Director, Strategic Planning

Oxford Nanopore has developed a new generation of nanopore-based sensing technology for faster information-rich accessible and affordable molecular analysis. The technology is used to understand and characterise the biology of humans animals plants bacteria viruses and diseases such as cancer. By enabling biological insights we strive to improve life on Earth and beyond.

Director Strategic Planning

Location: Oxford (Hybrid)

Oxford Nanopore is seeking a highly motivated analytically sharp individual to join its Corporate team as Director of Strategic Planning. This role sits at the centre of ONTs enterprise planning system shaping how the business aligns around its strategic goals and drives execution at scale.

Reporting to the VP Strategic Planning you will operationalise ONTs enterprise planning processes working closely with the VP Strategic Planning to ensure structure focus and cross-functional execution. Youll enable high-quality decisions trade-offs and coordination across functionsensuring the companys most important priorities are clearly defined well-owned and effectively tracked.

This role will focus on building the infrastructure of strategic focus at one of the most innovative companies in ideal candidate will have a strong analytical and systems mindset be proactive in shaping focus where processes are still being built and bring energy to scaling ONTs impact through structured insight-led planning.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning and Alignment

• Shape and run the annual and quarterly planning calendar ensuring alignment across functions in the organization.
• Drive integration of long-range plans and annual objectives into actionable cross-functional deliverables.
• Coordinate cross-functional input and ensure alignment around business priorities.

Program and Initiative Governance

• Maintain the central portfolio of strategic initiatives ensuring each has clear ownership scope and measurable outcomes.
• Facilitate initiative prioritisation enabling transparent trade-offs across functions and business units.
• Partner with Project Management BI&A and Finance teams to ensure resource performance and impact visibility across the portfolio.

Strategic Insight & Executive Support

• Develop clear insight-driven materials that support strategic clarity and informed decision-making by senior leadership.
• Provide structured insight through targeted market technology and competitor analysis.
• Support scenario planning and long-range growth modelling in collaboration with Finance and BI&A.
• Work closely with the VP Strategic Planning and leadership team to shape priorities bring structured insight to decisions and help ensure strategic clarity.

Candidate Profile:

• 5 years of experience in corporate strategy life sciences/tech consulting commercial or strategic roles in high-growth companies.
• Experience in genomics diagnostics life sciences tools or biotech is highly desirable
• Exceptional problem-solver with strong commercial intuition and a high bar for analytical quality.
• Proven ability to navigate ambiguity influence without authority and lead structured thinking across functions.
• Excellent communicator capable of simplifying complexity and delivering materials that support clear and confident decision-making by senior stakeholders
• Comfortable operating cross-functionally and independently in fast-paced environments.
• Undergraduate degree in life sciences; MBA or similar is a plus.

Why this role

This is a rare opportunity to help institutionalise the strategic planning discipline at ONT. Youll work closely with leadership help define and operationalise how the company aligns and delivers on its strategy and be instrumental in building the structures and rhythm that ensure strategic ambition becomes execution reality.

Please note that no terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate on the grounds of a persons gender marital status race religion colour age disability or sexual orientation. Every candidate will be assessed only in accordance with their merits qualifications and abilities to perform the duties of the job.

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