Location
Dublin, Ireland (International HQ).
Alternatively in Zaventem, Belgium.
Office-based with approximately 25% travel; expect to be on site at least 60% of the time.
Role Overview
The Business Development Lead will identify, assess, and execute external transactions, including acquisitions, to meet Zoetis' strategic and financial objectives.
Primary Responsibilities
Opportunity prospection and identification.
Leading and executing a broad range of business development transactions, including acquisitions (companies, businesses, or assets), divestitures, research and licensing deals, and distribution agreements.
Acting as the Business Development lead with end-to-end responsibility from target identification and initial engagement through due diligence, negotiation, signing, and closing.
Establishing and leading an ad hoc cross-functional transaction team for each opportunity and coordinating contributions from relevant corporate functions.
Bringing strong project management capabilities to the role: planning, prioritization, issue identification, follow-up, and ensuring that functional inputs are complete, well-supported, and decision-ready.
Overseeing due diligence across all disciplines, ensuring rigorous evaluation of strategic fit, commercial value, key risks, and integration considerations, and serving as the guarantor of the overall quality and coherence of the process.
Leading deal structuring and negotiation strategy in close partnership with BD Finance, Legal, and senior leadership.
Presenting opportunities, recommendations, and strategic rationale to the Zoetis Executive Team and Board of Directors.
Working closely with the Business Integration team to support effective transition planning and handoff from signing through integration execution.
Experience Required
***** years of relevant experience in business or corporate development, investment banking, or private equity.
Demonstrated track record of leading and closing acquisition transactions as a BD lead.
Proven experience managing end-to-end M&A processes, including target identification, due diligence, negotiation, and closing.
Network within the healthcare, life sciences, or technology sectors; Animal Health experience is a significant advantage.
Demonstrated strategic and critical thinking, strong judgment, and executive-level decision-making ability.
Attention to detail and highly organized working style.
Executive-level communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex strategic rationale to senior stakeholders across a range of mediums (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, meetings, etc.).
Strong leadership and the ability to interact with and influence senior level executives, outside consultants, investment bankers, potential partners, and all internal Zoetis stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a multicultural, multinational environment.
Fluency in English required; additional European languages are a plus.
Willingness to travel across Europe and internationally as required.
Behavioural Competencies
Strategic thinker who can balance near-term execution with long-term portfolio shaping.
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to influence outcomes across diverse stakeholders and senior executives.
Able to communicate complex business and financial concepts clearly to executive and board-level audiences.
Operates with resilience, adaptability, and decisiveness in dynamic environments; autonomous when appropriate, consultative when needed.
Knowledge, Skills, and Ability Requirements
Valuation methodologies including DCF, contracting, intellectual property, tax, anti-trust, commercial understanding, regulatory compliance, due diligence.
Information systems, human resources, and business processes.
Leadership skills: able to inspire and motivate people to enhance team drive for sustained success and colleague development.
Business Acumen: identify value-drivers within the competitive landscape; apply objective business criteria and valuation models to assess novel opportunities and communicate short- and long-term commercial benefits.
Change management: flexible to the needs of a changing business environment.
Communication and cooperation: engage in effective partnerships, facilitate brainstorming, project work activities, and manage multi-functional teams.
Influencing skills: perceived as a convincing colleague/partner who can persuade and encourage others to enter into mutually beneficial partnerships.
Qualifications (Training, Education, & Prior Experience)
Advanced degree in Science or Veterinary field (Master or above) preferred.
MBA or equivalent advanced degree preferred.
Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a business, finance, or related discipline required.
*****+ years relevant Acquisition/BD/transaction experience.
Proven experience in healthcare transactions; Animal Health experience strongly valued.
Strong awareness of financial valuation models and legal contracts as they relate to business collaborations and transactions.
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