Sales Leader, Senior Director
Overview: Lightship Inc. is a clinical trial site network committed to making research participation possible for all. We partner with biopharma and CROs to execute studies that expand reach and improve participant retention, delivering trials in clinic, at home, and in the community through one experienced team. Our investigators, nurses, and coordinators follow each participant across every setting—whether it’s a physical site, a home visit, a Mobile Research Unit, or virtually—operating under unified SOPs and integrating with the technology platforms sponsors already use. The result is faster enrollment, stronger retention, and broader representation, without the complexity of managing multiple vendors. At Lightship, we bring research to participants. For more information, visit lightship.com. The Senior Director, Sales will play a critical leadership role in driving commercial growth. This is a player/coach position, responsible for both individual revenue generation and leading a high-performing sales team. The role requires a strategic yet hands-on leader who can originate and close deals while building scalable processes, coaching talent, and driving execution against Lightship’s commercial objectives. Key Responsibilities: 1. Revenue Generation (Player Role)
- Source, develop, and close new business opportunities with biopharma sponsors and CRO partners
- Own and manage strategic accounts and develop executive-level relationships
- Drive opportunities through feasibility/RFP, proposal, and contract execution
- Meet or exceed individual booking and revenue targets
2. Sales Leadership & Team Development (Coach Role)
- Lead, mentor, and develop Business Development and Inside Sales teams
- Provide coaching on pipeline management, deal strategy, and client engagement
- Build a high-performance culture focused on accountability and results
3. Pipeline Development & Execution
- Drive consistent pipeline growth through disciplined prospecting and outreach
- Ensure CRM discipline and pipeline hygiene
- Monitor KPIs including pipeline coverage, conversion rates, and win rates
4. Go-To-Market Strategy & Alignment
- Partner with Marketing, Clinical Operations, and Finance
- Support development of commercial offerings and messaging
- Align sales efforts to operational capabilities
5. Commercial Excellence
- Build scalable sales processes
- Support compensation frameworks and performance metrics
- Promote consistent messaging and a culture where everyone contributes to growth
Qualifications
- 10+ years of experience in life sciences sales or clinical research
- Proven track record of closing complex deals
- Experience leading and developing sales teams
- Strong understanding of clinical trial delivery models
- Ability to operate both strategically and tactically
Core Competencies
- Player/Coach mindset
- Strong commercial acumen
- Execution-focused
- Collaborative
- Adaptable and resilient
Success Metrics
- Individual bookings vs. quota
- Team booking performance
- Pipeline quality and coverage
- Win rates and conversion metrics
- Team development and retention