Business Operations Manager

Business Operations Manager – BD Operations

The full job description covers all associated skills, previous experience, and any qualifications that applicants are expected to have.

Clinical-Stage Biotechnology | Kent / South East England | Hybrid – c.2 days onsite

We are recruiting a Business Operations Manager for a lean clinical-stage biotechnology business at an important stage of its development.

This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys making complex activity run smoothly behind the scenes. You’ll work closely with senior stakeholders, taking ownership of the operational detail that supports business development, partnering and wider corporate activity.

It’s not an externally facing deal-origination role. Instead, you’ll make sure agreements progress, actions are followed through, data rooms and documents remain controlled, and day-to-day business processes are handled accurately and efficiently.

Why this opportunity?

You’ll have broad responsibility and genuine visibility across a small biotechnology organisation, rather than owning one narrow part of a much larger process.

The remit spans BD operations, contracts, due diligence, document management, finance administration and compliance, giving you exposure to important company activity while allowing experienced senior colleagues to focus on external partnering and strategic priorities.

As the organisation develops, there may also be scope for the role to broaden into additional operational and onboarding responsibilities.

What you’ll be responsible for

• Coordinating BD and corporate workstreams, actions and follow-ups.
• Managing routine CDAs/NDAs, maintaining accurate contract records and recognising when non-standard points need escalation.
• Maintaining virtual data rooms and coordinating documentation required for due-diligence activity.
• Keeping presentations, corporate materials and supporting documents accurate and under tight version control.
• Managing SharePoint and internal document systems, including appropriate access and permissions.
• Supporting GDPR requirements and relevant contractual considerations when working with international counterparties.
• Supporting invoicing, reconciliation, scheduled payment activity and wider finance administration.
• Keeping operational records organised, current and accessible.
• Managing several workstreams independently in an environment where priorities can move quickly.
• Supporting broader company operations as the business evolves.

What we’re looking for

Essential experience

• Approximately 2–4 years of relevant experience, including genuine exposure to biotechnology or a closely related life-sciences environment.
• Experience supporting business development, partnering, corporate transactions or similar commercial activity from an operational perspective.
• Practical experience working with CDAs/NDAs, with enough judgement to handle routine agreements independently within established parameters.
• Strong document-management and version-control discipline.
• The ability to coordinate multiple workstreams with limited supervision.
• Strong attention to detail and effective project-coordination skills.
• Confidence communicating with senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office.

Useful, but not essential

• Virtual data-room or due-diligence experience.
• SharePoint administration.
• Xero experience.
• Invoice management, reconciliation or broader finance administration.
• Knowledge of GDPR.
• Experience with standard contractual clauses or international compliance considerations.
• Exposure to fundraising, licensing, VC-backed activity or other corporate transactions.
• Experience working within a small or clinical-stage biotech.

Who this could suit

You might currently be working as a Business Operations Associate/Manager, BD Operations Associate/Manager, Corporate Development Associate, Alliance/Partnering Operations professional, or Project/Programme Manager with meaningful commercial or corporate exposure.

You don’t need to be a front-line dealmaker. What matters is that you’re commercially aware, comfortable taking ownership, highly organised and able to exercise sensible judgement without needing every routine decision escalated.

Candidates from larger pharmaceutical organisations are also welcome where their experience includes genuine hands-on execution rather than relying on separate Legal, Finance, PMO or administrative functions. xwzovoh

Working pattern

The role is based in Kent / South East England, with approximately two days per week onsite preferred.

If you enjoy being the person who brings structure, momentum and accuracy to important business activity—and you want broader exposure within a clinical-stage biotechnology environment—we’d be interested in hearing from you.