Bridging the gap between academic research and real-world solutions

The Commercial Hiring Challenge

For emerging biotech companies transitioning from research to commercialisation, building the right commercial team is one of the most critical decisions they will make. The first commercial hires — business development, market access, medical affairs — set the trajectory for product launch and revenue generation.

Yet many biotechs struggle to attract experienced commercial talent away from larger pharma companies, where stability and resources are more established. The challenge is not just finding qualified people, but finding the right people who thrive in a lean, fast-moving environment.

What Makes Biotech Hiring Different

Unlike established pharma, emerging biotech companies often need commercial leaders who can operate without large support teams. The ideal candidate is comfortable wearing multiple hats — building market access strategies while also presenting to investors, managing agency relationships and contributing to launch planning.

These companies also face timing pressure. Hire too early and you burn cash on overhead before the pipeline justifies it. Hire too late and you miss the window for effective pre-launch preparation. Getting the sequencing right requires a recruitment partner who understands both the science and the commercial reality.

Where We See Demand

The strongest demand we are seeing is for commercial roles in oncology, rare disease and cell and gene therapy — therapeutic areas where biotech innovation is most active. Specific roles include Head of Commercial, Market Access Directors, Business Development leads and Medical Science Liaisons with a commercial mindset.

We are also seeing increased demand for professionals who can bridge the gap between clinical development and commercial strategy, particularly those with experience in health technology assessment and payer engagement.

How AllPharma Helps

AllPharma Recruitment specialises in connecting emerging biotech companies with senior commercial professionals who are motivated by the opportunity to build something from the ground up. We understand what drives these candidates and how to position early-stage companies as attractive career moves.

Our network of over 80,000 life science professionals gives us access to talent that passive job boards simply cannot reach. We work closely with founders, CEOs and commercial leaders to build teams that can take products from pipeline to market.

If you are an emerging biotech looking to build or strengthen your commercial function, we would be happy to discuss how we can help you find the right people at the right time.