Portfolio & Ideation Manager

Aspire Pharma Ltd; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK pharmaceutical company is seeking a proactive Portfolio and Ideation Manager to oversee product strategies and drive innovation. The role involves collaborating with R&D and commercial teams to maximize portfolio value and align with market demands. Ideal candidates will have strong leadership skills, financial acumen, and a scientific background. This position offers a competitive salary and benefits in a supportive environment.

Benefits

Generous Pension Scheme

Discretionary Bonus

Life Assurance

Employee Assistance Program

25 days’ holiday plus Bank Holidays

Learning and Development opportunities

Opportunities for progression

Company events and celebrations

Qualifications

• Minimum 4 years’ experience in program management and strategy development.
• Ability to lead within a matrix organization and influence without authority.

Responsibilities

• Overseeing and optimizing the pharmaceutical product portfolio.
• Driving innovation and idea generation by identifying market trends.
• Managing the product lifecycle from discovery to commercialization.

Skills

Leadership

Collaboration

Communication

Organizational Skills

Financial Acumen

Job description

Competitive Salary & Company Benefits | Leicester / Petersfield

Monday to Friday, 9.00am - 5.00pm (potential for flexibility on start/end times based on 7.5hrs/day)

Are you looking to work for a rapidly growing UK Pharmaceutical company, passionate about improving patients’ lives worldwide?

Aspire Pharma is an asset-light pharmaceutical manufacturer that licenses and develops niche pharmaceutical products with innovative formulations, value for money, and reliable supply in underserved markets. The business boasts a diversified portfolio of over 250 products, including branded specialty products and unbranded niche generics across therapeutic areas such as urology, ophthalmology, CNS, and dermatology.

Do you want to be part of this journey?

If so, here is your chance!

The Role

We seek a proactive and detail-oriented Portfolio and Ideation Manager to support various key functions within our team. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone experienced to help Aspire develop its portfolio and foster continuous growth.

What will you be doing?

• Overseeing and optimizing the pharmaceutical product portfolio to align with business objectives and market demands, involving strategic decision-making and lifecycle management from development to commercialization. Collaborating with R&D, commercial teams, and senior leadership to maximize portfolio value.
• Driving innovation and idea generation by identifying market trends, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and developing new product concepts, services, and strategies, ensuring alignment with industry regulations.
• Strategically managing Aspire’s licensing, development, and lifecycle activities across UK, EU, MENA, Far East, and USA markets.
• Providing strategic leadership to support organizational excellence, key initiatives, external collaborations, and resource optimization to meet UK and international growth targets.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Advising the COO and Head of R&D on strategic priorities and key topics for discussion within their functions and across the portfolio.

Idea Generation & Innovation Strategy

• Leading ideation sessions to generate new pharmaceutical concepts.
• Identifying industry trends, technological advancements, and unmet medical needs.
• Developing and refining innovation strategies aligned with company goals.
• Collaborating with stakeholders to prioritize and assess the feasibility of new ideas.

Portfolio Strategy & Management

• Developing strategies to maximize product value at all development stages.
• Assessing and prioritizing product candidates based on data, market potential, and strategic fit.
• Managing the product lifecycle from discovery to commercialization, supporting resource allocation.
• Recommending product priorities and resource distribution to senior leadership.

Portfolio Performance Tracking

• Managing systems like PIMS for accurate data entry and reporting.
• Defining and monitoring KPIs to evaluate portfolio success.
• Preparing and presenting performance reports to senior management.
• Providing insights for continuous improvement based on data analysis.

The Person

• Minimum 4 years’ experience in program management and strategy development.
• Ability to lead within a matrix organization and influence without authority.
• Agility in transferring knowledge and forming teams for follow-through.
• Financial acumen, including budget evaluation and business case development.
• Entrepreneurial mindset to create and optimize opportunities and resources.
• Excellent collaboration, communication, organizational, and leadership skills.
• Strong scientific background with understanding of drug discovery.
• Effective communicator and confidentiality assured.

Why join us?

This role is ideal for someone organized, communicative, and passionate about a career in pharma. You will gain hands-on experience across multi-entity operations and support our growth. If you are detail-oriented and eager to work in a supportive environment, we want to hear from you!

• Inclusive company culture where employees are valued, with competitive salary and benefits including:
• Generous Pension Scheme
• Discretionary Bonus
• State-of-the-art offices in Leicester
• Life Assurance and Employee Assistance Program
• 25 days’ holiday plus Bank Holidays
• Learning and Development opportunities
• Opportunities for progression
• Company events and celebrations