Head of Assay

SPD Development Company Ltd; East Hyde; On-site; GBP 96,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

SPD Development Company Ltd in Bedford is seeking an experienced Head of Assay to lead the Assay team and drive the development of innovative diagnostic products from concept to commercialisation and post-market support.

This senior leadership role requires a people‑focused scientific leader who can build a high‑performing team, foster talent, and deliver excellence in a regulated environment while collaborating with cross-functional partners to achieve strategic objectives.

Qualifications

• Degree or Master’s in a relevant scientific discipline.
• Significant experience in R&D, ideally in medical diagnostics or life sciences.
• Proven leadership of technical or scientific teams.
• Experience delivering complex product development from concept to launch.
• Strong understanding of quality systems, regulatory requirements and GxP principles.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management and prioritisation in fast-paced environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and develop the assay team to deliver projects on time and to high quality.
• Oversee workload planning, resource allocation and prioritisation across programmes.
• Provide technical direction, quality assurance and risk management for assay development.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and senior leaders to align strategy and milestones.
• Represent the function to external partners, suppliers and regulatory stakeholders.

Skills

People leadership

Team management

Regulated environment

R&D leadership

Communication skills

Education

Degree or Master's in a relevant scientific discipline

Job description

Head of Assay

Location: Bedford

The Vacancy

We are seeking an experienced and inspiring Head of Assay to lead our Assay team and play a pivotal role in the development of innovative diagnostic products from concept through to commercialisation and post-market support.

This is a senior leadership opportunity for a people-focused scientific leader who thrives on developing talent, building high-performing teams, and delivering excellence in a fast-paced, regulated environment. You'll combine strong technical expertise with outstanding leadership capability, ensuring your team is empowered, engaged and equipped to deliver breakthrough products that support business growth and innovation.

About SPD

Swiss Precision Diagnostics (SPD) is a world leader in the research, design and supply of advanced consumer diagnostic products. SPD is a joint venture between Procter and Gamble (P&G) and Abbott; and our brand Clearblue, is recognised the world over as providing accurate home pregnancy and fertility monitoring tests.

About the Role

As Head of Assay, you will be responsible for the overall leadership, development and performance of the Assay function. You'll work closely with Project Directors, Project Leaders and senior stakeholders across the organisation to ensure effective resource planning, technical excellence and successful project delivery.

A key focus of the role is people leadership. You will create an environment where individuals can thrive, develop their capabilities and contribute to meaningful innovation. You will lead recruitment, coaching, performance management and succession planning activities, helping to build and retain a highly capable scientific team.

What You'll Be Doing

Leadership and People Management:

• Lead, motivate and develop a team of assay scientists and technical specialists.
• Create a high-performance culture built on collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Conduct regular one-to-one meetings, performance reviews and development discussions.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, reward and recognition, talent development and succession planning activities.
• Provide coaching, mentoring and technical guidance to team members at all levels.
• Ensure clear objectives, priorities and deliverables are established across the team.
• Recognise and celebrate individual and team achievements while driving engagement and retention.

Team Planning and Delivery:

• Oversee workload planning, resource allocation and project priorities to ensure successful delivery.
• Coordinate team activities and monitor progress against departmental objectives.
• Maintain visibility of projects, deliverables and resource requirements through effective planning tools and processes.
• Work closely with senior R&D leaders to balance resource needs across programmes and initiatives.

Technical Leadership:

• Provide technical direction and quality assurance across assay development activities.
• Support the development of innovative products from early-stage concepts through to market launch.
• Guide project teams on assay specifications, technical risks, validation strategies and problem-solving approaches.
• Identify opportunities for innovation, technology advancement and intellectual property generation.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, scientific developments and potential product opportunities.
• Ensure all work is delivered in compliance with applicable quality, regulatory and health and safety requirements.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Collaborate with technical experts, project leaders and cross-functional teams to achieve project goals.
• Present progress, recommendations and key developments to senior leadership teams.
• Represent the business with external partners, suppliers, customers and regulatory stakeholders where required.

About You

We're looking for a proven scientific leader who combines technical credibility with exceptional people management skills.

Essential Experience:

• Degree or master's qualification in a relevant scientific discipline.
• Significant experience within R&D, ideally within medical diagnostics, life sciences or related regulated industries.
• Demonstrable experience leading, developing and managing technical or scientific teams.
• Experience delivering complex product development projects from concept through to launch.
• Strong understanding of quality management systems, regulatory requirements and GxP principles.
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to prioritise effectively and lead teams in fast-paced environments with changing priorities.

Desirable:

• PhD in a relevant scientific discipline.
• Experience in consumer healthcare diagnostics and immunoassay development.
• Experience identifying and developing innovative technologies and intellectual property.
• Specialist knowledge relevant to diagnostic product development.

Why Join SPD and the Clearblue Brand

This is a unique opportunity to make a significant impact on both people and products. You'll lead a talented team at the forefront of innovation, shaping future technologies while developing the next generation of scientific talent.

If you are an experienced scientific leader who is passionate about developing people, driving innovation and delivering results, we would love to hear from you.