Senior Business Development Manager - Engineering Biology

LGC; Guildford; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

LGC’s National Laboratories seeks a driven professional to locate and develop collaborative opportunities, assemble high‑value consortia, and lead externally funded programmes aligned with organisational priorities. You will convert scientific strengths into growth, partnerships, and impactful funding initiatives supporting public health and safety.

Role requires capability in engineering biology, funding proposals, and strong stakeholder engagement across government, funders, academia and

Qualifications

• Degree or PhD in Life Science or equivalent experience.
• Knowledge of Engineering Biology, life sciences, measurements/testing, or related fields.
• Proven experience in business development, partnerships, or programme management in science/innovation.
• Understanding of the UK grant funding landscape.
• Strong experience in developing collaborative funding proposals (UKRI, DSIT, NIHR or similar).
• Excellent collaborator management.
• Ability to build opportunities from early concept through to competitive, fundable proposals, ensuring alignment with NML strategy.
• Highly organised with ability to manage multiple deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Full UK driving license.

Responsibilities

• Identify and develop collaborative opportunities for NML.
• Assemble and manage high‑value consortia and lead funding proposals.
• Represent NML at industry and innovation events.
• Develop strategic collaborations to improve scientific impact and sustainability.
• Lead identification and shaping of funding applications and partnerships.
• Manage multiple projects, proposals, and partner engagements.
• Engage a broad network of collaborators including government, funders, academia, industry, regulators, and international partners.
• Prepare and deliver high‑quality proposals, reports, and partner materials for diverse audiences.
• Provide leadership across virtual project teams and mentoring activities.
• Support bid management, governance, and contract management processes.
• Apply expertise in engineering biology, research funding, and partnership management.
• Drive continuous improvement in business development practices and funding success.

Skills

Engineering Biology

Life Sciences

Grant landscape

Funding proposals

Collaboration management

Communication skills

Time management

Driving licence

Education

Life Science PhD

Job description

LGC’s National Laboratories deliver a range of expert science functions and services in partnership with the UK Government, business, healthcare, and academia. We manage and operate several national laboratories on behalf of government agencies, such as the UK National Measurement Laboratory (NML), MHRA Laboratories Team and National Reference Laboratories, as well as hosting the unique function of the ‘Government Chemist’.

As home to many world-leading scientists, LGC’s National Laboratories provide a wide range of expert analytical science services and subject matter expertise to a broad spectrum of customers, stakeholders, and global forums. In addition, we undertake contract research and development projects for a range of customers in both the public and private sectors. Our work addresses fundamental and emerging measurement challenges, helping to foster innovation and promoting productivity and economic growth.

LGC’s National Laboratories deliver a range of expert science functions and services in partnership with the UK Government, business, healthcare, and academia. We manage and operate several national laboratories on behalf of government agencies, such as the UK National Measurement Laboratory (NML), MHRA Laboratories Team and National Reference Laboratories, as well as hosting the unique function of the ‘Government Chemist’.

As home to many world-leading scientists, LGC’s National Laboratories provide a wide range of expert analytical science services and subject matter expertise to a broad spectrum of customers, stakeholders, and global forums. In addition, we undertake contract research and development projects for a range of customers in both the public and private sectors. Our work addresses fundamental and emerging measurement challenges, helping to foster innovation and promoting productivity and economic growth.

Job Description

The postholder will find and develop collaborative opportunities, assemble and manage high-value consortia, represent NML at relevant industry and innovation events, and lead the creation of competitive funding proposals aligned with organisational priorities. Working where science, innovation, and commercial strategy intersect, the role will help convert NML's scientific strengths into balanced business growth, strategic partnerships, and externally funded programmes that support LGC's mission to protect and improve public health, safety, and security.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to capably perform each of the following essential duties:

• Drive NML revenue growth by recognizing, nurturing, and transforming funding, partnership, and commercial opportunities.
• Build and manage a robust pipeline of opportunities, delivering measurable growth in externally funded activity.
• Develop strategic collaborations that improve NML's scientific impact, market position, and long-term sustainability.
• Lead the identification and shaping of funding applications, partnerships, and multi-year strategic programmes with a high degree of autonomy and judgement.
• Convert organisational priorities into practical funding, partnership, and business development opportunities.
• Manage multiple projects, proposals, and partner engagements simultaneously, balancing planning with hands‑on delivery.
• Engage and influence a broad network of collaborators including government, funders, academia, industry, regulators, and international partners.
• Prepare and deliver high-quality proposals, arguments, reports, presentations, partner materials, and management updates for technical, commercial, and policy audiences.
• Provide/support leadership across virtual project teams, consortium partners, and external collaborators, while supporting mentoring and knowledge sharing activities.
• Support business development, bid management, governance, contract management, and compliance processes, ensuring effective pipeline reporting and process oversight.
• Apply expertise in engineering biology, research funding, collaborative R&D, consortium development, science commercialisation, and partnership management.
• Drive continuous improvement by enhancing business development practices, collaborator engagement, funding success rates, reporting metrics, and partnership models to achieve revenue and impact targets.

Qualifications

• Degree or PhD in Life Science or equivalent experience
• Knowledge of Engineering Biology, life sciences, measurements/testing, or related fields
• Proven experience in business development, partnerships, or programme management in science/innovation
• Understanding of the UK grant funding landscape.
• Strong experience in developing collaborative funding proposals (UKRI, DSIT, NIHR or similar)
• Excellent collaborator management
• Ability to build opportunities from early concept through to competitive, fundable proposals, ensuring strong alignment between scientific value, partner capability, funder priorities, and NML strategy
• Highly organised, able to manage multiple parallel opportunities and deadlines
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Full UK driving license

Desirable

• Understanding of standards and regulation.
• Experience working in multi‑disciplinary, multi‑partner environments.
• Understanding of the EU grant funding landscape.

Behavioural & Interpersonal proficiencies

• Highly collaborative, working across NML teams and external partners.
• Proactive, problem‑solver and motivated by challenges.
• Judgement‑led and selective, with the ability to distinguish high‑value strategic opportunities from low‑fit or transactional leads.
• Structured, delivery‑focused and comfortable operating within a fast paced environment.

Additional Information

ABOUT LGC:

LGC is a leading, global life science tools company, providing mission-critical components and solutions into high‑growth application areas across the human healthcare and applied market segments. Its high‑quality product portfolio is comprised of mission‑critical tools for genomic analysis and for quality assurance applications, which are typically embedded and recurring within our customers’ products and workflows and are valued for their performance, quality, and range.

OUR VALUES

• PASSION
• CURIOSITY
• INTEGRITY
• BRILLIANCE
• RESPECT

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

LGC strongly believes that every job applicant and employee should be valued for their individual talents regardless of age, disability, race, color, ethnic or national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion, or belief. Short listing, interviewing and selection will always be carried out without regard to gender, sexual orientation, marital status, color, race, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, age, or trade union membership.

For more information about LGC, please visit our website www.lgcgroup.com

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