Head of Commercial

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Head of Commercial to work with Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust to take a leading role in growing our research portfolio to develop and deliver translational mental health research opportunities and practice to our populations and communities.

The successful post holder will identify and foster strategic partnerships within the mental health industry. Cultivating relationships with pharmaceutical companies, biomedical research institutions, technology and digital organisations and regulatory bodies to advance the development and implementation of mental health innovations via both clinical trials and using more pioneering real world evidence approaches.

The post holder will leverage these partnerships and ensure effective commercial governance arrangements to bring innovative treatments and therapies to the forefront of mental health care, supporting Mersey Care's growing research portfolio to develop and deliver translational mental health research opportunities and practice to our populations and communities.

They will act as a Senior Responsible Officer for defined programmes, working with integrated teams across Mersey Care and M-RIC, focusing on our industry and commercial function and working closely with Executive Team and their Deputies.

Main duties of the job

The Head of Commercial Innovation will have responsibility to develop a sustainable footprint for the long term. Ensuring continuity of revenue from our partners, growing our clinical trials and research advisory services and developing a portfolio of accounts so we can enable ground-breaking discoveries in mental health therapies and treatments that improve our patients' lives.

Building on successes such as the funding received from the Mental Health Mission, the Mersey Care Mood Clinic, the Mental Health Incubator and the allocation for the Investment Zone proposal, and developing the areas within the Trust with the potential for growth, such as the TMS Service. They will focus on ensuring the successful delivery of the Trusts ambition to become commercially sustainable by developing global partnerships with digital, pharmaceutical and med-tech companies.

They will provide leadership on industry engagement activities for Mersey Care serving as a primary interface with industry, representing Mersey Care across the Cheshire & Merseyside system and more broadly on the commercial, industry, economic growth, wealth creation, business development and financial aspects of our work.

They will play a pivotal leadership role in achieving the health innovation ambitions set out in the Board's research and innovation strategic objective, and showcasing Mersey Care on an international market alongside our core stakeholders.

About us

We are transforming mental health care and research in the UK. Mersey Care has a turnover of c. £750m and are one of the largest mental health and community providers in the UK serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.We are recognized for our excellence and national brand presence and are transforming the way we carry out research with our partners as well as deliver care to our patients. We received investment from the Office for Life Science and NIHR and have established a first of type research centre.

We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.

At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.

Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.

Job responsibilities

• Forge and nurture client relationships across diverse sectors including life sciences, medical technology, and startups. Engage directly with 4-10 key accounts, fostering robust relationships and overseeing clinical trial collaborations.

Drive the growth of key accounts, with a goal to expand annual revenue to exceed £2m

Establish industry partnerships and academic partnerships.

Connect to the Trusts digital innovation programmes.

Lead and inspire a dedicated matrix team comprising marketing, administrative, and clinical professionals.

Report directly to the Assistant Chief Executive and to the Executive Team, Board and M-RIC Steering Group, providing regular insights and updates on progress.

Ambitiously scale our account portfolios, setting benchmarks for success and innovation in the healthcare industry, by developing and maintaining strong relationships.

Craft and execute a visionary commercial and engagement strategy that aligns with our overarching strategic objectives

Develop and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including the Mersey Care and University led Mental Health Research for Innovation Centre, the Civic Data Cooperative, Sci Tech Daresbury, existing and new partners in the mental health industry, including pharmaceutical companies, biomedical research institutions, technology and digital organisations and regulatory bodies.

Monitor and evaluate the progress and impact of industry partnerships and projects and provide regular feedback and reports to senior management and external partners.

Represent our cutting-edge advisory services, clinical trials, and research offerings, navigating the complexities of the healthcare landscape with expertise.

Stay abreast of the latest developments, trends, and challenges in the mental health industry, and identify new opportunities and areas for improvement

Establish the commercial processes from initial prospects through to contractual agreement and handover to research project delivery

Work closely with Mersey Care Board and Senior Organisational Leaders, MRIC, University of Liverpool.

Establish and maintain effective collaborations with industry partners, such as pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, digital health start-ups, and academic institutions, and ensure mutual alignment of goals, expectations, and resources.

Work closely with internal stakeholders, such as researchers, clinicians, managers, and service users, to understand their needs, interests, and capabilities, and to facilitate their involvement and engagement in industry partnerships and projects.

Liaise with external funders, regulators, ethics committees, and other relevant bodies, to secure financial and ethical support, approval, and compliance for industry partnerships and projects.

Liaise with the Cheshire & Merseyside ICB and the national NHS England team.

Work nationally (and when required internationally) with other mental health trusts to share research opportunities and increase the number of patients accessing mental health trials.

• Support the generation of commercial opportunities from European and international partners and work through from scoping to securing new business.
• To build the resources, processes and capabilities required to support industry engagement both within Mersey Care and across the M-RIC partnership.

To explore options for a fully financially self-sustaining operating model

• To be accountable for the development and management of industry partnerships, based on the existing relationships and targeted new relationships. This will include initiating, building and maintaining effective relationships with enterprises of all sizes from local SME to multi-national corporations.

Person Specification

Knowledge/Experience

• Extensive knowledge of developing industry partnerships and relationship management
• Extensive proven experience of ensuring effective commercial governance arrangements
• Understanding of Commercial Mental Health Research and Intellectual Property / Spin Out Opportunities
• Must have an understanding of the background to and aims of current healthcare policy in Cheshire and Merseyside and appreciate the implications of this on engagement. have an appreciation of the relationship between the Department of Health, the Integrated Care System and individual provider and commissioning organisation
• Should have an appreciation of the relationship between the Department of Health, the Integrated Care System and individual provider and commissioning organisation
• Experience of delivering large scale programmes of work through the establishment of matrix teams to develop new services
• Experience of attracting commercial income to a NHS Trust
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office including Excel, Visio, Project Word and PowerPoint
• Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of equality of opportunity and diversity taking into account and being aware of how individual actions contribute to and make a difference to the equality agenda.
• Responsible for a budget, involved in budget setting and working knowledge of financial processes.
• Member of relevant professional body
• Understanding of additional significant strategic opportunities for the Trust, for example the development of the Neuro Modulation Service, Maghull Health Park, Mental Health Incubator

Skills

• Provide and receive highly complex, sensitive and contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups.
• Inform board and senior managers of the respective merits of different options, innovation and new market opportunities.
• Negotiate on difficult and very complex and detailed issues.
• Highly developed analytical skills - ability to analyse complex facts and situations and formulate a range of options
• Strategic thinking - ability to anticipate and resolve problems before they arise
• Able to manage a complex and multi -faceted workload, balancing competing demands in flexible manner
• Demonstrable experience of leading and managing teams.
• Skills for managing relationships with a range of different stakeholders
• Ability to carry out negotiations, procurements and contracting arrangements for highly detailed, high value contracts that require analysis, comparison and assessment
• Ability to travel across region, nationally and further for meetings, conferences, networking and promoting the Trust and Service
• Ability to make decisions autonomously on difficult issues.
• Experience working in mental health settings developing new commercial opportunities

Other

• Hybrid working arrangements switching between home and office based
• An ability to maintain confidentiality and trust
• Used to working in a busy environment.
• Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change
• Commitment to continuing professional development

Values

• Accountability
• High professional standards
• Responsive to commercial partners and stakeholders
• Engaging leadership style
• Transparency and honesty
• Discreet
• Change oriented.

Qualifications

• Educated to master's level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in relation to commercial strategy in the NHS and business development.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.