner.
• Team Orientation:
  An intrinsic desire to work and execute as a team which includes jumping in to support and advise others when needed.

THE CONTEXT: A new, potential client was referred to us four weeks ago. You met them virtually to assess if there was good alignment between their needs and our capabilities. A lot has happened since then to advance this opportunity. You successfully set up a mutual non‑disclosure agreement and facilitated a client visit to the Fikst facility. You also involved several subject matter experts in the conversations, gathered crucial input from the Fikst technical team, and drafted a comprehensive statement of work.

Following collaborative discussions with both the client and the Fikst team about the approach and budget, we're now…