Life Science Key Account Manager (XN09)

The Life Science Key Account Manager will work as part of a national Research Delivery Network (RDN) Industry facing team to develop and manage relationships with Life Sciences companies, and the NIHR wider stakeholders within the clinical research environment to attract and grow clinical research delivery in the UK.

Using horizon scanning data, business intelligence, NIHR expertise and relationships, the postholder will provide a tailored service to key accounts as a single conduit, representing the RDN nationally.

The postholder will promote the RDN services and will work closely with other key industry facing teams to explore opportunities and enable access to NIHR infrastructure.

The postholder will support the marketing of NIHR services to Industry and contribute to the shaping of new projects and services that meet the needs of Life Sciences customers. The postholder will proactively develop a profile across the RDN and work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.

Main duties of the job

1. Develop relationships with Life Sciences companies and NIHR stakeholders to enhance clinical research delivery in the UK.
2. Provide clear leadership to empower teams, drive innovation, and contribute to the development of RDN Life Science strategy.
3. Act as an ambassador for RDN, lead projects to improve research delivery, and advocate for key accounts.
4. Use business intelligence to identify opportunities for key accounts, support operational and strategic planning, and address barriers to study site setup and recruitment.
5. Lead staff performance and development through PDRs.
6. Oversee service delivery to meet quality, financial, and performance targets.
7. Develop and implement business plans, ensuring consistent service delivery.
8. Monitor resource efficiency, KPIs, and troubleshoot performance issues with research sites to improve delivery across the RDN.
9. Build and maintain relationships with stakeholders.
10. Present data on research capacity and performance to internal and external teams.
11. Foster a culture of continuous improvement.
12. Provide expert knowledge in commercial research delivery across health and social care, contributing to strategic decisions and service improvements.

About us

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). NIHR works in partnership with the NHS, universities, local government, other research funders, patients, and the public. The NIHR funds, enables and delivers world-leading health and social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing and promotes economic growth.

NIHR is a major funder of applied health research in low and middle-income countries. The whole of England will be supported through 12 NIHR Regional Research Delivery Networks (RRDNs). The RRDNs will work with the national Research Delivery Network Coordinating Centre (RDNCC) to provide a joint RDN leadership function so that the NIHR RDN as a whole functions as a single organisation with a shared vision and purpose across England.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk' members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any questions.

Job responsibilities

The RDN and DHSC have a vision for this role being a single conduit for key commercial partners to explore their pipeline, plan, place and facilitate effective delivery of their studies.

The Life Science Key Account Manager, as a senior manager in the Regional Research Delivery Network (RRDN), will work as part of a national Research Delivery Network (RDN) Industry facing team to develop and manage relationships with Life Sciences companies, and the NIHR wider stakeholders within the clinical research environment including non-commercial funders and other parts of the research ecosystem to attract and grow clinical research delivery in the UK.

This role will work closely with RDN Industry facing teams across the RDN to ensure equality and consistency of service for all customers, nationally and regionally. Using horizon scanning data, business intelligence and NIHR expertise and relationships, the postholder will provide a tailored service to key accounts as a single conduit, representing the RDN nationally.

The post holder will promote the RDN services, ensuring that key themes and opportunities are communicated into the RDN. The postholder will work closely with other key industry facing teams, External Affairs and Strategic Partnerships and the Department of Business and Trade to explore opportunities and enable access to NIHR infrastructure.

The postholder will support the marketing of NIHR services to Industry and contribute to the shaping of new projects and services that meet the needs of Life Sciences customers.

The postholder will proactively develop a profile across the RDN and work collaboratively with individuals and groups both internally, and with external stakeholders in a host of settings.

The post holder will be managed by the RRDN Strategic Development Director but will have a key relationship with the national RDNCC Life Science Director. The postholder will provide line management and oversee the work and personal development of the Industry Manager.

Together this team will support a culture of one network to deliver the life science strategy as a whole.

This role requires national travel and international travel.

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has 12 Regional Research Delivery Networks across the U.K. These work with the national Coordinating Centre (RDNCC) and the Department of Health and Social Care to provide a joint RDN leadership function via the RDN Board, so that the NIHR RDN operates as a single, transparent organisation with a shared vision and purpose.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is Host Organisation for the Yorkshire RRDN region.

The RDN supports the effective and efficient initiation and delivery of funded research across the health and care system in England for the benefit of patients, the health and care system and the economy.

The RDN supports clinical trials and other well-designed health and social care research studies (including studies that are delivered outside of an NHS setting); Public health studies that require the recruitment of individuals within an NHS setting (that is, acute, ambulance, mental health, community or primary care) or an episode of care which involves contact with the NHS.

The RRDNs have three key roles:

Providing support to research sites to enable the effective and efficient initiation and delivery of funded research across the health and care system in England.

Person Specification

Skills & behaviours

• Robust leadership skills
• Ability to exercise initiative
• Excellent organisational skills
• Team building and staff training skill
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills
• Ability to operate at all levels throughout an organisation
• Evidence of strong analytical skills and high level of numeracy
• Ability to work to tight deadlines under pressure
• Experience of managing a wide range of complex duties
• Ability to prepare and deliver presentations to a high standard
• Ability to plan, manage and deliver projects and activities, involving multiple agencies and individuals to tight deadlines
• Ability to manage challenging and stressful situations
• Strong problem-solving skills

Other Criteria

• Good IT skills, particularly in use of Web applications, Google Workspace applications and MS Office applications and with respect to research databases
• Able to lead, motivate, and delegate

Qualifications

• Significant experience or knowledge in research and development (R&D), science or healthcare
• Significant specialist knowledge of the NHS, R&D systems and the context of the importance of the life sciences in this context

Experience

• Experience of owning and writing complex business cases
• Broad knowledge and experience of utilising information technology to provide management information reports, particularly financial and activity reporting
• Experience at dealing with very senior people both internally and externally e.g. operational management
• Proven experience of working successfully as part of diffused leadership teams
• Proven staff management experience with the ability to gain their support, motivate and develop them
• Experience of managing a customer-focused service
• Experience of working in healthcare in an operational management or business management or development capacity
• Experience of working with the life sciences sector or working within R&D within the NHS/academic sector
• Ability to negotiate commercial contracts and non-commercial agreements with the commercial sector, the public sector, universities and charities
• Professional leadership at an operational level
• Experience at project management, with a good understanding of the complexities involved
• An understanding of business and marketing principles
• Research management and administration including governance, sponsorship, costings, contracts, finance and clinical trial agreements
• Appreciation of clinical research methodologies and trials organisation
• Advanced experience of using R&D databases
• Experience of working in the private healthcare sector and international business experience
• Senior level experience of managing R&D activity in the health and social care/university sector
• Demonstration of strategic thinking and strategy development
• Experience of design management and delivery of completed research projects in the health, social care or university sector