Industry Partnerships Lead

Too much good science stalls before it reaches patients, and rarely for want of ambition. It stalls for want of coordination, funding gaps at proof-of-concept stage, and a system where researchers, the NHS, industry and investors too often work in parallel. The Academy is building a new Research Translation and Enterprise function to help change that, turning discovery into companies and products that reach patients.

This role sits within the enterprise side of that work. Reporting to the Head of Enterprise, you will be involved in building the Academy’s commercial focused activity: helping the best science from the Fellowship unlock investment to scale and reach the market; developing the enterprise offer that supports it.

The Industry Partnerships Lead will help turn the Academy’s convening power into practical commercial partnerships that accelerate translation. Reporting to the Head of Enterprise, this role leads a defined area of work within the Enterprise function, developing partnerships with industry, venture, funders, health charities and other organisations that can bring capability, insight and resources to priority activity.

The role combines partnership development with practical delivery, ensuring that opportunities are well evidenced, well governed and aligned with the Academy’s charitable purpose and wider organisational priorities.

You will work closely with colleagues across the Academy - especially Grants and Programmes, who will often deliver the schemes you originate, and Policy, Communications and Engagement, and Operations. Much of the value of this role comes from originating things well and having a clear handover mechanism so that activities can be embedded across the Academy and delivered sustainably.

●     Lead a defined area of industry partnership work within the Enterprise function, translating strategic priorities into well planned programmes, projects and workstreams.

●     Manage day-to-day delivery, risks, dependencies and resources, ensuring outputs are delivered to agreed objectives, timescales and budgets.

●     Working with a good degree of autonomy within agreed objectives and governance frameworks, you will organise and deliver a portfolio of partnership activity, manage risks and dependencies, and provide clear advice to the Head of Enterprise. You will collaborate closely with colleagues across Grants and Programmes, Policy, Communications and Engagement, Operations and the Fellowship so that the work of your area supports wider Academy priorities

●     Work with Fellows, researchers and industry partners to identify opportunities where partnership activity can help promising science progress towards development and patient benefit.

●     Use evidence, sector knowledge and stakeholder insight to shape partnership propositions, test feasibility and develop appropriate routes for delivery.

●     Contribute specialist advice and analysis to support decisions by the Head of Enterprise and senior colleagues on priorities, risks and opportunities.

●     Build credible relationships with industry, venture and translational partners, understanding their priorities while protecting the Academy’s independence and charitable purpose.

●     Develop and support practical mechanisms for collaboration, such as workshops, demonstration opportunities, partnership propositions or enterprise activity, working closely with delivery colleagues.

●     Analyse complex opportunities and trade-offs, drawing on legal, commercial, scientific and policy advice where needed, and make clear recommendations on appropriate next steps.

●     Ensure partnership activity is governed transparently, manages conflicts appropriately and remains aligned with the Academy’s values, policy positions and wider strategy.

●     Develop and manage partnerships that bring in external capability, insight and funding, including from industry, public funders, research charities and venture partners.

●     Engage with judgement, pace and care, securing commitments and shared ownership while ensuring agreements are realistic, deliverable and proportionate.

●     Provide clear reporting on progress, performance, resources and risk to the Head of Enterprise, escalating issues and dependencies appropriately.

●     Collaborate with peers and Heads across the Academy so that industry partnership work supports wider organisational priorities and contributes to cross-Academy activity.

Strong understanding of the commercial environment for UK life sciences, including how academia, industry, funders, charities, the NHS and regulators interact. You are likely to be recognised externally as a knowledgeable practitioner who can contribute evidence and insight to discussions with senior stakeholders.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to apply specialist knowledge to varied and complex challenges. You will be able to assess consequences, manage uncertainty and develop creative, practical solutions that support delivery and organisational decision making.

You will bring substantial experience of stakeholder engagement with the life sciences industry and will be able to apply that expertise to complex challenges. Success will depend on your ability to build trust with external partners, analyse opportunities and risks, and create practical routes for delivery.

Experience delivering programmes, projects or workstreams to agreed objectives, timescales and resources. You will be able to organise work effectively, manage risks and dependencies, provide clear reporting, and use delegated resources responsibly.

You will be comfortable operating with a good degree of autonomy within the direction set, exercising judgement in complex situations and escalating the right things at the right time. You will work constructively with the Head of Enterprise and colleagues across the Academy, including the wider Fellowship, contributing to cross-Academy activity, support alignment with wider organisational priorities and, where applicable, lead and develop people in an inclusive and empowering way.