Team Lead

STR Group; Portsmouth; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Four-day working week

Uncapped commission up to 30%

Private healthcare from day one

Company pension scheme

23–28 days annual leave

Free on-site parking

Birthday off

Employee of the Month/Quarter

Job summary

Blackfield Associates, part of STR Group, is seeking a Team Manager to lead our US-focused team from our Portsmouth office. You will combine hands-on client development with team leadership, coaching performance, and driving growth across life sciences markets.

You will develop relationships with US-based clients, set expectations, and steer the team toward achieving revenue targets and strategic objectives while supporting consultants in building specialist markets and delivering tailored

Qualifications

• Experienced in recruitment, talent solutions or consultative sales.
• Able to lead, motivate and develop a commercial team.
• Commercially minded and motivated by measurable success.
• Comfortable leading a team working within a fast-paced US market.
• Skilled at developing relationships with clients, candidates and internal stakeholders.
• Curious and able to ask thoughtful questions to uncover the real business challenge.
• Resilient, proactive and willing to take ownership.

Responsibilities

• Managing, motivating and developing a team focused on the US life sciences market
• Setting clear expectations and supporting the team to achieve personalised KPIs, revenue targets and business‑development objectives
• Providing regular coaching, feedback and performance reviews
• Leading by example through hands‑on client development and commercial activity
• Helping consultants identify prospective US clients and grow their specialist markets through solution‑focused outbound sales
• Building influential relationships with senior stakeholders and specialist life sciences professionals
• Using market insight and performance data to identify commercial opportunities and guide team strategy
• Reviewing and supporting tailored commercial proposals, including critical hires, retained assignments, multi‑hire programmes and full project delivery
• Monitoring team pipelines, forecasts and activity to maintain consistent performance
• Working closely with senior leadership to support the continued growth of Blackfield Associates

Skills

Recruitment experience

Team leadership

Commercial mindset

US market experience

Relationship building

Resilient

Job description

Are you an experienced recruitment professional or sales leader ready to manage and develop a growing team within the global life sciences market? Blackfield Associates, part of STR Group, is looking for a Team Manager to lead our US-focused team. You’ll combine hands‑on commercial activity with team leadership, supporting consultants to build relationships, develop specialist markets and deliver tailored talent, workforce and project solutions.

Working from our Portsmouth office, you’ll lead a team partnering with US‑based clients and specialist professionals across the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and regulated manufacturing sectors. You’ll coach performance, strengthen commercial capability and help the team establish trusted, long‑term client partnerships.

Working at Blackfield Associates

Blackfield Associates is STR Group’s leading international life sciences consultancy. We help organisations secure critical STEM professionals, build specialist teams and deliver complex projects across the complete product lifecycle. Our approach starts with understanding what a client is trying to achieve, the challenges standing in their way and the specialist expertise required to deliver a successful outcome.

What will you be doing?

• Managing, motivating and developing a team focused on the US life sciences market
• Setting clear expectations and supporting the team to achieve personalised KPIs, revenue targets and business‑development objectives
• Providing regular coaching, feedback and performance reviews
• Leading by example through hands‑on client development and commercial activity
• Helping consultants identify prospective US clients and grow their specialist markets through solution‑focused outbound sales
• Building influential relationships with senior stakeholders and specialist life sciences professionals
• Using market insight and performance data to identify commercial opportunities and guide team strategy
• Reviewing and supporting tailored commercial proposals, including critical hires, retained assignments, multi‑hire programmes and full project delivery
• Monitoring team pipelines, forecasts and activity to maintain consistent performance
• Working closely with senior leadership to support the continued growth of Blackfield Associates

What are we looking for?

• Experienced in recruitment, talent solutions or consultative sales
• Able to lead, motivate and develop a commercial team
• Commercially minded and motivated by measurable success
• Comfortable leading a team working within a fast‑paced US market
• Skilled at developing relationships with clients, candidates and internal stakeholders
• Curious and able to ask thoughtful questions to uncover the real business challenge
• Resilient, proactive and willing to take ownership

What are we offering you?

• A four‑day working week
• Uncapped commission of up to 30%
• Structured, transparent and performance‑based career progression
• Modern, state‑of‑the‑art offices with breakout areas
• Daily breakfast provided
• Employee of the Month and Employee of the Quarter awards
• Quarterly Directors’ Lunches at Michelin‑recommended restaurants
• An active Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board
• Annual, all‑expenses‑paid incentive trips for top performers
• Annual Awards, Summer Party and Christmas Party
• Long‑service anniversary rewards, including additional holiday, bonuses, vouchers, champagne and gifts, depending on length of service
• 23 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing by one day for each completed year of service and capped at 28 days
• The option to purchase up to five additional days of annual leave
• Healthcare cash plan and optional private healthcare from day one
• Company pension scheme
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• Your birthday off
• Drinks fridge
• Free on‑site parking
• Electric vehicle salary‑sacrifice scheme through Octopus Electric Vehicles
• Tech salary‑sacrifice scheme through Currys
• Employee Referral Programme

This is an opportunity to lead and develop a growing team, gain exposure to the US market and build your management career within the global life sciences industry all while benefiting from a four‑day working week. STR Group is committed to offering applicants with disabilities an interview where they meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.