Oxford Nanopore has developed a new generation of nanopore-based sensing technology for faster, information-rich, accessible and affordable molecular analysis, used to understand and characterise the biology of humans and diseases such as cancer. By enabling biological insights, we strive to improve life on Earth and beyond.
We are seeking an experienced Regional Business Development Director with deep life science expertise to drive regional growth, where developing and utilising partnerships will play a central role in achieving our long-term goals.
The Senior Director, Regional Business Development, EMEAI, joins a regional team of experienced commercial professionals who are responsible for building an ecosystem of business partnerships to create and deliver revenue opportunities for Oxford Nanopore Technologies in the medium and long term. This ecosystem will accelerate the adoption of nanopore sequencing across strategic end markets. The role works at the intersection of commercial, product development and market development by forming and completing high-value partnerships within EMEAI, supporting the entry into new markets where commercial demand must be established and translated to high growth. This role can be based in the UK, France, or Germany, and includes around 60% travel across EMEAI.
The Details…
This individual is responsible for leading strategic business partnerships, with a focus on building, structuring, and managing external partnerships that expand and mature regional markets. The postholder will own selected high-impact partnership opportunities, develop and govern frameworks for external engagement in close collaboration with EMEAI Commercial Leadership and in alignment with Corporate Business Development, Regional and Global Marketing and Development. The postholder is also responsible for liaising with teams across the company to ensure that project plans, commitments and obligations contained in partnership deals are well-defined, clearly communicated and that suitable approvals have been obtained.
Duties include, but are not limited to:
- Developing a deep understanding of technology-relevant applications across key end markets, including the use cases, economics and key players in such markets that we seek to address through partnerships. You will act as the main point of contact within EMEAI to the business development team for one or more market segments.
- Interacting with other teams across the company including Corporate Business Development, Marketing (Regional and Global), Applications, Product Management, Finance and Legal. In many cases, you will serve as a project sponsor and manager throughout the deal making process with responsibility for coordinating across these functions.
- In collaboration with other appropriate internal teams, preparing and making partnership proposals to senior leadership for executive review and approval.
- Assisting in the negotiation of key partnership documents, from term sheet stage through definitive agreements, ensuring alignment between internal financial models and key economic terms.
- Partner with leadership to help design and support new commercial execution models or processes when required
- Maintaining the team’s ‘dashboard’ of ongoing partnership projects in various stages of development.
- Conducting all activities in accordance with the established partnering frameworks and processes. Communicate partnering frameworks and processes to colleagues across the company and promote adherence to them.
- Any other duties as might be required within the remit and responsibilities of the post.
What We're Looking For...
We'll expect you to have extensive experience in establishing and maintaining strategic partnerships, business and contracts related experience. It would be ideal to have a background in the Life Sciences industry, have worked in start-ups/SME and larger organisations, and specifically focused on leveraging genomics. In addition, you're a highly skilled negotiator with excellent analytical, financial and communication skills and expertise and understanding of market influences.
You will be able to execute a clear strategy around partnership engagement and negotiation execution, and high aptitude for cross functional collaboration and delivery to targets. You should have a good working knowledge of contracting concepts and strong demonstrated competency in contract negotiation skills.
This role would suit someone who enjoys working in a highly cross functional collaborative team, supporting a variety of stakeholders whilst operating independently to establish and maintain strategic partnerships for the company.
Please note this role will involve around 60% travel across EMEAI.
Please note that no terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate on the grounds of a person's gender, marital status, race, religion, colour, age, disability or sexual orientation. Every candidate will be assessed only in accordance with their merits, qualifications and abilities to perform the duties of the job.
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Skills Required
- Extensive experience establishing and maintaining strategic partnerships
- Business and contracts-related experience
- Strong negotiation and contract negotiation skills
- Excellent analytical, financial, and communication skills
- Understanding of market influences and partnership engagement strategy
- Strong cross-functional collaboration and delivery skills
- Working knowledge of contracting concepts
- Life sciences industry background
- Experience leveraging genomics
- Experience working in startups or SMEs and larger organizations
Oxford Nanopore Technologies Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Oxford Nanopore Technologies and has not been reviewed or approved by Oxford Nanopore Technologies.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is considered good to above average across many roles, with employer-provided ranges visible for several U.S. commercial and applications positions and company materials emphasizing market‑competitive base pay. Commercial and some senior technical posts, particularly in the U.S., are positioned as competitive and often paired with strong variable components.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — All‑employee share plans in the UK and a U.S. employee stock purchase plan indicate broad access to equity as part of total reward. Company communications highlight attractive bonus and share plans that add meaningful upside beyond base pay.
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Healthcare Strength — U.S. roles indicate strong health insurance and core protections, while official materials and country overviews reference private medical coverage and wellbeing support. These elements position the health package as a notable strength alongside cash compensation.
Oxford Nanopore Technologies Insights
What We Do
Our goal is to enable the analysis of anything, anywhere, by anyone. We have developed the world’s first and only nanopore DNA and RNA sequencing platform. It’s a new generation of sequencing technology — the only one to offer: scalability to portable or ultra-high throughput formats, real-time data delivery, and the ability to elucidate rich biological data. We are aiming to disrupt the way that biological analyses are currently performed, and open up new applications that have a profound, positive impact on society. Our devices offer real-time analysis, for rapid insights, in fully scalable formats — from pocket to population scale — and the technology is being used in more than 100 countries worldwide. Founded in 2005 as a spin-out from the University of Oxford, the company now employs more than 600 people from multiple disciplines including nanopore science, molecular biology and applications, informatics, engineering, electronics, manufacturing and commercialisation. The management team, led by CEO Dr Gordon Sanghera, has a track record of delivering disruptive technologies to the market.
