Life Science Key Account Manager

NHS; Manchester; On-site; GBP 64,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS Trust in Manchester is seeking a Life Science Key Account Manager to build and manage relationships with Life Sciences companies and other stakeholders in clinical research. The role includes strategic leadership and ensuring service delivery consistency. Ideal candidates will have a Master's level qualification and significant experience in R&D or healthcare management.

Qualifications

• Significant experience or knowledge in research and development, science, or healthcare.
• Experience of owning and writing complex business cases.
• Proven experience of working successfully as part of diffused leadership teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop relationships with Life Sciences companies.
• Promote RDN services to stakeholders.
• Manage customer-focused service delivery.

Skills

Strategic Leadership

Negotiation

Business Planning

Stakeholder Management

Customer-focused service

Education

Masters level qualification or equivalent experience

Tools

Information Technology

Job description

Job summary

The Life Science Key Account Manager, as a senior manager in the Regional Research Delivery Network (RRDN), will work as part of a national Research Delivery Network (RDN) Industry facing team to develop and manage relationships with Life Sciences companies, and the NIHR wider stakeholders within the clinical research environment including non-commercial funders and other parts of the research ecosystem to attract and grow clinical research delivery in the UK.

This role will work closely with RDN Industry facing teams across the RDN to ensure equality and consistency of service for all customers, nationally and regionally. Using horizon scanning data, business intelligence and NIHR expertise and relationships, the postholder will provide a tailored service to key accounts as a single conduit, representing the RDN nationally. The post holder will promote the RDN services, ensuring that key themes and opportunities are communicated into the RDN. The postholder will work closely with other key industry facing teams, External Affairs and Strategic Partnerships and the Department of Business and Trade to explore opportunities and enable access to NIHR infrastructure.

Main duties of the job

• Strategic Leadership
• Business Planning
• Information & Administration
• Operational Management
• Service Improvement & Development
• Performance Management
• Life Sciences Industry
• Financial Management Responsibilities
• Continuous Improvement
• Communication & Stakeholder Management
• Corporate Governance

About us

MFT is one of the largest NHS Trust in England with a turnover of over £3bn and is on a scale that supports an exceptional integrated health and social care system for the 1 million patients who rely on our services each year. We bring together 10 hospitals and community services from across Manchester, Trafford and beyond, champion collaborative working and transformation, and empower our 30,000 workforce to pursue ambitious goals. We are building a digitally enabled organisation to improve clinical quality, patient and staff experience, and driving research and innovation through Hive, our Electronic Patient Record system launched in September 2022. We are a major academic Research Centre and Education provider, with a Green Plan outlining sustainability in healthcare. We are committed to inclusion and equal opportunity, providing fair, open, and transparent career development while protecting health and wellbeing.

Details

• Date posted: 17 October 2025
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: Band 8b
• Salary: £64,455 to £74,896 a year per annum (pro rata)
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time
• Reference number: 349-RES-7558595-RL4-C
• Job locations: CityLabs, Nelson Street, Manchester, M13 9NQ

Job responsibilities

To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you’ll need, refer to the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the Supporting Documents heading. Read the Candidate Essentials Guide to understand the Trust, our benefits, and how we care for you as you care for others before submitting an application.

Diversity Matters

MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating discrimination across our workforce. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply. If you have special requirements to help you with your application, email [e-mail].

Person Specification

Qualifications – Essential

• Masters level qualification or equivalent experience
• Significant experience or knowledge in research and development (R&D), science or healthcare
• Significant specialist knowledge of the NHS, R&D systems and the context of the importance of the life sciences in this context

Knowledge and Experience – Essential

• Experience of owning and writing complex business cases
• Broad knowledge and experience of utilising information technology to provide management information reports, particularly financial and activity reporting
• Experience at dealing with very senior people both internally and externally e.g operational management
• Proven experience of working successfully as part of diffused leadership teams
• Proven staff management experience with the ability to gain their support, motivate and develop them
• Experience of managing a customer-focused service
• Experience of working in healthcare in an operational management or business management or development capacity
• Experience of working with the life sciences sector or working within R&D within the academic sector
• Ability to negotiate commercial contracts and non-commercial agreements with the commercial sector, the public sector, universities and charities
• Professional leadership at an operational level
• Experience at project management, with a good understanding of the complexities involved
• An understanding of business and marketing principles

Desirable

• Research management and administration including governance, sponsorship, costings, contracts, finance and clinical trial agreements
• Appreciation of clinical research methodologies and trials organisation
• Advanced experience of using R&D databases
• Experience of working in the private healthcare sector and International business experience
• Senior level experience of managing R&D activity in the health and social care/university sector
• Demonstration of strategic thinking and strategy development
• Experience of design management and delivery of completed research projects in the health, social care or university sector

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants for entry clearance must present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided in for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website. From 6 April 2017, you must present a criminal record certificate from each country you have resided in for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name: Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Address: CityLabs, Nelson Street, Manchester, M13 9NQ

Employer's website: mft.nhs.uk/careers/