Associate Director – Life Sciences R&D

Accenture France; Paris; Sur place; EUR 250 000 - 360 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

Accenture France is seeking a Managing Director to own and grow the R&D domain within our Life Sciences practice. You will be the trusted advisor to R&D executives, convert trust into flagship programs, and build a France-based team to deliver them—powered by Accenture's global assets and network.

You will combine deep clinical development expertise with consulting acumen and entrepreneurial energy to shape a domain rather than inherit one, with a global, cross-market perspective and a track

Qualifications

• Deep expertise in clinical development — strategy and operations across the drug development lifecycle.
• Meaningful experience in life sciences and management consulting.
• Proven track record building C-suite relationships with R&D leadership.
• Credible fluency in how AI, GenAI, data and digital reshape R&D transformation.
• Global perspective with cross-market operating experience.
• Experience leading teams with an entrepreneurial, build-oriented mindset.

Responsabilités

• Advise at the top table and build trusted relationships with R&D leadership.
• Apply domain expertise to clinical development strategy, trial design, and operations.
• Shape AI-enabled R&D propositions and move pilots to production.
• Originates and wins engagements, owning the commercial outcomes for the domain.
• Lead delivery as senior sponsor across programs with measurable impact.
• Recruit and develop a France-based team, building domain capability and culture.
• Represent Accenture externally through publishing and speaking engagements.
• Collaborate across Accenture's global network to leverage assets for clients.

Connaissances

Clinical development

Life sciences consulting

C-suite relationships

AI in R&D

Team leadership

Strategic advisory

Formation

MBA or Life Sciences PhD/MD

Description du poste

About the role

Pharma and biotech R&D is being reinvented. Rising cost and duration of drug development, pressure on R&D productivity, and the rapid rise of AI and generative AI — across discovery, clinical development, and evidence generation — are forcing R&D leaders to rethink their strategy and operating model.

We are looking for a Managing Director to own and grow the R&D domain within our France & BeLux Life Sciences practice. This is a build-and-lead role: you will be the trusted advisor R&D executives turn to for their most consequential transformation decisions, convert that trust into flagship programs, and build the France-based team and capability to deliver them — powered by Accenture's global assets, platforms and network.

You will bring rare, credible depth in clinical development — strategy and operations — combined with the commercial instincts of a consultant and the entrepreneurial energy to shape a domain rather than inherit one.

What you'll do

• Advise at the top table. Build and hold trusted relationships with R&D leadership — Head of R&D, Chief Scientific / Chief Medical Officer, Head of Clinical Development, and R&D digital and data leaders — advising on R&D strategy, operating model, and transformation.
• Bring domain expertise. Apply deep knowledge of the drug development lifecycle — clinical development strategy, trial design and operations, regulatory interface, and R&D operating models — to your clients' hardest problems.
• Harness new technology. Shape and localise AI- and technology-enabled R&D propositions, helping clients move from pilots to production across the R&D value chain.
• Originate and win. Build pipeline, shape opportunities, and win engagements, owning the commercial outcomes for the domain.
• Lead delivery. Act as senior sponsor across programs, ensuring quality and measurable impact.
• Build the team. Recruit, develop and retain a high-performing France-based team, and build the domain's capability and culture.
• Lead thinking. Represent Accenture externally — publishing, speaking, and shaping the R&D transformation agenda across the French and European life sciences ecosystem.
• Orchestrate the network. Collaborate across Accenture's global network — industry, technology, data and AI, and delivery centres — to bring the full strength of the firm to your clients.

What we're looking for

Essential

• Deep expertise in clinical development — both strategy and operations — across the drug development lifecycle.
• Meaningful experience in both the life sciences industry (pharma/biotech) and management consulting.
• A proven track record building C-suite relationships, particularly with R&D leadership, and converting them into work.
• Credible fluency in how AI, GenAI, data and digital are reshaping R&D, and the ability to shape and sell technology-enabled R&D transformation.
• A global perspective, with experience operating across markets.
• Experience building and leading teams, with an entrepreneurial, build-oriented mindset.

Preferred

• An established global network in pharma and biotech R&D leadership.
• Depth in one or more of: clinical operations transformation, R&D digital/data platforms, decentralised or digital trials, real-world evidence, regulatory or medical.
• An advanced degree in a life sciences discipline (PhD, PharmD, MD) or an MBA.

Typically 15+ years of combined industry and consulting experience at a level consistent with a Managing Director appointment.

Why join

• A build mandate — shape and own a domain, backed by the scale of a global firm.
• Access to Accenture's global R&D assets, AI and data platforms, and network — reach few others can match.
• A front-row seat to the AI-driven reinvention of R&D, with clients who are investing.
• A senior leadership platform spanning origination and delivery, with a clear footprint across France and BeLux.