Head, AI for Medicines Safety

NHS Jobs; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

MHRA is seeking a strategic leader to provide direction for Beyond ADMET: AI for Medicines Safety regulatory sandbox. You will drive strategic priorities, align with MHRA strategy and government ambitions for AI and life sciences, and lead a multidisciplinary team to deliver outcomes and impact.

As the senior scientific and technical leader, you will guide evaluation of AI, ML, computational modelling, pharmacology and regulatory science, ensuring robust evidence, governance and opportunities

Job description

Strategic Leadership

Provide overall leadership and strategic direction for the Beyond ADMET: AI for Medicines Safety regulatory sandbox. Lead delivery of the programme's strategic priorities, ensuring alignment with the MHRAs strategy and wider government ambitions for AI and life sciences. Serve as the senior leader for the programme, ensuring delivery of agreed outcomes, benefits and impact. Identify future opportunities for innovation, collaboration and capability development across the AI for Safety portfolio.

Scientific and Technical Leadership

Act as the senior scientific and technical leader for the programme, ensuring activities are grounded in robust evidence and scientific excellence. Provide expert leadership across areas such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, computational modelling, pharmacology, toxicology, healthcare data science, drug development and regulatory science. Guide the evaluation of emerging technologies, methodologies, datasets and validation frameworks relevant to regulatory decision-making. Ensure programme outputs generate meaningful evidence that can inform future regulatory approaches, guidance and policy. Promote innovation while ensuring appropriate standards of quality, transparency, safety and governance.

Programme Oversight and Governance

Oversee delivery of the programme through effective governance, assurance and performance management arrangements. Lead programme boards, steering groups and governance forums. Ensure risks, issues, dependencies and opportunities are identified and managed appropriately. Oversee programme resources and budgets, ensuring value for money and effective use of public resources. Work closely with the Technical Lead, Programme Manager, and Regulation & Policy Lead to ensure effective operational delivery against agreed objectives and milestones.

Stakeholder Engagement and External Leadership

Build and maintain strong strategic relationships across industry, academia, government, healthcare organisations, patient groups and international regulatory networks. Represent the MHRA as a senior spokesperson and thought leader on AI-related regulatory science initiatives. Lead engagement with senior external stakeholders to promote collaboration and maximise programme impact. Champion dissemination of programme findings, learning and best practice. Foster strong connections across the MHRA's wider portfolio of AI initiatives and regulatory sandboxes.

People Leadership

Lead and develop a high-performing multidisciplinary team. Create an inclusive culture that encourages innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement. Manage senior staff, including technical leadership roles and programme management resource.

Regulatory Science and Organisational Impact

Support the development of future regulatory policy, guidance and frameworks relating to AI-enabled technologies. Identify opportunities to strengthen the MHRAs capability in AI, advanced analytics and regulatory science. Contribute to wider MHRA strategic priorities including evidence-based regulatory decision-making and improvements in patient safety. Promote the MHRA's reputation as an international leader in innovative regulation.

General

While the immediate focus of this role is the successful delivery of the Beyond ADMET: AI for Medicines Safety regulatory sandbox, the postholder will be expected to provide leadership and expertise across the Agency's evolving AI, data and regulatory science agenda. Champion the MHRA values and Civil Service behaviours, promoting an ethical, positive and inclusive working environment. Proactively maintain and develop professional knowledge and expertise, sharing learning and best practice with colleagues. Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability in response to emerging technologies, scientific developments and changing business needs.