Commercial Manager - Tender Lead

Biopharma Asia; Maidenhead; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine in the United Kingdom is seeking a Commercial Manager - Tender Lead to join the Patient Access team in Maidenhead. You will lead UK tender management, shape pricing strategies and build strong relationships with procurement authorities to improve patient access.

Reporting to Commercial Leaders, you will coordinate cross-functional projects, ensure compliance with NHS procurement rules, and drive horizon scanning to identify opportunities.

Qualifications

• 5–7+ years in pharma with tender, market access or commercial focus.
• Strong knowledge of UK tender processes and NHS procurement.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead UK tender strategy and submissions with cross-functional teams.
• Own horizon scanning and identify tender opportunities for UK market.
• Engage with NHS procurement and regional authorities.
• Ensure governance, compliance and high-quality tender delivery.
• Lead or support pricing and commercial projects in Patient Access.

Skills

Tender management

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder engagement

Negotiation

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Degree in life sciences or related field

Job description

At Johnson & Johnson,we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build aworld where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured,where treatments are smarter and less invasive, andsolutions are personal.Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity.Learn more at jnj.com .

As guided by Our Credo, Johnson & Johnson is responsible to our employees who work with us throughout the world. We provide an inclusive work environment where each person is considered as an individual. At Johnson & Johnson, we respect the diversity and dignity of our employees and recognize their merit.

Job Function:

Market Access

Job Sub Function:

Reimbursement

Job Category:

Professional

All Job Posting Locations:

Maidenhead, Berkshire, United Kingdom, Tempo Maidenhead, Berkshire, United Kingdom

Job Description:

About Innovative Medicine

Our expertise in Innovative Medicine is informed and inspired by patients, whose insights fuel our science-based advancements. Visionaries like you work on teams that save lives by developing the medicines of tomorrow.

Join us in developing treatments, finding cures, and pioneering the path from lab to life while championing patients every step of the way.

Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/innovative-medicine

Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine is searching for a Commercial Manager - Tender Lead to join our Patient Access Team in the United Kingdom.

Role Purpose:

Lead UK tender management, developing and implementing tendering strategies across the portfolio to optimise access for patients. Provide strategic leadership on tender shaping through evaluation of the evolving external landscape and engagement with internal and external stakeholders.

Lead cross-functional development of individual tender and pricing strategies, act as the UK representative for Tender Excellence with the European organisation.

Lead relationships with procurement authorities in England and the Devolved Nations, building sustainable stakeholder partnerships while maintaining strong awareness of procurement law, governance, compliance and quality standards.

Contribute to the successful delivery of wider team objectives by leading or supporting cross-functional commercial projects and priorities as required.

Key responsibilities:

Tender management, policy, systems and tools

Lead and develop strategy recommendations for all tender submissions and present recommendations to the relevant Commercial Lead and cross-functional team.

Own horizon scanning and identification of tender opportunities for the UK business, and lead preparation, submission and implementation to high quality standards.

Lead the monitoring of evolving environmental and sustainability requirements within NHS procurement, including the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap, ensuring the business remains prepared, compliant and able to evidence relevant requirements within tender submissions.

Act as the lead UK representative and point of contact for Tender Excellence activities with the European organisation, identifying opportunities to enhance systems and tools, strengthen business performance and share best practice.

Maintain robust tender governance, documentation and oversight to support compliant, timely and high-quality decision making and implementation.

Provide subject matter expertise in tender process management including governance, processes and systems, ensuring compliant, accurate and timely execution of tender activities. Lead the coordination of cross-functional inputs, management of tender documentation and governance requirements, implementation of approved pricing within relevant systems, and maintenance of operational readiness. Act as a trusted advisor to stakeholders, resolving process issues, driving continuous compliance, and ensuring robust auditability and system integrity across tender and contract management activities.

External relationships and shaping the environment

Lead and proactively shape the NHS contracting and procurement environment, developing novel and differentiated approaches to optimise product positioning on frameworks and support patient access.

Engage with the Medicines Procurement and Supply Chain Team on tender topics and, where appropriate, elevate new policies relating to tendering, sustainability and public procurement.

Develop and strengthen relationships with key procurement authorities including the regional procurement leads, acting as a central point of contact and building long-term relationships for mutual benefit.

Internal collaboration and teamwork

Lead tender pricing strategy, recommendations and approvals in collaboration with Commercial and cross-functional partners.

Where agreed, lead the PRIT light process in collaboration with the Commercial team and Pricing and Contracts Principal.

Train new starters and relevant internal teams on tender processes and the implications for their roles.

Support Customer Service and other functions with audit information requests relating to tendering and pricing of UK products.

Connect tender strategy with wider Patient Access priorities, bringing forward relevant insights, dependencies and recommendations to PALT.

Support the delivery of wider NHSE Commercial priorities by contributing to, or leading, projects and activities beyond core tendering responsibilities where business needs, team priorities, or resource constraints require. This may include work across Pricing, Contracting, Commercial Strategy, Negotiations, Patient Access, or other cross-functional initiatives.

Role Dimensions

Communication with others outside J&J:

National procurement bodies, including the Medicines Procurement and Supply Chain Team, NHS England and procurement authorities in the Devolved Nations; relevant suppliers, agencies and external stakeholders.

Communication with others within J&J:

Cross-functional collaboration on tender-related topics, commercial strategy, access and sustainability. Stakeholders include Commercial Leads, Patient Access Leadership Team, Finance, Pricing, Customer Service, Cross-Sector Sustainability, Legal, HCC and European Tender Excellence / Tender Managers.

Resource Management:

Manage resources and budgets within delegated authority and in accordance with relevant SOPs and governance processes.

Decision Making Autonomy:

Operate within relevant SOPs and delegated authority. Develop recommendations and lead decisions relating to tender strategy, submission readiness, stakeholder engagement and operational delivery, with approvals secured through the appropriate governance routes.

Essential Technical Knowledge, skills and experience

Essential

5-7+ years working within the pharmaceutical industry in a tender, market access or commercial role.

Proven track record in effective tender management and an in-depth understanding of tender processes, systems and medicines pricing in the UK.

Demonstrated strategic thinking, business planning and ability to translate external developments into clear commercial and access implications.

Excellent communication, presentation and negotiation skills, with the ability to articulate complex issues simply and compellingly.

Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels, internally and externally.

Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams, prioritise across multiple activities and deliver in a complex matrix environment.

Ability to work with ambiguity, identify risks and opportunities, and deliver under time pressure.

Preferred

Strong knowledge of NHS policy in England and a good understanding of the principles of procurement law.

Strong commercial competence, including numerical and financial awareness, governance and compliance.

Record of solution-focused problem solving, constructive challenge and delivery of new opportunities.

Resourcefulness, drive, learning agility and a digitally minded approach.

Qualifications

Degree qualified, or equivalent, in a life science, business, commerce or related subject.