Director, Corporate Strategy & Business Development

Alcon seeks a Director of Corporate Strategy & Business Development in Geneva to lead acquisition and partnership strategies that drive commercial growth and portfolio expansion.

This position sits within the Commercial & General Management division and is tasked with steering commercial strategies to optimize operational efficiency and guide high-level decision-making. The incumbent will focus on identifying and structuring strategies for acquisitions, licensing agreements, and strategic alliances.

Responsibilities

• Assist in crafting the overarching corporate development plan to boost pipeline value through licensing, business development, and partnerships.
• Define priority areas for business development across product franchises, which involves scoping market landscapes, evaluating unmet medical needs, sizing opportunities, and outlining product requirements.
• Foster business expansion by evaluating and recommending external product and business opportunities.
• Create scans of competitive and opportunity landscapes.
• Define the strategic logic behind opportunities, ensuring alignment with the Alcon portfolio and future care standards.
• Formulate early technical views on new technologies alongside Search & Evaluation and R&D teams.
• Perform commercial evaluations, collaborating with external parties on market, epidemiology, and payer research.
• Build business cases and financial models, covering valuation, P&Ls, cash flow, sensitivity analysis, and other financial metrics.
• Direct cross-functional groups to evaluate opportunities, including leading due diligence for investments.
• Gather input from project sponsors and key stakeholders to secure alignment.
• Engage with prospective partner organizations to broaden the understanding and scope of potential opportunities.
• Identify risks, mitigation strategies, and implementation options.

Requirements

• Possess a balanced skill set combining scientific and financial expertise.
• Hold a scientific degree such as an MSc or PhD in engineering, biology, physics, or a medical qualification like an OD or MD.
• Demonstrate extensive familiarity with the pharmaceutical and/or medical device sectors, ideally with experience in both.
• Have a track record of creating commercial assessments and forecasts for pharmaceutical or medical device products, including market research.
• Bring a minimum of 8 years of experience in consulting at a leading firm, private equity or venture capital focused on medical devices or biopharma, or business development and licensing at major pharmaceutical or medical device firms.
• Showcase experience in team leadership, project management, and negotiation.
• Exhibit strong stakeholder management skills, including the ability to present to executive committees or the C-suite.
• Communicate fluently in English, both written and spoken.

Nice to have

• An MBA degree.
• Hands-on experience within the ophthalmology sector.
• Proficiency in additional languages.

What the company offers

• Unique career advancement opportunities.
• Dedicated programs for professional growth and development.

About the company

Alcon is dedicated to improving vision and enabling people to see clearly. The organization promotes an inclusive environment that values employee contributions and acts quickly to make a positive impact on global eye health.

• Passion for enhancing vision and supporting brilliant sight.
• Inclusive culture that recognizes contributions and drives rapid action for global eye health.