Head of NIHR Life Sciences Industry Engagement

The Head of NIHR Life Sciences Industry Engagement is responsible for delivering a unified strategic and outcomes-driven industry engagement model across the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

The aim of this role is  to maximise the impact of NIHRs Key Account Management (KAM) and Business Development (BD) functions ensuring NIHR presents a single coordinated interface to the global life sciences industry.

The postholder will integrate and lead NIHRs engagement activity across multiple organisations and infrastructures transforming it from an activity-based function to a business-focused growth unit that delivers measurable outcomes- including increased commercial trials inward investment and strengthened industry confidence in the UK.

They will work closely with the Head of the NIHR Industry Hub to ensure that engagement directly drives delivery aligning relationships study setup and performance into one end-to-end offer.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership and System Integration

• Establish a cross-NIHR Key Account Management  and Business Development model - uniting currently fragmented functions into a single coherent industry-facing offer
• Define and operationalise a clear national industry engagement framework that links the NIHR Coordinating Centre Research Delivery Network (RDN) and wider NIHR infrastructure
• Ensure industry partners experience NIHR as a single joined-up system- balancing research delivery strengths with NIHRs broader innovation translational and data capabilities
• Oversee alignment of engagement functions with the Life Sciences Sector Plan and NIHRs Life Sciences Industry Strategy

2. Key Account Management (KAM) Transformation

• Expand and professionalise the NIHR KAM function to operate across the full NIHR system
• Ensure each key sponsor has a single senior NIHR relationship lead with full visibility of all their studies collaborations and innovation partnerships
• Introduce standardised KAM principles role definitions and performance measures across NIHR ensuring consistency and accountability
• Establish governance escalation and feedback loops to continuously improve the sponsor experience
• Strengthen collaboration between KAMs and the Industry Hub ensuring sponsor issues and study-level challenges are rapidly resolved

3. Business Development (BD) Leadership

• Transform NIHRs Business Development function responsible for generating new partnerships and expanding NIHRs commercial research portfolio
• Introduce a unified pipeline management system (Salesforce CRM) to track qualify and convert industry opportunities from engagement to contract
• Deliver and regularly review  sector-specific strategies for pharma biotech and healthtech ensuring NIHR proactively engages with companies at all stages of maturity - from SMEs to global multinationals
• Develop and promote a clear SME offer
• Co-produce guiding principles and operating models for KAM and BD across NIHR

4. Governance Processes and Principles

• Lead co-development of the Guiding Principles and Governance Framework for KAM and BD ensuring:
  • Clear delineation of roles responsibilities and escalation processes
  • Defined procedures for transitioning accounts between teams with no loss of continuity
  • Common standards for conference participation external representation and industry communications
  • Transparent reporting and shared accountability through an Industry Delivery Board structure
• Establish a national reporting framework that enables DHSC NIHR Board and HMG to track performance growth and impact across all industry-facing functions

5. Integration with the Industry Hub

• Work in strategic partnership with the Head of the NIHR Industry Hub to ensure engagement activity translates into delivery outcomes
• Align KAM and BD intelligence with the Hubs performance data and dashboards
• Establish a real-time feedback loop between sponsor engagement and operational delivery supporting rapid escalation and issue resolution
• Collaborate to maintain sponsor visibility and confidence from initial contact through to study delivery and last patient out

6. Performance Outcomes and Reporting

• Define and deliver measurable performance metrics including:
  • Growth in commercial trials and investment
  • Conversion rate from engagement to new clinical trial or industry collaborative project
  • Reduction in duplication and fragmentation across engagement functions.
  • Sponsor satisfaction retention and repeat business
  • Efficiency gains in account transition and partner management
• Lead quarterly performance reviews providing insight reports  to DHSC and NIHR leadership on engagement effectiveness and system impact
• Ensure all reporting aligns with the NIHR Industry Metrics Framework and UK Life Sciences Competitiveness Indicators

7. Culture Capability and Workforce

• Build and lead a national team with the commercial relationship and analytical skills to engage credibly with global life sciences companies
• Promote a culture of collaboration transparency and accountability across all industry-facing NIHR teams
• Deliver structured development programmes for KAMs and BD staff to build commercial awareness and negotiation skills
• Model NIHRs core values partnership inclusivity and innovation in all engagement activity

Qualifications :

Person Specification:
Essential Criteria 

• Senior leadership experience in business development account management or strategic partnerships within life sciences or healthcare
• Proven success in delivering measurable growth through industry collaboration
• Strong understanding of NIHR NHS R&D and the UK life sciences landscape
• Demonstrated ability to lead cultural and structural change within large organisations
• Excellent relationship management and negotiation skills at executive level
• Strategic thinker with ability to link engagement activity to system-wide outcomes

Desired Criteria

• Experience working with or within the pharmaceutical biotech or healthtech sectors
• Track record of leading transformation across complex multi-stakeholder systems
• Experience of working across devolved administrations or international research networks
• Familiarity with CRM and performance analytics systems (e.g. Salesforce)
• Formal qualification in business leadership or health innovation management
• Understanding of UK life sciences policy and industrial strategy
   

Performance Measures

• Unified cross-NIHR KAM and BD model operational by end of Year 1.
• Increase in commercial studies initiated completed and reinvested.
• Improved conversion rate from engagement to active contract.
• Reduced duplication across NIHR industry-facing functions.
• Positive sponsor feedback on coherence and responsiveness of NIHRs offer.
• Demonstrable impact on NIHRs contribution to UK life sciences growth metrics.

Impact Statement
This role will deliver one of NIHRs most significant organisational transformations uniting fragmented industry engagement into a single strategic and accountable system that speaks to industry with one voice.

By turning engagement into measurable business outcomes the Head of NIHR Life Sciences Industry Engagement will strengthen sponsor confidence accelerate investment and ensure NIHR plays a central role in delivering the UKs ambition to be the best place in the world to develop test and adopt life sciences innovation.

Additional Information :

Compensation Benefits & Working Arrangements:
Salary: Commensurate with experience
Location: Victoria London / Hybrid working model
Contract Type: Permanent Contract 
Working Hours: 37.5 per week 7.5 hours per day
Annual Leave: 25 days plus UK public holidays

Employee Benefits Include:
Annual discretionary bonus 
Enhanced Contributory Pension Scheme
Life Insurance Cover
Benenden Healthcare Membership
Training and Development Opportunities 
Season Ticket Loan

NB: We offer a range of work life balance and family friendly flexible working arrangements. This is an office based hybrid role with an expectation for all employees to attend our offices 1 day each week this may increase subject to team requirements. 

Application
If you are excited about the prospect of joining our team and believe you possess the relevant skills and background we invite you to apply. Please submit your CV along with a Statement of Suitability that showcases your key skills and experiences in relation to the Essential and Desired Criteria outlined in the job description. Additionally share your enthusiasm for working with the NIHR. 

Deadline for applications TBA   

Inclusion and Diversity
LGC strongly believes that every job applicant and employee should be valued for their individual talents regardless of age disability race colour ethnic or national origin sex sexual orientation gender reassignment marital or civil partnership pregnancy or maternity religion or belief. Short listing interviewing and selection will always be carried out without regard to gender sexual orientation marital status colour race nationality ethnic or national origins religion or belief age or trade union membership.

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time