[Hiring] Business Development & In-Licensing Director @Scope Group

Role Description

The Business Development and In-Licensing Director reports to the CEO and will build and lead Scope’s capability for identifying, evaluating and securing new assets and strategic partnerships. This is a build role with responsibility for shaping the strategy, establishing robust evaluation and governance processes, developing the opportunity pipeline and growing the team as the function evolves.

• Set the business development and in-licensing strategy in line with Scope’s therapeutic focus areas and long-range plan.
• Build and lead the function, starting with the recruitment of a Market Intelligence & Opportunity Specialist.
• Chair the internal business development screening committee and make clear recommendations on which opportunities should progress to full evaluation.
• Work in partnership with Scope’s established commercial evaluation lead.
• Establish an effective operating rhythm, governance framework and reporting approach for business development activity.
• Build and maintain a high-quality pipeline of assets, technologies and partnership opportunities.
• Establish clear sourcing priorities and use market intelligence to proactively identify and assess relevant opportunities.
• Design and embed a consistent stage-gate evaluation process and standard investment case template.
• Maintain clear oversight of the pipeline, with defined status, ownership, next steps and decision points for each opportunity.
• Document the rationale for all progression and no-go decisions.
• Partner with Commercial, Medical, Regulatory, Quality and Supply Chain to assess Scope’s ability to develop and support each potential asset.
• Monitor market, competitor, scientific and transaction developments.
• Lead the scientific evaluation of every prospective asset.
• Form an independent view that can differ from the seller’s.
• Translate complex science into concise, board-ready investment cases.
• Commission external scientific due diligence and key opinion leader input.
• Partner with Commercial and Finance to assess market potential, competitive positioning, valuation, investment requirements, deal affordability and risk-adjusted returns.
• Develop and test deal scenarios, including upfront payments and royalties.
• Ensure investment recommendations clearly set out key assumptions, sensitivities, risks, dependencies and value-creation potential.
• Coordinate cross-functional due diligence across various areas.
• Ensure material risks, assumptions, information gaps and dependencies are clearly identified.
• Oversee external advisers, diligence budgets, data-room activity and information requests.
• Lead licensing, partnership and acquisition negotiations from term sheet to signature.
• Set deal-structuring principles across upfront payments and milestones.
• Present full investment cases at Scope’s Portfolio Review and to the Board.
• Lead the structured handover of completed transactions into relevant teams.
• Build and own relationships with biotech companies, academic institutions, investors and advisers.
• Represent Scope at key partnering and industry events.
• The role is expected to extend to out-licensing of Scope’s own assets from 2028.

Qualifications

• PhD, MD or equivalent scientific or clinical qualification in ophthalmology or a directly adjacent field.
• Business Degree or MBA.
• 8+ years in pharma, biotech or medtech business development, licensing or corporate development.
• A demonstrable track record of personally leading multiple licensing, partnership or acquisition transactions.
• Experience in a growing or lean organisation.
• Out-licensing experience.
• Experience across Irish, UK and US regulatory environments.
• Commercial literacy: reads a valuation model and connects the science to commercial outcomes.
• Clear, concise written and verbal communication.
• Independent judgement and the confidence to say no to an exciting asset when the evidence isn’t there.
• High standards of confidentiality and integrity.
• Energised by pace and by a hands-on role working directly with the CEO.
• Willing and able to travel regularly (approx. 30%).

Requirements

• Establish Scope as a credible, fast-moving partner of choice in eyecare.
• Ensure key commitments, milestones, risks and dependencies are clearly understood and assigned.

Benefits

• Performance related bonus.
• 24 days annual leave (pro rata).
• Healthcare allowance beginning post probation and increasing at 2 and 5 years service.
• Pension contributions through Zurich beginning post probation and increasing at 2, 5 and 8 years service.
• Company sick pay scheme.
• Further Education policy.
• Professional Membership.