Business Unit Director, Specialty Care

About the role

As Business Unit Director, you will be responsible for building, leading, and inspiring a high-performing commercial team while driving the strategic and operational direction of the business. This role offers the chance to work at the intersection of science, strategy, and patient impact — making a tangible difference in the rare disease space.

Reports to: General Manager, UK & RoI

Location: Hybrid role with the expectation of attendance at the Cambridge office (minimum 1 day/week as an average) and relevant off-site meetings including some global travel. Travel to the Cambridge office will not be reimbursed due to the additional benefit of flexible home-based working.

Your impact will include

• Lead and develop the cross-functional Business Unit, ensuring close alignment with Medical, Patient Access, Patient Engagement and HQ functions.
• Champion Sobi’s culture of excellence in customer engagement and Key Account Management, strengthening our presence in rare disease therapeutic areas.
• Act as a key member of the UK & Ireland Leadership Team, driving the ‘One Sobi’ vision across the affiliate.
• Define and deliver innovative marketing strategies for current brands and pipeline products, ensuring alignment with local and global priorities.
• Own customer engagement by building and maintaining trusted relationships with healthcare professionals, patient organisations, and access stakeholders.
• Take full accountability for the Business Unit’s P&L, including forecasting, budgeting, and delivery against KPIs.
• Recruit, train, develop and lead marketing and sales teams with the goal of building a high performing team

About you

We are looking for a strategic yet hands-on leader who can inspire teams, build trusted relationships, and deliver results in a complex healthcare landscape. With strong business acumen, deep understanding of rare diseases, and the ability to navigate senior NHS stakeholders, they combine vision with execution. Resilient, collaborative, and driven by patient impact, they embody Sobi’s values and lead with both purpose and excellence.  

What we’re looking for

• A university degree in life sciences, medicine, or business (MBA/postgraduate qualification desirable).
• 10+ years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry, with a proven track record in sales and/or marketing.
• Strong leadership experience, successfully managing and developing teams.
• Expertise in rare diseases and familiarity with the challenges and opportunities within this space.
• Proven success in budget management, sales forecasting, and commercial delivery.
• Experience influencing senior NHS stakeholders and navigating access and reimbursement processes.
• In-depth knowledge of the ABPI Code of Practice (essential).
• Experience in Oncology, product launches, and cross-therapy work (advantageous).

Here at Sobi we live by our core values: Care, Ambition, Urgency, Ownership and Partnership!

How to apply

We have an ongoing selection process in this recruitment and ask you to send your application as soon as possible. Click apply and include your resume!

Why Join Us?

Here at Sobi, our mission and culture get us excited to come to work every day, but here are a few more reasons to join our team:

• Emphasis on work/life balance
• Collaborative and team-oriented environment
• Opportunities for professional growth
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Competitive compensation for your work
• Making a positive impact to help ultra-rare disease patients who are in need of life saving treatments

We are a global company with over 1,900 employees in more than 30 countries and are committed to the societies where we operate. With a deeply skilled management team directing our day-to-day wins, and a Board with a stellar track record, we’re ready to take on the world’s diseases, ailments and adversity. Our people believe they have the power to make a positive impact in others’ lives because that’s exactly what we do here. If you’re seeking a career that taps into your talents in a way that makes the world a better, healthier place, we just may have a job for you.

We know our employees are our most valuable asset, and our culture conveys that. We offer a competitive benefits package, to support the health and happiness of our staff.

Sobi Culture

At Sobi, we refuse to accept the status quo. This is because we have witnessed first-hand the challenges facing those affected by rare diseases and have used this knowledge to shape our business to find new ways of helping them.

As a specialized biopharmaceutical company, we are dedicated to rare diseases. And we see this focus as a strength. By effectively turning our research into ground-breaking treatments, we help make medicine more accessible and open up more possibilities for patients and more opportunities for those caring for them. This has been our approach since day one, but we know we can’t change the world of rare diseases on our own. Accomplishing this requires strong partnerships with patients, partners and stakeholders across the entire value chain. Together, we define how our business can create solutions that serve the needs of those affected by rare diseases while facilitating sustainable growth.