Strategic Lead for Industry
Strategic Lead for Industry
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£ 58225 - 67468
1 Vacancy
Job Description
Salary: 58225 to 67468 per annum
Newcastle University is a great place to work with excellentbenefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.
Closing Date: 25 September 2025
The Role
The NIHR Research Support Service (RSS) provides expert guidance and input to applied health public health and social care researchers on the design and delivery of research and the development of research funding applications.
The NIHR RSS operates as a national service allowing researchers to access the most appropriate support irrespective of location. The NIHR RSS is delivered through RSS Hubs and Specialist Centres each a partnership of research organisations and groups and offering a wide range of research support and methods expertise.
Historically services that provide health and care research support have largely engaged with colleagues in higher education institutions and the National Health Service. Over time this has evolved and led to requests for research support from a range of settings including industry and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within the Health and Life Sciences Sector.
The NIHR recognises the pivotal role that SMEs play in driving economic growth and enhancing the UKs position in the global market. This has been strongly reinforced by the recent report following the Department of Health and Social Cares Review of NIHRs Industry Engagement and Delivery (January 2025) which placed greater strategic emphasis on SME engagement. Plans are underway to establish an NIHR RSS Specialist Service for Industry (SSI) to further strengthen the RSS offer to industry/SMEs enabling world-class research in the Health and Life Sciences sector. This direction aligns with broader government priorities as evidenced by the increased focus on the Health and Life Sciences Sector in both the UKs Modern Industrial Strategy and the 10 Year Health Plan for England both published in 2025.
We are looking to appoint a Strategic Lead for Industry to join the NIHR Research Support Service (RSS) delivered by Newcastle University and Partners hosted within the Population Health Sciences Institute at Newcastle University.
The successful applicant will have a substantial knowledge and experience at a senior level of working with industry and SMEs including start-ups spinouts investors and the wider business support ecosystem. Their strong leadership skills will assist the development and delivery of an England-wide NIHR RSS SSI.
The successful applicant will meet researchers and innovators via MS Teams or face to face on a one to one or small group basis to find out about their project what their needs are and continue to support them throughout their funding application process.
The successful applicant will also play a key role in building research capacity as part of a range of activities and will support the promotion of the NIHR Research Support Service through a variety of mechanisms.
The role is available up to 1 whole time equivalent (37 hours per week) fixed term until 30 September 2028.
For informal enquiries please contact.
To apply applicants should provide evidence of how they meet the essential criteria required for the role outlined in the job description/person specification by uploading a letter of application along with a Curriculum Vitae (CV).
Key Accountabilities
Strategy Development and Implementation
- Lead the development and delivery of an England-wide NIHR RSS Strategy for Industryand SMEs aligning with the NIHRs industry strategy and working across the NIHR
infrastructure and with the NIHR Industry Team. This will involve close working with the Director of the NIHR RSS Hub delivered by Newcastle University and Partners the RSS
National Collaborative colleagues within the NIHR RSS SSI industry-focussed colleagues within NIHR infrastructure a range of SMEs and NIHR RSS colleagues from Hubs and
Specialist Centres across England - Scope develop and deliver industry/SME workstreams nationally identifying gaps in methodological knowledge and know how and addressing industry/SME needs
- Lead horizon scanning of business and partnership opportunities engaging with industry and SME networks regionally and nationally identifying trends and emerging
needs to inform and shape training strategy and policy. Share insights refinements ofservices and outcomes across the NIHR infrastructure to influence and align with
industry best practice - Demonstrate economic growth through industry/SME growth and wider research collaborations
- Lead the development of high-quality guidance and input delivered to those contacting the NIHR RSS from the industry/SME setting by developing expertise within the team. This includes designing and delivering targeted capacity-building initiatives that equip colleagues with the contextual knowledge cultural awareness and language required to operate confidently in commercial environments
- Effectively lead and manage a portfolio of initiatives to support industry/SMEs ensuring activities are appropriately planned resourced delivered and evaluated
- Develop and deploy appropriate processes to capture report and retain evidence of impact supporting NIHR and Department of Health and Social Care Annual Reporting requirements
Engagement Partnerships and Integration
- Devise and implement a comprehensive engagement strategy and robust marketing plan to promote the NIHR RSS offer to industry/SMEs in England resulting in an increase
in the number of requests from this setting and bridging the gap between innovatorsand academic colleagues realising collaborative opportunities - Effect changes to bring the NIHR RSS to the industry/SME setting providing a one-stop shop into research support and actively brokering collaborations with the wider
ecosystem - Establish new and develop existing links with industry/SME networks regionally and nationally
- Work with partners across the vast and complex business support ecosystem including relevant funders to ensure knowledge mobilisation and signpost to other NIHR
programmes and the NIHR Industry Team - Represent the NIHR RSS at local regional national and international meetings events and conferences preparing and delivering presentations as appropriate
- Promote equality and diversity and a culture of organisational learning in working practices
Capacity Building and Knowledge Mobilisation
- Embed an agile lean and customer-focused mindset across the RSS and wider academic community ensuring alignment with industry expectations and accelerating impact. This work is critical to fostering a sustainable pipeline of industry-ready research expertise and directly supports national innovation and economic growth agendas
- Design and deliver targeted capacity-building initiatives that equip colleagues with the contextual knowledge cultural awareness and language required to operate confidently
in commercial environments - Work with key partners including Clinical Trials Units and statisticians to support industry capacity building and knowledge mobilisation informing the efficient design and conduct of trials and studies
- Implement an effective quality system ensuring products and services meet standards and expectations
- Work nationally with the NIHR RSS Strategic Lead for Capacity Development to ensure capacity development initiatives are inclusive of industry/SME needs
The Person
Knowledge Skills and Experience
- Substantial track record and credibility in the industry field to guide and influence academic colleagues
- Substantial knowledge and experience at a senior level of working with industry and SMEs including start-ups spinouts investors and the wider business support ecosystem
- Knowledge of the SME landscape as it relates to the Department of Health and Social Care and Department for Business and Trade
- Understanding of emerging trends in the UK health and care funding environment including pertinent departmental strategy and policy
- Demonstrable ability for strategic thinking and planning including project management to plan workstreams and deliver outputs
- Knowledge of the regulatory context for industry/SMEs in health and care research
- Experience of designing and delivering team development and capacity development activities and workshops
- Exemplary communication and interpersonal skills including diplomacy negotiating and influencing at a senior level
- Proven leadership skills in a multi-stakeholder environment pre-empting requirements identifying opportunities and facilitating change management including developing and growing teams
- Extensive experience of shaping strategic direction as a result of leading and working with teams across multiple departments or organisations and multi-disciplinary teams
- Significant experience of programme and/or project management and demonstrable ability to deliver results on time and within budget
- Strong analytical skills including the ability to evaluate existing workstreams and identify themes trends strengths opportunities and threats. Be able to respond appropriately based on the analysis
- Strong and sound professional judgement and decision-making skills proactively resolving issues as they arise
- Experience developing and delivering quality systems to ensure products and services meet standards and expectations
- Experience leading horizon scanning activities
- High level of attention to detail
- Line management experience and being responsible for the performance of teams without a direct line management relationship
Desirable
- Experience of working with a Clinical Trials Unit
- Knowledge of the NIHR Research Support Service and/or other NIHR infrastructure
Attributes and Behaviour
- Articulate confident and politically adept communicator ready and able to sell a vision deal with difficult situations and to challenge where necessary
- Politically astute
- Able to work creatively and consultatively to find solutions including using thematic review and benchmarking to analyse existing practices
- Values equality diversity inclusion differing levels of expertise and differing opinions
- Able to think strategically in complex situations including where there are conflicting priorities
- Ability to analyse interpret apply and communicate highly complex or sensitive information
- Ability to plan manage adjust and deliver complex projects involving multiple agencies and individuals and a broad range of activities to tight deadlines in a commercial fastmoving agile setting
Qualifications
- Educated to degree level or evidence of equivalent relevant experience
- Project management qualification or evidence of equivalent relevant experience
- Leadership and management qualification or evidence of equivalent relevant experience
Desirable
- Post-graduate degree in a relevant subject
- Mentoring or coaching qualification
Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.
We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.
At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.
In addition we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.
Requisition ID: 28592
Employment Type
Full-Time
