Aligning Business Development and Operations: How to Create Synergy Between Sales and Manufacturing Teams

In the CDMO space, business development teams are pressured to land high-value, strategic projects. But the moment the ink dries, execution becomes the responsibility of Operations (Program Management, Manufacturing, Quality, and Regulatory teams).

And that’s where the real work begins.

Too often, BD and Operations function like two separate worlds; one focused on the pitch, the other on the production. But the truth is: seamless execution starts well before project initiation. It depends on how well BD and Ops are aligned before, during, and after the handoff to Program Management.

Here’s a strategic framework for business development professionals to create better cross-functional alignment, set up project teams for success, and stay connected to client satisfaction, without stepping on Operations’ toes.

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1. Involve Operations Early Before Finalizing the Deal

Why it matters: Operational disconnects often stem from assumptions made during the proposal phase. Timelines, batch sizes, and readiness for tech transfer may sound feasible in conversation, but execution is another story.

Strategy: 

✔️ Formalize a “Pre-Kickoff Readiness” or “Go/No-Go” review that includes Manufacturing, QC, QA, and Regulatory Affairs before proposal submission or SOW signature. 

✔️ BD leads the relationship; Ops validates feasibility.

Example: A BD team once committed to a 12-week release timeline based on a client’s request. QA later flagged that analytical methods wouldn't be validated in time. If QC and QA had been involved pre-signature, expectations could’ve been established, and stress avoided.

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2. Clarify Scope with One Source of Truth

Why it matters: After BD closes the deal, Program Management takes over. However, if the scope is loosely defined or poorly documented, PMs may manage based on assumptions or outdated conversations.

Strategy: 

✔️ Use a standardized intake template or “Deal Summary” to capture key commitments, client expectations, and functional inputs. 

✔️ Ensure it’s reviewed by PM, validated by functional leads, and visible to all stakeholders.

Example: A client expected six months of stability data to be available ahead of a critical investor milestone, needing a rush order on testing, based on earlier conversations. But the scope did not account for any rush testing or expedited reports. QC and PM scoped per standard timelines. The clients' needs could have been identified and priced up front with a shared intake process and clear cross-functional signoff.

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3. Support Program Management with Context and Continuity

Why it matters: Program Managers carry the execution load, but BD often has more profound insights into client pressures, personalities, and priorities. That context can be invaluable when things get complicated (and they usually do).

Strategy: 

✔️ Schedule a formal BD-to-PM handoff that includes relationship dynamics, strategic context, and potential landmines, not just project scope. 

✔️ Stay lightly engaged post-handoff to monitor satisfaction and spot expansion opportunities.

Example: A PM was blindsided by the client's urgency around data for an investor meeting. BD had known this for weeks but hadn’t passed it along. A structured BD-to-PM handoff could’ve helped prioritize accordingly.

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4. Align Incentives and Visibility Across Teams

Why it matters: When BD is rewarded for bookings and Ops is measured on delivery efficiency, misalignment is inevitable. Worse, it can create an internal “us vs. them” dynamic that erodes client experience.

Strategy: 

✔️ Ensure early and transparent conversations around project timelines, milestones, and deliverables before the deal is signed. Having clear, shared expectations across all teams allows for smoother delivery later on.

✔️ At minimum, give BD visibility into project health dashboards and client satisfaction metrics even post-handoff.

Example: BD scoped a project assuming a standard batch record without confirming formulation complexity with the tech transfer team. Weeks into the project, the PM uncovered the need for custom equipment and additional process steps, triggering a scope change and a timeline slip. The PM team was tasked with managing the change order, but the client was frustrated by what felt like a bait-and-switch. If BD had validated assumptions with Manufacturing early on, the scope and client trust would’ve held firm.

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Final Thought

Business development success doesn’t end at contract signature; it just evolves.

It’s easy to view BD and Operations as distinct lanes: BD brings in the business, PM delivers it. But in practice, clients don’t experience you as departments; they experience you as one team. And that team’s ability to provide a cohesive, confident experience often hinges on how well BD and Ops are aligned behind the scenes.

Strong BD leaders know their role doesn’t stop at closing a deal. Their real value is in setting up internal teams to succeed by flagging risks early, aligning client expectations with operational capabilities, and ensuring that what’s promised can be delivered predictably and profitably.

At the same time, strong Ops and PM leaders recognize that BD isn’t just out chasing the next deal. They bring context, nuance, and relationship capital that can be essential in navigating sticky client situations, preventing churn, or creating follow-on opportunities.

The most successful CDMOs aren’t just great at selling or delivering. They’re great at orchestrating the handoff, ensuring that what’s said during the capabilities call aligns with what’s scoped in the SOW, and ultimately matches what the client experiences in execution.

So, ask yourself:

• Are your BD and Ops teams building trust together... or cleaning up after each other?

• Are your processes designed to surface gaps early... or to solve them late under pressure?

• Is client satisfaction treated as a shared outcome... or owned only by the PM?

When the answer is shared ownership, a CDMO moves from being a vendor to a strategic partner.

That’s not just operational efficiency, it’s business development done right.

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A Few Practical Steps:

• Build a standard BD-to-PM handoff template that includes strategic context, risks, and stakeholder dynamics.

  
  

• Involve Ops in pre-deal feasibility reviews to surface risks early.

  
  

• Standardize scoping documents and keep them client-facing and functionally grounded.

  
  

• Maintain BD involvement post-handoff with light-touch check-ins focused on relationship health, not micromanaging.

When BD and Ops collaborate intentionally, projects run smoother, clients stay happier, and long-term relationships thrive.