SVP Academic Leaders & Funders Solutions

RELX; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A global information and analytics leader is seeking a Portfolio Executive to drive strategy and execution, ensuring customer satisfaction and growth. The role focuses on building a high-performing team while implementing innovative solutions for Academic Leaders & Funders. Candidates should have a bachelor's degree, 15+ years of relevant experience, and a strong customer focus. Benefits include generous time off, health programs, and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Generous holiday allowance

Health screening and private medical benefits

Wellbeing programs

Life assurance

Access to a competitive contributory pension scheme

Electric Vehicle Scheme

Maternity and paternity leave

Access to learning and development resources

Qualifications

• 15+ years of relevant experience in a related field.
• Proven track record of leading innovative projects.
• Experience in M&A and building partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Lead portfolio strategy & execution for AL&F.
• Drive commercial goals and go-to-market strategies.
• Build and nurture a high-performing team.

Skills

Customer focus

SaaS workflow & data analytics

Cross-functional leadership

Innovation

Evidence-based decision making

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

About the Role

In this role, you will lead portfolio strategy & execution, defining and delivering a differentiated solutions portfolio for Academic Leaders & Funders (AL&F) within Academic & Government, driving improved customer outcomes through continuous improvement and innovation. You will unlock adjacent markets and new revenue streams via a more integrated and innovative set of solutions. You will accelerate commercial goals by leading go‑to‑market across core and adjacent segments. You will develop a high‑performing, highly aligned and highly engaged team and relentlessly nurture talent.

Responsibilities

Strategy defines the portfolio strategy to drive improved outcomes for AL&F users and customers. Develops and implements an end‑to‑end roadmap to enable AL&F wide profitable growth and customer satisfaction.

Customer focus: leads the overarching design of the end‑to‑end customer experience for AL&F customer and users. Brings together teams to strengthen Elsevier's understanding of and connection with users and customers. Drives user experience through meeting customer needs and building trusted partnerships. Recognised as a thought leader in the ALF segment.

Products & portfolio: instils relentless focus on creating customer value through evidence‑based decision making and a culture of data‑driven product development. Solves for both improving the individual solutions and evolving towards a more integrated offering that improves customer outcomes. Encourages the development of Elsevier wide shared capabilities to drive extreme reuse, speeds up time to market and ensures a secure and trusted environment for our customers.

Innovation: leads high‑impact innovation and differentiation across new and existing customer solutions to meet future needs. Scans the market for emerging technology to ensure AL&F remains at the cutting edge of development.

Growth and profitability: evaluates "build, buy or partner" routes to address market needs, with time to market considerations. Relentlessly reviews existing solutions to ensure they remain differentiated and high quality for customers.

Go‑to‑market: leads go‑to‑market for the core segment and adjacent segments to reach commercial goals.

People and capabilities: strengthens leadership, talent and capabilities of the AL&F Solutions team. Fosters a growth and enterprise mindset where diverse talent feel included. Clear and compelling communicator who inspires the team and wider organisation.

Collaboration and agility: fosters a highly collaborative way of working with other parts of Elsevier to respond to opportunities and challenges in an agile, cross‑functional way, with close collaboration across leadership teams (e.g. broader Academic & Government team, sales, marketing customer success, research networks, technology, operations, corporate & health segment teams)

Policy environment: engages with key stakeholder groups, policy‑makers and funders to help foster a positive Research policy environment.

Requirements

Customer focus: exceptional customer focus with track record of innovation, evidence‑based decision making and data‑driven product experimentation.

SaaS workflow & data analytics portfolio: innovating, scaling and integrating a global SaaS workflow and data analytics portfolio, with disciplined prioritization across innovation, re‑platforming, and legacy tech‑debt remediation. Consistently delivering high‑impact projects on time and within budget through structured execution and governance.

Experience in leading and working with post‑ and & pre‑sales implementation and support teams to deliver a best‑in‑class customer experience.

Cross‑functional leadership, driving change & talent development: ability to influence senior stakeholders, lead cross‑functionally, drive change and execute at scale in a matrixed organisation. Ability to develop a coherent team and cultivate product management talent.

External credibility and authority: able to inspire, empathise and establish credibility with senior levels of academic leaders. Desirable: understanding of the academic ecosystem, needs and challenges of higher education and research institutions.

M&A experience: experience in building partnerships, as well as identifying and integrating acquisitions.

GTM: taking a SaaS workflow and data analytics solutions portfolio to market.

Education: bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred; 15+ years relevant experience.

Work in a way that works for you

We promote a healthy work / life balance across the organisation. We offer an appealing working prospect for our people. With numerous wellbeing initiatives, shared parental leave, study assistance and sabbaticals, we will help you meet your immediate responsibilities and your long‑term goals.

Working for you

We know that your wellbeing and happiness are key to a long and successful career. These are some of the benefits we are delighted to offer:

• Generous holiday allowance with the option to buy additional days
• Health screening, eye care vouchers and private medical benefits
• Wellbeing programs
• Life assurance
• Save As You Earn share option scheme
• Access to a competitive contributory pension scheme
• Travel Season ticket loan
• Electric Vehicle Scheme
• Optional Dental Insurance
• Maternity, paternity and shared parental leave
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to emergency care for both the elderly and children
• RECARES days, giving you time to support the charities and causes that matter to you
• Access to employee resource groups with dedicated time to volunteer
• Access to extensive learning and development resources
• Access to employee discounts scheme via Perks at Work

About the business

A global leader in information and analytics, we help researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. Building on our publishing heritage, we combine quality information and vast data sets with analytics to support visionary science and research, health education and interactive learning, as well as exceptional healthcare and clinical practice. What you do every day will help advance science and healthcare to advance human progress.

Disability Accommodation

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