About Our Client

Our client is one of the leading providers of amino acid-based solutions, making significant advances to improve CPG's taste, nutrition, health, and wellness.  They have retained Naviga to recruit a Growth Strategy Director to join their diverse, innovative, and collaborative team.

What You Will Do

• 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.
• Develop a local innovation network and ecosystem, including biotech companies, startups, and academic institutions.
• Host events and attend conferences to gather insights and promote open innovation.
• Lead the development of robust innovation and growth strategies and build a pipeline of future business opportunities to drive growth objectives. This primarily focuses on advanced therapy and other healthcare- and biotechnology-related businesses, in collaboration with research & development (R&D), corporate venture capital (CVC), business leaders, and other key stakeholders.
• Support the business development and R&D teams in executing an innovation and growth strategy as part of a cross-functional team. Responsibilities include strategic planning, feasibility validation, preparing and approving business cases, executing deals, and post-collaboration activities.
• Closely collaborate with CVC and key stakeholders to propose venture investment opportunities and create avenues for future growth.
• Partner with senior management and business leaders to identify, develop, and execute inorganic growth initiatives, including partnerships, alliances, mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures, aligned with broader group objectives.
• Cultivate key external relationships (e.g., with strategic consulting advisors, 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 market and technological intelligence specialists, who will focus on market and technological analyses and strategic planning.

Who You Are

• 6+ years in a strategic consulting firm or corporate development team within a large corporation.
• Proven experience developing growth strategies in advanced therapy, biotech, or healthcare-related industries.
• Experience leading:
  • Market intelligence
  • Ideation and scoping
  • Strategic planning
  • Strategic partnership development
  • M&A activities and venture investments
  • Deal structuring
  • Post-deal integration processes
• Experience facilitating strategy execution with business, investment, or R&D teams, including planning, deal structuring, and post-deal processes for partnerships, M&A, or venture investments.
• Excellent strategic planning, project management, critical thinking, and leadership.
• Solid practical understanding of corporate strategy, business development, and M&A principles.
• Excellent negotiation and interpersonal skills; ability to engage and influence across the organization.
• Strong quantitative data analysis skills, including financial modeling; ability to analyze and interpret data for sound business decisions.
• Ability to develop comprehensive business cases (assumptions, performance drivers, financial pro forma, opportunities/risks).
• Excellent presentation skills (oral/written); ability to adapt style for diverse audiences.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse, cross-functional teams.
• Master's degree in business, finance, economics, science, engineering, or a related field required
• Ph.D. preferred

Why Join This Team?

• Named by Gallagher a “Best In-Class Employer”
• Clients include large multi-national CPGs and key accounts in the North American food service sector
• A company culture that thrives on innovation and pioneering technology
• Team-focused, collaborative, and forward-thinking team culture and environment
• The Growth Strategy Director is a newly created position, established in response to significant year-over-year growth. This role will oversee the strategy and execution of new business through partnerships, acquisitions, mergers, and joint ventures, focusing on growth in healthcare and biotechnology.
• Competitive Compensation Package + Bonus and Relocation Package if necessary

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About Naviga Recruiting & Executive Search

Naviga Recruiting & Executive Search is a leading provider of Executive Search, Contingent Workforce Solutions, Leadership and Individual Contributor hiring, empowering businesses to achieve their strategic objectives through expert talent acquisition. Our specialties include sales, marketing, finance/accounting and operations hiring. With a commitment to excellence and a deep understanding of market trends, Naviga Recruiting & Executive Search helps organizations build high-performing teams and navigate complex workforce challenges.