R&D Growth Strategy Lead

RELX; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 72,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Elsevier, a global leader in information and analytics, is seeking a strategic professional to shape and drive growth for Corporate R&D solutions. You will partner with strategy, product, and commercial teams to identify market opportunities and guide development across the portfolio.

You will work closely with senior strategy and product leadership, embedding with product teams to translate insights into actionable recommendations that accelerate growth.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Business, Economics, Engineering, Chemistry, or other R&D-focused disciplines). An advanced degree in a relevant business or scientific field (MBA, MSc, or PhD) is highly desirable.
• Strategy consulting experience (3+ years) with a top-tier consulting firm or a strong in-house strategy team.
• Professional experience and understanding of R&D-intensive industries such as chemicals and materials R&D, semiconductor and electronics engineering, energy transition technology, or automotive systems engineering.
• Proven ability to develop strategic frameworks and translate insights into compelling strategic narratives with actionable recommendations.
• Experience evaluating and developing strategies for software and/or data-driven products.
• Experience with advanced databases, AI/ML applications, or SaaS business models is advantageous.
• Experience driving execution across multidisciplinary teams in a collaborative environment.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills with the ability to synthesize complex information.
• Experience leveraging generative AI tools for strategy, research, or analytical tasks.
• Strong communication and presentation skills with the ability to convey strategic concepts to diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of product-level strategies for agentic solutions and specialty databases.
• Provide guidance and support to the Product Leadership Team in shaping product roadmaps aligned with portfolio strategy and market needs.
• Continuously monitor and analyse the competitive landscape, identifying potential threats and opportunities, including partnerships and M&A opportunities.
• Conduct in-depth market research and analysis to identify and evaluate new market needs that can drive growth.
• Lead and manage strategic initiatives, including growth opportunity assessments, M&A screens, and strategic partnerships.
• Build strong relationships and communicate strategic recommendations and insights to senior product, commercial, and strategy leadership.
• Collaborate with cross-functional and multidisciplinary teams to drive execution of strategic priorities.
• Translate complex insights into clear, actionable recommendations that support business growth.

Skills

Strategy consulting

R&D sector knowledge

Analytical thinking

AI/ML experience

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree (Business, Economics, Engineering, Chemistry or related)

MBA / MSc / PhD desirable

Tools

Databases

AI/ML

SaaS

Job description

Elsevier, a global leader in information and analytics, is seeking a strategic professional to shape and drive growth for Corporate R&D solutions. You will partner with strategy, product, and commercial teams to identify market opportunities and guide development across the portfolio.

You will work closely with senior strategy and product leadership, embedding with product teams to translate insights into actionable recommendations that accelerate growth.