Senior Director of Business Development

Senior Director of Business Development

Chicago, Illinois, United States

The Senior Director of Business Development will serve as the primary architect of regional growth, responsible for identifying, evaluating, and executing practice affiliations and acquisitions throughout the Midwest. This leadership role requires a sophisticated understanding of dental practice valuations, exceptional relationship-building skills, and a strategic approach to scaling multi-location operations. You will be the face of our organization to potential doctor-partners, translating our clinical philosophy and operational advantages into compelling affiliation agreements.

As a trusted advisor to executive leadership, the Senior Director of Business Development will leverage expertise in dental management, data analysis, market intelligence, and workforce insights to ensure Elite Dental Partners generates standards in support, building and scale in line with a world class support organization poised for scale. This leader will build scalable business development pipeline, optimize management of current offices and ensure targeted elevation of existing platform and promotion for future growth through that strengthening responsiveness to organizational needs and targeted improvements.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategic Sourcing & Pipeline Development & Daily Operational Support

• Develop and execute a targeted Midwest expansion strategy, aligning with the organization's broader geographic and financial goals.
• Support responsively to daily operational needs of physical plans from floor to roof to ensure continuation of business operation and practice standards.
• Leverage peer-vetted professional sourcing and deep networks within the dental industry to identify high-quality practice affiliation targets, prioritizing relationship-based acquisitions over general outbound crowdsourcing.
• Cultivate long-term relationships with practice owners, study clubs, and regional dental associations to maintain a robust, proprietary pipeline of acquisition opportunities.
• Ensure management tracking of KPIs in partnership with operations to support growth of P&L

Financial Evaluation & Deal Structuring

• Conduct preliminary financial analyses of prospective practices, evaluating trailing EBITDA, production metrics, patient demographics, and payer mixes.
• Draft and present Letters of Intent (LOIs), working closely with executive leadership to structure competitive, win-win affiliation agreements.
• Collaborate seamlessly with external counsel, financial analysts, and our internal corporate leadership to guide deals from initial discovery through successful closing.

Due Diligence & Integration Handoff

• Lead the initial phases of due diligence, ensuring clinical and operational alignment between the target practice and our organizational standards.
• Assess practice readiness for technological and clinical workflow upgrades (e.g., transition to digital scanning, practice management software migrations).
• Facilitate a smooth transition to the Operations and Integration teams post-acquisition to ensure minimal disruption to the clinic's staff and patient base
• Establish and manage business intelligence dashboards and key performance indicators, including:
• Practice projects and market expansions
• Vendor performance
• Revenue growth to business development initiatives
• Analyze workforce trends and provide actionable insights to executive leadership.
• Develop forecasting models and reporting tools that support informed business decisions.
• Present talent performance updates, workforce risks, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing Business Development team focused on innovation, accountability, and operational excellence.
• Establish clear performance expectations, development plans, and succession strategies for business development.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, inclusion, continuous improvement, and customer service.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to business leaders regarding existing asset management, improvement, expansions opportunities, and organizational effectiveness.
• Direct assessment activities and practice requests. Coordinate resources and facilitate resolution of operational issues.

Compliance, Governance & Risk Management

• Ensure plan within budget for best-in-class maintenance of existing offices and in compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
• Partner with Legal, Compliance, and Credentialing teams to support compliant state specific and national standard for dental practices.
• Maintain policies, procedures, and governance frameworks that support organizational compliance and risk mitigation.

Other Job Responsibilities

• Lead special projects and enterprise talent initiatives as assigned.
• Champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging efforts throughout the talent lifecycle.
• Stay informed on evolving dental business market trends, best practices, and emerging markets of opportunity.
• Support M&A integration activities, workforce transitions, and organizational growth initiatives as needed.

What We Offer

• Competitive base salary with a highly lucrative, performance-based commission/bonus structure tied to successful acquisitions.
• Comprehensive executive benefits package.
• The opportunity to play a pivotal, high-visibility role in scaling an established, multi-state organization to its next tier of growth.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Experience: 7+ years of proven success in Business Development, M&A, or strategic sales, specifically within the DSO, dental, or broader healthcare sectors.
• Market Knowledge: Demonstrated understanding of the Midwest dental market, plant management, including regulatory nuances, competitive landscape, and established professional networks in the region.
• Financial Acumen: Strong ability to analyze P&L statements, understand complex deal structures, and articulate the financial benefits of DSO affiliation to private practice owners.
• Communication: Executive-level presentation skills with the ability to build immediate trust and rapport with clinical founders and doctors.
• Travel: Willingness to travel extensively (up to 50-60%) across the Midwest territory for site visits, networking events, and in-person negotiations.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work in a standard office or remote office environment
• Prolonged periods of sitting while working at computer, including viewing a monitor and using computer equipment
• Ability to communicate effectively via phone, video conferencing, and in-person meetings
• Occasional standing, walking, bending, and reaching as required for meetings or office activities
• Ability to lift and/or move items up to 15 pounds on occasional basis
• Visual acuity sufficient to read documents, review data, and work on digital platforms
• Will require physical travel up to 30% for meetings, events, and vendor engagements

The above statements are intended to provide a general overview and level of work being performed by most people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be a list of all responsibilities, duties and requirements. Additional duties can be assigned as determined.

Elite Dental Partners is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We support a diverse workforce.

Salaried Rate

$150,000 - $175,000 USD

We take great pride in helping our communities be healthier, feel better, and smile with confidence. Daily, we are driven by our vision to provide an elite patient experience tailored to their needs to receive the best care possible.

Not only do our team members find it rewarding to help patients be healthier, but they also enjoy being part of an organization that supports their growth. Our commitment to professional development and promoting internally when appropriate allows for tremendous career opportunities.