Commercialisation Manager (Health and Life Sciences)

The University of Sheffield; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

41 days annual leave

Flexible hybrid working

Generous pension

Discounts and rewards

Staff networks

Job summary

The University of Sheffield is seeking a driven professional to support the Commercialisation Journey, empowering researchers to explore commercial potential and create spin-out companies or IP licences. You will mentor innovators, deliver training, and help translate research into market-ready propositions.

Join a collaborative team and contribute to regional economic growth, funding access, and market research resources.

Qualifications

• Enthusiasm for commercialisation of academic research outputs.
• Experience of health and/or life sciences research, preferably to postgraduate level.
• Ability to prioritise, plan and progress work across a diverse project portfolio.
• Ability to conduct independent research (technical, market, commercial).
• Appreciation of methods used to identify and secure IP rights.
• Initiative and ownership of tasks.
• Proven track record delivering engaging training programs.
• Experience developing technology-rich products in start-up, spin-out or larger business.

Responsibilities

• Provide guidance, training, mentoring to innovators on the Commercialisation Journey.
• Deliver Commercialisation Journey training to teams and cohorts; maintain training materials.
• Develop and use commercial/technical knowledge to translate research into market-fit value propositions.
• Encourage market research and discovery for ideas.
• Support IP-licences negotiations, investment terms and shareholder rights.
• Maintain accurate project records in internal databases for management and reporting.
• Support innovators to secure internal/external funding and monitor deployment.
• Complete due diligence on IP ownership, historic funding, third party rights and regulatory compliance.
• Identify improvements to the Commercialisation Journey and create new content.
• Support innovators through external pre-accelerator/accelerator programmes.
• Promote the Journey to deliver impact from academic research.
• Support Northern Gritstone partnership with investment directors.
• Carry out other duties commensurate with the role.

Skills

Commercialisation

Prioritisation

Independent research

Numerical skills

Training development

Education

Postgraduate health & life sciences

Job description

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

Overview

RPI supports University, Faculty and School priorities for research and innovation: income generation, research excellence, PGR experience, partnership development and knowledge exchange leading to income, impact and commercialisation of IP. Our focus is on delivering professional, value-add advice and support to the academic community. We are a well-connected team which understands the priorities of the organisation and our external stakeholders and customers and the external environment in which we operate. Team members collaborate, reflect, develop their skills and have a risk-appropriate mindset of continuous improvement to our processes, policy and approach.

You will be an essential part of delivering our Commercialisation Journey, a high-quality programme designed to empower researchers to explore the commercial potential of their work and potentially create spin-out companies, intellectual property licences or social enterprises.

You will be key to the University's strategy, contributing to job creation, impactful research, and regional economic growth. You will provide comprehensive support to innovators through dedicated one-on-one guidance and co-delivery of our training programs. You will support innovators to access funding, mentorship and valuable market research resources on their journey from idea generation to launching their commercial ventures. You will support commercial negotiations with third parties relating to intellectual property licences and will on occasion lead these.

Our dedicated team has a range of technical and commercial experiences and the team collaborates to ensure work is distributed equitably.

You will be supported by the commercialisation team to develop your skills in technical assessment, IP-landscaping, corporate finance and many other areas.

Main Duties And Responsibilities

• Provide guidance, training, coaching & mentorship to innovators embarking on the Commercialisation Journey.
• Deliver Commercialisation Journey training to individual teams and cohorts. Maintain and develop training materials in collaboration with other team members.
• Develop and utilise commercial and technical knowledge to support innovators to translate their research discoveries into value propositions with market fit.
• Encourage innovators to undertake high quality market research and discovery and to critically assess their ideas.
• Support commercial negotiations relating to IP-licences, investment terms and shareholder rights while drawing on the experience of internal and external professional services.
• Be accountable for maintaining accurate records in internal databases and systems for the purposes of project management and annual reporting.
• Support innovators to secure internal and external funding and monitor deployment of internal funding.
• Complete project due diligence with respect to IP-ownership, historic funding, third party rights and regulatory compliance under the approval/guidance of senior staff.
• Proactively identify and recommend potential improvements to the Commercialisation Journey and collaborate with the commercialisation team to create new content.
• Support innovators through external pre-accelerator and accelerator programmes.
• Promote and market The Commercialisation Journey as a mechanism for delivering impact from academic research to continue to build a culture of ambition and entrepreneurial motivation within the University.
• Support our partnership with Northern Gritstone by establishing and maintaining a strong relationship with investment directors and other staff.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and are respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply.

Criteria

Essential Or Desirable

Stage(s) assessed at

Clear enthusiasm for commercialisation of academic research outputs and a motivation to build new products and services

Essential

Application/interview

Experience of undertaking health and/or life sciences research, preferably to postgraduate (or equivalent) level

Essential

Application

Evidenced ability to prioritise, plan and progress work activities across a diverse project portfolio with competing pressures and demands

Essential

Application/interview

Ability to conduct independent research (technical, market, commercial) to inform a position or decision making process

Essential

Application/interview

An appreciation of the methods used in identifying and securing intellectual property rights

Essential

Application/interview

Examples of using initiative and taking ownership of tasks

Essential

Application/interview

A proven track record of delivering engaging and informative training programs

Essential

Application/interview

Previous experience of developing technology-rich products within a start-up, spinout or larger business

Desirable

Application/interview

Experience of using market discovery methods to successfully identify and adapt value propositions, preferably based on new technologies

Desirable

Application/interview

Experience of reading, reviewing or negotiating legal agreements - preferably IP-licences or corporate agreements

Desirable

Application/interview

Strong numerical skills, preferably with experience of budgeting and financial management

Desirable

Application

Further Information

Grade

7

Salary

£38,784 - £47,389. Potential to progress to £51,753 through sustained exceptional contribution

Work arrangement

Full-time

Line manager

Commercialisation Lead

Right to work in the UK

If you do not currently hold the right to work in the UK, you can find more information here to help determine your visa eligibility. Additional guidance is also available on the UK Visa & Immigration website.

Our website

www.sheffield.ac.uk/rpi

For informal enquiries about this job contact Andy Hogben, Head of Commercialisation on [e-mail]

Next steps in the recruitment process

It is anticipated that the selection process will take place on 1st or 2nd October. This will consist of an interview, a scenario discussion and a presentation. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage on the week commencing 21st September. If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact the Head of Commercialisation - Andy Hogben at [e-mail]

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).

What We Offer

• A minimum of 41 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women's and Parent's networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Professional Services Shared Skills Framework
• A range of generous family-friendly policies
  • paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
  • access to menopause support in the workplace
  • paid time off and support for fertility treatment
  • and more

More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).

We are a Disability Confident Leader (opens in a new window). If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

Baseline personnel security standard

This role requires the postholder to undertake a Government baseline personnel security standard (BPSS) check as a condition of employment.

Closing Date : 15/09/2026

We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision (www.sheffield.ac.uk/vision) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.