VP Business Development – Europe

Founded in 1950 and headquartered in Riom, France, VERDOT designs and manufactures downstream processing (DSP) solutions for the biopharmaceutical industry, with more than three decades in bioprocessing.

Technologies: chromatography columns, chromatography systems, tangential flow filtration (TFF) systems, stainless steel and single-use configurations, custom-engineered skids from pilot to manufacturing scale.

Modalities: monoclonal antibodies, recombinant proteins and vaccines; advanced therapies (cell and gene therapy, AAV, LV) and mRNA; plasma fractionation; purified natural extracts.

Customers: large pharma, CDMOs, emerging biotechs and engineering companies, in Europe, North America and beyond.

VERDOT is lean, engineering-driven and customer-centric. Its edge versus the large integrated suppliers is agility: customisation, modular designs, fast decision-making and direct access to the teams who design and develop its equipment.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

VERDOT is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applicants of all backgrounds and experiences.

VERDOT has built a strong reputation among its key customers, particularly in France, but remains less established across the rest of Europe. We are looking for a hands-on, hunter-minded commercial leader to change that by driving the growth of our downstream bioprocessing business and expanding our presence across European markets.

The VP Business Development Europe will lead this expansion.

This is a builder's role: open doors at new accounts, win the first projects in new countries, and set up the structure (process, partners, then people) that will carry European growth. The successful candidate will have the autonomy of a "CEO of the territory", direct access to the Executive Committee, and the backing of an engineering team that can tailor solutions to customer needs.

The business is project-based capital equipment with long sales cycles. Success comes from early positioning on customers' investment plans, persistence and credibility with both process engineers and decision-makers.

MISSION & KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Mission: Achieve and exceed VERDOT's revenue and profit growth targets in Europe, with a priority on new accounts and new countries.

1. European commercial strategy

• Build and execute a Europe-centric commercial plan (sales and market development) aligned with VERDOT's growth strategy.

• Segment the market by country, customer type (pharma, CDMO, biotech, engineering firms) and modality; set clear account priorities.

• Deliver revenue, order intake and margin targets; report regularly to the CCO and the Executive Committee.

2. New business development (hunting)

• Personally open doors at target accounts outside the existing customer base, especially CDMOs and fast-growing biotechs.

• Identify current and future DSP investments (new plants, capacity extensions, process transfers) early enough to influence specifications.

• Use network, conferences, LinkedIn and direct outreach to generate and qualify leads.

3. Key account development

• Grow business with existing customers, navigating from operational users to executive decision-makers.

• Build customer intimacy: understand customers' strategies, processes and investment cycles, and position VERDOT accordingly.

4. Deal management, from URS to order

• Collect user requirement specifications (URS) and work with the France-based application, product and project teams to build competitive proposals.

• Work with engineering companies and EPCMs involved in customer projects.

• Lead negotiations and close deals.

5. Sales discipline

• Maintain a rigorous pipeline and forecast in the CRM, with account plans for key and target accounts.

• Provide clear visibility on opportunities, priorities and forecast accuracy.

6. Market coverage and organisation

• Assess and, where relevant, set up agents or distribution partners in countries not covered directly.

• Define, as the business grows, the European organisation (additional sales and field application or service resources) and lead recruitment.

7. Marketing and market intelligence

• Work with the Senior Marketing Director on regional marketing plans: digital and social media, conferences, technical seminars and user meetings.

• Represent VERDOT at key bioprocessing events and share feedback on markets, competitors and product needs with HQ.
  
  WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

  First 3 months

• European territory and account plan presented to the CCO and CEO;

• Key target accounts mapped;

• CRM pipeline rebuilt; first meetings held at new accounts.

  6–12 months

• Qualified pipeline in at least three countries outside France;

• First orders won at new accounts;

• VERDOT specified on upcoming customer investment projects.

  12–18 months

• European revenue growth in line with budget;

• Recommendation made and executed on partners and first hires.

Must-haves

• University degree in biotechnology, process engineering or another life-science discipline.

• 10+ years in bioprocessing (chromatography, filtration, cell culture or related), with a strong DSP understanding.

• Proven success selling capital equipment for biopharmaceutical manufacturing (chromatography systems and columns, TFF, skids, pumps, automated purification systems).

• Track record in project-based sales with long cycles: from early lead to URS, proposal, negotiation and close, ideally on pilot and manufacturing DSP packages.

• Demonstrated hunting results: new logos won, new territories opened, quotas exceeded.

• Active network of customers and decision-makers outside France (pharma, CDMOs, biotechs, engineering companies).

• Willingness to be hands-on in the field as an individual contributor, with around 50% travel.

• Fluent English.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience at a challenger or mid-sized OEM, or building a territory from scratch.

• Regional sales management or P&L responsibility (budget, team, distributors).

• Exposure to advanced therapies, mRNA or plasma fractionation.

• Experience working with agents or distributors.

• French and/or German.

Personal attributes

• Hunter and door-opener: enjoys reaching out to new contacts and creating opportunities, including cold outreach.

• Self-starter: autonomous, organised and results-driven; takes ownership with a can-do attitude.

• Credible with experts and executives: speaks process with engineers and business with decision-makers.

• Resilient and patient: keeps momentum through long project cycles.

• Strong negotiator and communicator, with excellent presentation skills.

• Comfortable in a small, fast-moving company: flexible, pragmatic, no need for large-corporate support functions.

• Collaborative and intercultural: works naturally with HQ teams in France and with customers across Europe.