Head of NIHR Life Sciences Industry Engagement

We are hiring a pivotal leader to shape NIHR's industry engagement, unifying relationships and driving strategic growth to strengthen commercial research, increase investment and enhance global confidence in the UK's life sciences sector.

About Us

The NIHR, funded by the Department of Health and Social Care, is the UK's largest funder of health and social care research. It delivers world leading studies that improve health, wellbeing and economic growth with GMG providing critical operational and management support to its funding programs.

Job Description

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. The aim of this role is to maximise the impact of NIHR's Key Account Management and Business Development functions, ensuring NIHR presents a single, coordinated interface to the global life sciences industry.

The postholder will integrate and lead NIHR's 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. In this role, you 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

Strategic Leadership and Integration

Create a unified NIHR Key Account Management and Business Development model. Implement a national engagement framework linking the NIHR Coordinating Centre, RDN and wider infrastructure. Ensure industry partners experience NIHR as a single, coordinated system aligned with the Life Sciences Sector Plan.

KAM Transformation

Strengthen and professionalise the KAM function across NIHR. Assign each key sponsor a single senior relationship lead. Standardise KAM roles, principles, performance measures and governance. Improve collaboration with the Industry Hub to resolve sponsor and study level issues.

Business Development Leadership

Transform BD to grow NIHR's commercial research portfolio. Implement a unified Salesforce CRM pipeline. Deliver sector strategies for pharma, biotech and healthtech, including a clear SME offer. Produce shared operating models for KAM and BD.

Governance and Processes

Co-develop guiding principles and a governance framework defining roles, escalation and account transitions. Standardise external engagement practices. Establish national reporting enabling DHSC, NIHR Board, and HMG to track performance and impact.

Industry Hub Integration

Work closely with the Industry Hub to align engagement with delivery. Connect KAM/BD insights with performance data and dashboards. Maintain real time feedback between sponsor engagement and study delivery.

Performance and Reporting

Set and track metrics on trial growth, investment, conversion, sponsor satisfaction, and reduction of duplication. Lead quarterly performance reviews and provide impact reports aligned with NIHR's Industry Metrics Framework.

Culture and Capability

Build a skilled national team with strong commercial and relationship capabilities. Promote collaboration and accountability. Deliver development programmes to enhance commercial and negotiation skills while modelling NIHR's core values.

About You

Essential Criteria

• Senior leadership in business development, account management or strategic partnerships in life sciences/healthcare
• Proven ability to deliver measurable industry driven growth
• Strong understanding of NIHR, NHS R&D and the UK life sciences sector
• Experience leading cultural and structural change in large organisations
• Excellent executive level relationship management and negotiation skills
• Strategic thinker able to link engagement to system-wide outcomes

Desired Criteria

• Experience in pharma, biotech or healthtech
• Leading transformation across complex, multi stakeholder systems
• Experience across devolved administrations or international networks
• Familiarity with CRM/performance systems (e.g. Salesforce)
• Relevant business, leadership or innovation qualification
• Understanding of UK life sciences policy and industrial strategy

Performance Measures

• Unified NIHR KAM/BD model operational within Year 1
• Growth in commercial study activity and reinvestment
• Higher conversion from engagement to active contracts
• Reduced duplication across industry facing functions
• Improved sponsor satisfaction and coherence of NIHR offer
• Evidenced contribution to UK life sciences performance metrics

Compensation, Benefits & Working Arrangements:

Salary: Commensurate with experience

Location: Victoria, London / Hybrid working model

Contract Type: Permanent/full time

Working Hours: 37.5 per week

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

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.

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.