Senior Clinical Lead, Global Health Translational Challenge

LifeArc; England; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A not-for-profit life science organisation seeks a Senior Clinical Lead to manage clinical projects aimed at tackling antimicrobial resistance. This role involves developing and delivering clinical strategies, providing leadership across multidisciplinary teams, and collaborating on international health initiatives. The ideal candidate will have significant experience in clinical development and a PhD or equivalent in life sciences. The position is located in London or Edinburgh, offering a supportive, inclusive environment focused on impactful health outcomes.

Benefits

Pension scheme (up to 12% employer contribution)

Private health insurance

31 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Qualifications

• Significant experience in shaping and delivering clinical strategy.
• Deep expertise in global antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
• Experience in clinical development in pharmaceutical/biotech sectors.

Responsibilities

• Lead clinical research and partnership programmes.
• Develop clinical strategies and governance.
• Provide leadership and manage cross-functional teams.

Skills

Strategic leadership and influencing

Advanced project and programme management

Exceptional communication

Critical thinking and problem-solving

Interpersonal and relationship-building

Organisational and analytical

Education

PhD or equivalent in a relevant life sciences discipline

BSc/MSc with substantial experience in clinical development

Job description

Job Title

Senior Clinical Lead, Global Health Translational Challenge

Location

London or Edinburgh

Job Type

Permanent

Agencies

We will only work with recruitment partners on our preferred supplier list and will not engage with speculative CVs submitted.

Are you passionate about making life science life changing and delivering impact for patients? We want to hear from you.

About the role

As Senior Clinical Lead you will drive delivery of clinical projects and programmes within our Global Health Translational Challenge portfolio, with a particular focus on tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

In this role, you will provide strategic leadership and expert insight to advance clinical research, collaborating with international partners to turn innovative science into practical solutions that improve health outcomes globally.

You will shape and deliver clinical strategy for global health programmes, develop frameworks and governance for complex, multi-partner initiatives and manage and deliver clinical projects from concept to implementation, maintaining strategic oversight of international clinical trials and cross-border collaborations, ensuring operational excellence.

If you are passionate about making a tangible impact in global health and thrive in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary environment, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and oversee clinical research and partnership programmes, ensuring strategic alignment with organisational objectives.
• Develop and implement clinical strategies, frameworks, and governance across internal and collaborative projects.
• Provide leadership and line management, influencing cross-functional and multi-project teams to deliver results.
• Advise senior management and stakeholders on clinical strategy, risk management, and innovation.
• Ensure effective reporting and communication of programme progress to senior stakeholders and partners.
• Represent the organisation externally as a subject matter expert and ambassador in high-level forums and collaborations.

Essential experience required

• Significant experience in shaping and delivering clinical strategy for global health programmes and the ability to develop frameworks and governance for complex, multi-partner initiatives.
• Deep expertise and understanding of the global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) challenge, including current research, policy landscape and practical interventions.
• Significant experience in clinical development in the pharmaceutical / biotech or life sciences industry.
• In‑depth knowledge of clinical trial phases, designs and regulatory requirements particularly in rare diseases and / or global health.
• Proven track record in managing and delivering clinical projects from concept to implementation.
• Experience in line management and leading cross-functional matrix teams.

Education

• PhD or equivalent in a relevant life sciences discipline; alternatively, BSc / MSc with substantial additional experience in clinical development.

Desirable

• Experience leading or contributing to global health initiatives focused on AMR.
• Familiarity with treatments, diagnostics, or other medical technologies relevant to AMR.
• Experience with international clinical development, cross border collaborations and regulatory submissions is highly desirable.

Skills & abilities

• Strategic leadership and influencing skills, with the ability to shape clinical direction at organisational and partnership levels.
• Advanced project and programme management skills, ensuring delivery of complex clinical initiatives.
• Exceptional communication skills, able to engage, inform, and influence senior stakeholders and external partners.
• Critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, with a track record of innovative decision‑making.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship‑building skills, fostering collaboration and trust across diverse teams and organisations.
• High level of organisational and analytical capability, with attention to detail and commitment to quality.

About us

LifeArc is a not-for-profit life science organisation, leading the way for change in rare diseases in the UK and supporting promising initiatives in global health. We seek out research in areas of unmet need that has great potential, providing support to help it become breakthroughs that change lives.

What we can offer you

Focused on finding life changing solutions for underserved patients, our people thrive in an inclusive, and supportive environment that prioritises their health and wellbeing. Our multidisciplinary approach guarantees our people growth opportunities, while our culture of innovation and collaboration drives the impact we make delivering on our purpose of ‘putting patients at the centre of everything we do’.

LifeArc is committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible and developing a culture that values differences. As a Disability Confident Employer, we guarantee an interview to candidates with a disability or long‑term health condition who meet the essential criteria for the role.

Please note that in certain situations, such as high volumes of applications, it may not be practical to interview all eligible candidates. In these cases, we may need to select those who best meet the essential criteria. (At LifeArc, the Disability Confident Scheme’s ‘minimum criteria’ is referred to as ‘essential criteria’).

Salary will be determined by qualifications and experience along with other exceptional benefits. Because we understand everyone has different requirements, our flexible benefits allow you to choose those which are important to you. Our pension scheme offers employer contributions of up to 12%, private health insurance, and annual leave of 31 days PLUS bank holidays.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people from minority ethnic backgrounds, for example, are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At LifeArc we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so whatever your background or lived experience, if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. Our top priority is finding the best candidate, and you may be just right for this or other roles.

We all have potential. At LifeArc, you’ll discover what you can really do with it.