Demo

Head of Business Development

Elanco
Indianapolis, IN Full Time
POSTED ON 6/28/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 8/4/2026
At Elanco (NYSE: ELAN) – it all starts with animals!

As a global leader in animal health, we are dedicated to innovation and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our purpose – all to Go Beyond for Animals, Customers, Society and Our People.

At Elanco, we pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe that diversity is the driving force behind innovation, creativity, and overall business success. Here, you’ll be part of a company that values and champions new ways of thinking, work with dynamic individuals, and acquire new skills and experiences that will propel your career to new heights.

Making animals’ lives better makes life better – join our team today!

Your Role: Head of Business Development

As the Head of Business Development, you will be accountable for the strategic direction and execution of Elanco’s business development in alignment with overarching company objectives. In this role, you will focus on realizing new revenue streams, acquiring future products, and addressing critical pipeline and technology needs.

Your Responsibilities:

  • Shape and influence the external partnering environment, including participation in venture capital and external funding strategies.
  • Collaborate across Elanco to identify key needs where business development capabilities will drive business objectives.
  • Partner with R&D and External Innovation leaders to ensure consistent implementation and progression of Elanco’s external strategy.
  • Oversee a team of deal advisors and due diligence experts while supporting internal governance for high-quality decision-making.
  • Maintain an extensive external network of industry contacts, investment banks, and capital sources vital to the animal health ecosystem.

What You Need to Succeed (minimum qualifications):

  • Education: Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant scientific or business field (or equivalent level of experience).
  • Experience: A minimum of 15 years of experience in business development, licensing, or venture capital within the animal health, pharmaceutical, or biotech industries, including executive leadership and high-value deal execution.
  • Strategic deal structuring and executive stakeholder management.

What will give you a competitive edge (preferred qualifications):

  • Demonstrated knowledge of the animal health sector, life science innovation field, and venture capital syndication/fund formation.
  • Success in persuasion, influence, and negotiation with a proven leadership presence in deal-making and internal governance.
  • Effective problem-solving and analytical skills to resolve highly complex business challenges and deal considerations.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills combined with strong market knowledge and business acumen.
  • Track record of material transactions.

Additional Information:

Travel: 30%

Location: Global Elanco Headquarters - Indianapolis, IN - Hybrid Work Environment

Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown underrecognized groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Elanco we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive work environment. If you think you might be a good fit for a role but don't necessarily meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this role or other roles!

Elanco Benefits and Perks:

We offer a comprehensive benefits package focusing on financial, physical, and mental well-being while encouraging our employees to pursue our purpose! Some highlights include:

  • Multiple relocation packages
  • Two weeklong shutdowns (mid-summer and year-end) in the US (in addition to PTO)
  • 8-week parental leave
  • 9 Employee Resource Groups
  • Annual bonus offering
  • Flexible work arrangements
  • Up to 6% 401K matching

Elanco is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status

Elanco may use automated tools, including AI, to support parts of our recruitment process, such as reviewing applications against job‑related criteria and/or transferrable skills. These tools help ensure a consistent, structured evaluation, but they do not make hiring decisions. All decisions involve a human reviewer. For more information on how we handle personal data, please see our Elanco Workforce Privacy Notice.

Salary.com Estimation for Head of Business Development in Indianapolis, IN
$212,398 to $301,144
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