Job Summary:

The Strategic Solutions & Story Architecture Lead partners with Business Development, Proposal Management, Clinical Operations, Medical, Biometrics, and Subject Matter Experts to shape compelling customer-facing narratives for clinical development opportunities. The role acts as the story architect for priority pursuits, translating complex scientific, operational, and commercial inputs into a clear, differentiated storyline that connects the sponsor's challenge, the proposed solution, and the organization's value.

This role owns the narrative architecture of bid defense presentations and other strategic pursuit materials. It establishes the central story, message hierarchy, evidence, flow, and audience experience, then guides cross-functional contributors in bringing that story to life. The role combines strategic thinking, clinical development knowledge, storytelling, presentation design, facilitation, and commercial acumen to strengthen customer engagement, improve bid defense performance, and increase win rates.

Main Responsibilities:

• Lead cross-functional story architecture sessions for priority opportunities, bringing together Business Development, Operations, Medical, Biometrics, Proposal Management, and relevant SMEs.
• Partner with the BD Lead to define sponsor priorities, evaluation criteria, decision drivers, competitive hot buttons, and the central question the pursuit must answer.
• Set the win strategy, overarching story, strategic themes, and message hierarchy for each pursuit.
• Translate complex scientific, operational, and commercial information into clear, sponsor-focused messages that are persuasive and memorable.
• Develop storyboards that connect sponsor needs with the proposed solution, delivery model, differentiators, proof points, and expected value.
• Create executive-ready bid defense presentations and reusable narrative frameworks, messaging templates, and story structures.
• Ensure each slide has a clear purpose and advances a coherent end-to-end audience journey.
• Build differentiated value messages supported by relevant evidence, case studies, and proof points.
• Coordinate slide ownership and content development across contributors while maintaining a consistent voice, storyline, and level of quality.
• Maintain alignment across the written proposal, operational strategy, executive messaging, bid defense deck, and follow-up materials.
• Coach presenters on message clarity, narrative delivery, transitions, consistency, and audience engagement.
• Use competitive intelligence and market insight to sharpen positioning and strengthen the pursuit narrative.
• Partner with creative and presentation teams so visual design reinforces the narrative and improves comprehension.
• Capture lessons learned and maintain a library of validated narratives, proof points, and best practices to improve future pursuits.

Minimum Education & Experience:

• 7+ years of experience in CRO, pharmaceutical, biotech, proposal development, commercial strategy, clinical operations, business development, strategic communications, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience supporting RFPs, proposals, bid defenses, capture planning, or strategic sales pursuits.
• Proven ability to turn complex information into clear, audience-centered strategic narratives.
• Advanced PowerPoint and executive presentation development skills, including storyboarding and message hierarchy.
• Excellent storytelling, writing, facilitation, coaching, and verbal communication skills.
• Strong commercial judgement and the ability to identify and articulate meaningful differentiation.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• Ability to manage multiple high-priority pursuits in a deadline-driven environment.

Preferred Education & Experience (optional):

• CRO proposal management or bid defense leadership.
• Operational strategy, clinical project management, or solution design.
• Business development enablement, capture management, or win strategy.
• Executive communications, presentation coaching, or strategic storytelling.
• Experience developing reusable narrative frameworks, content libraries, or AI-enabled knowledge assets.
• Experience working with design teams or applying visual storytelling principles.

Knowledge, Skills and Competencies: 

• Strategic pursuit storytelling with the ability to develop compelling, client-centric narratives that clearly articulate solution value, win themes, and competitive differentiation.
• Executive communication and presentation excellence, including the creation of executive-ready storyboards, presentations, and messaging that resonate with senior decision-makers and stakeholders.
• Solution positioning and differentiation expertise, with the ability to identify, shape, and communicate strategic differentiators, proof points, and value propositions that strengthen pursuit competitiveness.
• Stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, with a proven ability to build alignment and commitment among sponsors, pursuit leaders, subject matter experts, and executive stakeholders.
• Facilitation and presentation coaching capability, including leading workshops, guiding strategic discussions, and preparing presenters to deliver confident, consistent, and impactful messages.
• Strategic thinking and business acumen, with the ability to align pursuit messaging and strategy to client priorities, business objectives, market dynamics, and growth opportunities.
• Advanced content development and quality management skills, ensuring the delivery of clear, coherent, accurate, and high-quality pursuit materials with exceptional attention to detail.
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, respond to changing requirements, and deliver high-quality outputs within compressed timelines.
• Knowledge management and continuous improvement capability, including the capture, curation, and reuse of lessons learned, best practices, and proven narrative assets to improve pursuit effectiveness and efficiency.
• Collaborative and results-oriented approach, demonstrating the ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams while driving measurable business outcomes, stakeholder satisfaction, and pursuit success.