The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). We work 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, well-being and promotes economic growth. We are also a major funder of applied health research in low- and middle-income countries. 

Job Description
We are looking for a Senior Business Development Manager to join the NIHRCC's Business Development Team hosted in LGC’s Grant Management Group (GMG).

The team, working closely with the NIHRCC's Collaborations team, helps industry, charity and public research funders to work in partnership with the NIHR and the wider UK research and healthcare community. The Business Development Team aims to support industry, primarily from the Life Science Sector, in the UK and around the world to generate the evidence required to demonstrate the safety, efficacy and suitability of healthcare innovations to facilitate implementation leading to adoption into the NHS and other global healthcare markets.

The BD Team engages with a wide range of companies from SMEs to large multinationals across a range of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, biotech, medical devices, IVD and digital technology. Through our work, we support industry to navigate the UK’s research ecosystem, gain access to relevant expertise, facilities, data, patients and samples, and catalyse collaboration. We work closely with government departments and a wide variety of organisations from across the UK, including HINs, the Department for Business and Trade, Medilink UK, NHSA and the Office for Life Sciences, as part of the UK’s business development community. We aim to support a company's journey along the innovation pathway and promote UK plc to encourage investment from companies worldwide looking to undertake health and care research in the UK.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

• Engage with companies developing new therapeutic and healthcare innovations to navigate the NIHR and the UK’s wider research system, and gain access to the NIHR expertise, facilities and other elements needed to help them generate evidence to translate their innovations into products suitable for adoption by the UK’s health care system.
• Lead the development and delivery of focused business development activities with a variety of internal and external stakeholders. Use information sources and market intelligence data to identify companies developing new treatments and healthcare innovations within a specific therapeutic area (e.g. cardiovascular), or sector (diagnostics) from across the globe.
• Independently and as part of the BD team, engage with stakeholders from across the UK’s research and healthcare system to increase the team’s understanding of the overall system, the key initiatives and the current priorities to ensure accurate and informed support to industry.
• Develop new company accounts aligned to the NIHR's priorities. Use initiative and efficiently engage with key personnel to build and maintain strategic relationships to support the company's product development pipeline.
• When required, lead on the development of marketing materials, working with various stakeholders to develop content and messaging, as well as working with the communications team around design and publishing.
• Work with stakeholders across the NIHR, in particular the research infrastructure, and when required with external colleagues from across the UK, to identify health priorities or areas of unmet clinical need, to develop industry-focused offers.
• Support the Head of Business Development in delivering the team’s event strategy through attending national and international conferences, as well as supporting the setup and management of NIHR events.
• When required, support cross-NIHR initiatives working with colleagues from other teams within the two NIHR Coordinating Centres.

Behaviours and Competencies

• Interest in life sciences and the development of new technologies to improve the delivery of health and care to improve patients’ lives
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, capable of tailoring communication style to a range of expert and non-expert audiences
• Able to work on multiple projects and initiatives in parallel, working with senior colleagues across the organisation to prioritise workload, define deliverables and manage timelines
• Be proactive and use initiative to explore new avenues for industry engagement
• Be inquisitive and want to learn about the health and care research system and relevant markets
• Be able to distil large amounts of information and learn at pace new scientific or technological concepts.
• Able to work independently and support junior members as part of a team
• Be analytical and motivated to seek answers to questions
• Well-organised and objective-driven
• Competent using a range of software packages, including Gmail, Google Docs, Google Sheets etc 

Required Criteria 

• A BSc / Medical, or equivalent degree, with a biology and/or chemistry focus
• Experience engaging with industry at senior levels, either within a sales, promotional, consultancy or negotiation capacity
• Experience engaging with scientific or medical leaders from industry and/or academia
• Good understanding of healthcare product development (either therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices or digital health technologies) and the translational research pathway
• Broad understanding of the scientific and technical concepts underpinning a variety of healthcare products
• Excellent communication skills.
• Be able to gain a good understanding of the needs and priorities of companies looking to develop or evaluate their technologies and articulate the NIHR’s support to help them achieve this, either through focused meetings or in the form of presentations at events.

Desired Criteria 

• Industry experience within a company developing healthcare products or from the associated service businesses (i.e. CROs, other Life Science businesses)
• Good understanding of the UK health research system and NHS
• Experience using client relationship management (CRM) software
• Experience analysing and reporting on market intelligence data
• An advanced degree (MSc / PhD) in a related life science or health technology discipline
• Project management experience
• Advanced IT skills (data management and analysis software, programming and website development) 

Why work for us?
Join our team, and you’ll be working with an exceptional organisation that enables and manages high-quality health and care research for the benefit of patients and the public. NIHR is one of the UK’s largest funders of health and care research.

Salary & Benefits
£47,300 - 49,900 pa. 
Bonus - subject to company performance
25 days annual leave, plus public holidays (UK)
Enhanced contributory pension scheme
Life Insurance
Benenden Healthcare
Season Ticket Loan 

NB: This is an office- based, hybrid position, located in Victoria, Central London and requires occasional travel to Twickenham, NIHR sites across England, and international locations as needed. Employees are expected to attend the office at least four days per month, typically one day per week, with the possibility of increased office presence based on 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 'Required Criteria' outlined in the job description. Additionally, share your enthusiasm for working with NIHR. 

Company Statement
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.