Head of Scientific Partnerships

The Methodist Church in Britain; Idmiston; Hybrid; GBP 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working model

Job summary

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) – PHM Directorate seeks a senior leader to drive operational strategy and performance for the Countermeasures Development, Evaluation and Preparedness division. The role focuses on external partnerships, funding, and customer delivery while maintaining workforce, safety and quality standards.

The post requires experience in managing budgets, staff, and cross‑functional teams, with a strong emphasis on delivering on time, on budget and toquality.

Qualifications

• BSc in a relevant scientific or business subject, or an equivalent qualification or experience in a similar role.
• Proven track record of strategic and tactical operational management at senior level in a specialist scientific function.
• Proven ability to lead, intervene and troubleshoot to resolve issues and tensions.
• Significant experience building and managing working relationships with customers and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Set tactical and strategic operational requirements that support the scientific strategy from the Deputy Director.
• Lead the division's new business acquisition and delivery strategy, including financial performance, headcount and facilities.
• Plan and maintain staff capability to meet UKHSA, customer and emergency preparedness needs.
• Manage partnerships projects to customers' satisfaction, on budget, on time and to quality.
• Line manage the Scientific Partnership Lead and support staff on development, appraisal, recruitment and performance.
• Set and deliver the division's income and expenditure budget with the Deputy Director.
• Represent the division in internal and external fora to meet business needs.
• Join working groups and initiatives to give analytical and expert advice.
• Lead influencing of other departments and service providers to improve service to the division.
• Keep the division's business plans and risk registers current, contribute to corporate plans.
• Work with finance, HR, IT, quality, safety, engineering, commercial, security and information governance teams to keep operations running well.
• Implement policies, procedures and UKHSA risk management systems.

Skills

Operations management

Resource management

Finance

Safety and quality

Education

BSc in relevant scientific or business subject

Job description

This post leads partnership and operational strategy for the Countermeasures Development, Evaluation and Preparedness division, which sits within UKHSA's PHM Directorate and supplies its laboratory-based capability. The postholder sets operational strategy for the division and its DPC counterpart, with a strong focus on external partners, funders and customers, while keeping workforce, business management, safety and quality arrangements in place. Hybrid working requires at least 60% of hours on site, and Security Check clearance is needed, which normally means five years' UK residence.

What the job involves

• Set tactical and strategic operational requirements that support the scientific strategy from the Deputy Director
• Lead, with the Deputy Director, the division's new business acquisition and delivery strategy, including financial performance, headcount and facilities
• Plan and maintain staff capability to meet UKHSA, customer and emergency preparedness needs
• Manage the establishment and completion of partnership projects to customers' satisfaction, on budget, on time and to quality
• Line manage the Scientific Partnership Lead and support staff on development, appraisal, recruitment, performance and absence
• Set and deliver the division's income and expenditure budget with the Deputy Director
• Represent the division in internal and external fora to meet business needs
• Join working groups, projects and initiatives to give analytical and expert advice
• Lead the influencing of other departments and service providers to improve the service they give the division
• Keep the division's business plans and risk registers current, and contribute to corporate plans
• Work with finance, HR, IT, quality, safety, engineering, commercial, security and information governance teams to keep operations running well
• Implement policies, procedures and UKHSA risk management systems

What’s required

Qualifications

• BSc in a relevant scientific or business subject, or an equivalent qualification or experience in a similar role

Experience

• Proven track record of strategic and tactical operational management at senior level in a specialist scientific function
• Proven ability to lead, intervene and trouble-shoot to resolve issues and tensions
• Significant experience of building and managing working relationships with a wide range of customers and stakeholders

Skills & knowledge

• Specialist knowledge of operations management disciplines such as resource management, finance, safety and quality

Checks & eligibility

• Basic DBS check before appointment
• Security Check clearance, normally needing five years' UK residence

Other

• Application form and supporting statement of up to 1000 words
• Interview presentation of 5 to 10 minutes on how to take forward a first partnership
• Demonstrated behaviours: working together, communicating and influencing, seeing the big picture and delivering at pace

Nice to have

• Project management experience
• Line management experience, including disciplinary procedures, staff consultation, recruitment and performance management
• Experience of staff and budget management
• Ability to turn scientific innovations into new business
• Strategic thinking and complex problem-solving, responding to sudden unexpected demands
• Ability to stay calm under pressure and react quickly across a wide range of circumstances

What’s offered

• Flexible working through UKHSA's hybrid working model