Director of Strategy & Business Development

At Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition, we are making significant advances in food and health with new ideas and innovative technologies. We are seeking candidates with energy and enthusiasm to be part of our growing team throughout North America. As an Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition employee, you are part of a diverse, innovative, and collaborative community committed to enhancing lives through nutrition and health. Our team is committed to providing amino acid-based solutions that create better lives for all.

The Director of Business Development will lead the strategy in evaluating and executing new business through partnerships/alliances, acquisitions, mergers and joint ventures. This role will specifically focus on driving growth in healthcare and biotechnologies related businesses including gene & cell therapy manufacturing, regenerative medicine and medical foods within the AJINOMOTO Group.

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATIONS, AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in business, finance, economics, science, engineering, or a related field. preferred.
• Experience 8+ years of experience in a strategic consulting firm or corporate development team in a large corporation for new business development in advanced therapy, biotech, or healthcare related industries, including experience leading project ideation, scoping, strategic planning, strategic partnership development, M&A activities, deal structuring, and post-deal integration processes.
• Experience leading corporate development in advanced therapy, biotechnologies or healthcare related industries.
  
  
  

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Excellent strategic planning, project management, critical thinking, and leadership skills.
• Understanding of corporate strategy, business development, and M&A principles
• Excellent negotiation and interpersonal skills; ability to engage and influence different levels across the organization.
• Ability to analyze, interpret, and utilize data to make sound business decisions; strong quantitative data analysis skills, including financial modeling.
• Ability to develop business cases, including establishing assumptions with supporting data, identifying key performance drivers, developing financial pro forma, and highlighting opportunities and risks that could drive more aggressive or conservative scenarios.
• Excellent presentation skills, including strong oral and written capabilities; ability to clearly communicate and adapt presentation style to deliver compelling messages to senior leaders, key stakeholders, board members, and external business partners.
• Ability to work effectively with a diverse team of different backgrounds to efficiently complete cross-functional initiatives.
  
  
  

OCCUPATIONAL DEMANDS

• Domestic and international travel for business is required (up to 25% of the time)
  
  
  

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Office commute at least 3 times a week (Cambridge Office)
• Develop and implement a robust innovation and growth strategy, building a pipeline of new business ideas to drive growth objectives in advanced therapy manufacturing, healthcare and biotechnologies related businesses.
• Lead the development and execution of innovation and new business initiatives, including strategic planning, feasibility validation, business case preparation and approval, deal execution, and customer alignment.
• Gather and assess crucial insights and benchmarking data, such as competitor intelligence, operational performance, innovations, and market trends from various internal and external sources to develop strategic options.
• Collaborate with the Corporate Strategy/Investment team, leadership, and key stakeholders to explore inorganic growth opportunities in a systematic manner.
• Partner with senior management and business unit leaders to identify, develop, and execute new business development initiatives--including partnerships, alliances, acquisitions, mergers, and joint ventures--aligned with broader AJINOMOTO group objectives.
• Cultivate key external relationships (e.g., with strategic consulting partners, investment banks, and other channels to support early insights into relevant opportunities and generate steady deal flow
• Support the mobilization of partnerships/alliances or post-deal integration activities and teams to ensure the achievement of strategic objectives, partnership goals and synergies.
• Manage one or more emerging business development personnel, who will be focused on executing and developing strategic partnerships.
  
  
  

Ajinomoto is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will not discriminate because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, disability, age (40 or older) or genetic information (including family medical history) for recruitment, hiring, and promotion decisions.