Senior Business Development Manager

UK Health Security Agency; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A national health security organization is seeking a Business Development Manager to lead innovation projects, engage with external stakeholders, and manage intellectual property. This role requires strong negotiation skills and experience in the life sciences sector. The position offers flexible working arrangements and a comprehensive benefits package.

Benefits

Generous Defined Benefit pension scheme

Cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme

Retail discounts and cashback

Qualifications

• Proven experience in identifying and winning commercial contracts in the Life Science sector.
• Experience in health, life sciences, or pharmaceutical sectors.
• Strong negotiation and contract management skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement business strategy focusing on scientific innovation.
• Manage a portfolio of projects aimed at acquiring and retaining business.
• Negotiate and sign contracts to maximise financial return.

Skills

Analytical skills

Negotiation skills

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Communication skills

Education

Relevant degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Job Overview

The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is a system leader for health security; taking action internationally to strengthen global health security, providing trusted advice to government and the public and reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health. UKHSA's remit, as an agency with a global-to-local reach, is to protect the health of the nation from infectious diseases and other external threats to health. As the nation's expert national health security agency UKHSA will:

• Prevent: anticipate threats to health and help build the nation's readiness, defences and health security
• Detect: use cutting edge environmental and biological surveillance to proactively detect and monitor infectious diseases and threats to health
• Analyse: use world‑class science and data analytics to assess and continually monitor threats to health, identifying how best to control and mitigate the risks
• Respond: take rapid, collaborative and effective actions nationally and locally to mitigate threats to health when they materialise
• Lead: lead strong and sustainable global, national, regional and local partnerships designed to save lives, protect the nation from public health threats and reduce inequalities.

Responsibilities

Strategic Business Development

• Design and implement business strategy, including external partnerships where appropriate and particularly focusing on scientific innovation outputs and their commercialisation within UKHSA.
• Contribute to UKHSA business strategies for short and long‑term plans.
• Develop and manage a portfolio of assigned projects directly and through your team, primarily with the objective of acquiring and retaining business.

Intellectual Property Management

• Promote scientific innovation across UKHSA and lead on the protection and exploitation of intellectual property assets through training and advising colleagues.
• Manage UKHSA's intellectual property portfolio to maximise commercial value and public health benefit.
• Identify opportunities for licensing to third parties to bring UKHSA innovations to commercial scale.

Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships

• Manage your own BD team and work with other teams and functions across UKHSA to support successful engagement with external clients and funding bodies.
• Support the Deputy Director/Head of Business Development in engaging effectively with external organisations across the health landscape.
• Liaise with operational, scientific, legal and regulatory leads to develop business activities and formulate proposals.
• Participate in external meetings, exhibitions and conferences to promote UKHSA and develop new business opportunities.

Contract Management & Negotiation

• Negotiate and sign fully delegated contracts and liaise with others on partly delegated contracts to define UKHSA's commitments, minimise risk and maximise financial return.
• Develop and agree delivery of assigned business targets with operational managers, budgeting in accordance with UKHSA Standing Financial Instructions.

Performance Management & Reporting

• Report regularly to the Head of Business Development to evaluate critically the results of activities and key issues.
• Prepare and submit routine reports on income and risk.
• Support the leadership of Business Development and the broader CVCD Directorate.

Compliance and Standards

• Undertake all assigned work in accordance with UKHSA's policies and procedures.
• Carry out all duties within UKHSA's codes of safety practice.
• Demonstrate willingness to travel and ability to obtain required security clearance.

Qualifications & Experience

• Proven experience in identifying and winning commercial contracts through professional business development in the Life Science sector or related field.
• Experience working in the health, life sciences, or pharmaceutical sectors.
• Significant experience in intellectual property management and commercialisation.
• Strong negotiation and contract management skills.
• Experience working with external stakeholders and building strategic partnerships.
• Understanding of income generation strategies and business planning.
• Experience in preparing reports and presentations for senior leadership.

Knowledge & Understanding

• Knowledge of the Life Science industry and related commercial processes.
• Understanding of intellectual property rights and exploitation strategies and processes.
• Awareness of public sector commercial requirements and regulations.
• Experience of managing staff in a scientific and service‑driven organisation.

Personal Qualities

• Strong analytical and strategic thinking abilities.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across multiple teams and organisations.
• Confident decision‑making in complex environments.
• Strong project management capabilities.

Desirable Criteria

• Awareness of UK government commercial frameworks and processes.
• Experience in writing and managing grant applications and research funding models.
• Understanding of scientific innovation and related commercialisation processes.
• Proven experience in identifying and winning commercial contracts through professional business development in the Life Science sector or related field.
• Experience working in the health, life sciences, or pharmaceutical sectors.
• Significant experience in intellectual property management and commercialisation.

Selection Process

• Longlisting into three piles: Meets all essential criteria, Meets some essential criteria, Meets no essential criteria. Only candidates who meet all or some essential criteria will progress.
• Interview: remote interview. Assessment using Success Profiles. Behaviours: Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together, Managing a Quality Service.
• Presentation: 5‑10 minute presentation on Commercialisation of Knowledge Assets.

Security Clearance

• Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS).
• Counter‑Terrorism Check (CTC). Minimum of CTC security vetting if based at UKHSA scientific campus sites.

Equal Opportunity Statement

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce. UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

Hybrid Working

We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce.

Benefits

• Access to a generous Defined Benefit pension scheme with employer contributions.
• Access to a cycle‑to‑work salary sacrifice scheme, season ticket advances and payroll giving.
• Access to a retail discounts and cashback site.
• Promotion of flexible working patterns (part‑time, job‑share, condensed hours).
• Generous maternity/paternity and adoption leave package.
• Public holidays and one privilege day for the King’s birthday.

Other Information

For more detailed information on the National Biosecurity Centre, pay structure, visa and citizenship rules, and the Civil Service Code, please visit the UKHSA careers site or relevant government publications.