Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Life Science Key Account Manager

The closing date is 17 July 2025

Job summary

The Life Science Key Account Manager, as a senior manager in the Regional Research Delivery Network (RRDN), will work as part of a national Research Delivery Network (RDN) Industry facing team to develop and manage relationships with Life Sciences companies, and the NIHR wider stakeholders within the clinical research environment including non-commercial funders and other parts of the research ecosystem to attract and grow clinical research delivery in the UK.

This role will work closely with RDN Industry facing teams across the RDN to ensure equality and consistency of service for all customers, nationally and regionally. Using horizon scanning data, business intelligence and NIHR expertise and relationships, the postholder will provide a tailored service to key accounts as a single conduit, representing the RDN nationally. The post holder will promote the RDN services, ensuring that key themes and opportunities are communicated into the RDN. The postholder will work closely with other key industry facing teams , External Affairs and Strategic Partnerships and the Department of Business and Trade to explore opportunities and enable access to NIHR infrastructure.

Main duties of the job

  • Strategic Leadership
  • Business Planning
  • Information & Administration
  • Operational Management
  • Service Improvement & Development
  • Performance Management
  • Life Sciences Industry
  • Financial Management Responsibilities
  • Continuous Improvement
  • Communication & Stakeholder Management
  • Corporate Governance

About us

MFT is one of the largest NHS Trusts in England with a turnover of £2.8bn & is on a different scale than most other NHS Trusts. We're creating an exceptional integrated health & social care system for the 1 million patients who rely on our services every year.

Bringing together 10 hospitals & community services from across Manchester, Trafford & beyond, we champion collaborative working & transformation, encouraging our 30,000 workforce to pursue their most ambitious goals. We set standards that other Trusts seek to emulate so you'll benefit from a scale of opportunity that is nothing short of extraordinary.

We've also created a digitally enabled organisation to improve clinical quality, patient & staff experience, operational effectiveness & driving research, and innovation through the introduction of Hive; our Electronic Patient Record system which launched in September 2022.

We're proud to be a major academic Research Centre & Education provider, providing you with a robust infrastructure to encourage and facilitate high-quality research programmes. What's more, we're excited to be embarking on our Green Plan which sets out how MFT continues to play its part in making healthcare more sustainable.

At MFT, we create and foster a culture of inclusion and belonging, provide equal opportunities for career development that are fair, open, and transparent, protecting your health and wellbeing and shaping the future of our organisation together.

Details

Date posted

03 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£62,215 to £72,293 a year per annum (pro rata)

Contract

Secondment

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

349-RES-7146387-RL4

Job locations

CityLabs

Nelson Street

Manchester

M13 9NQ


Job description

Job responsibilities

MFT is one of the largest NHS Trusts in England with a turnover of £2.8bn & is on a different scale than most other NHS Trusts. Were creating an exceptional integrated health & social care system for the 1 million patients who rely on our services every year.

Bringing together 10 hospitals & community services from across Manchester, Trafford & beyond, we champion collaborative working & transformation, encouraging our 30,000 workforce to pursue their most ambitious goals. We set standards that other Trusts seek to emulate so youll benefit from a scale of opportunity that is nothing short of extraordinary.

Weve also created a digitally enabled organisation to improve clinical quality, patient & staff experience, operational effectiveness & driving research, and innovation through the introduction of Hive; our Electronic Patient Record system which launched in September 2022.

Were proud to be a major academic Research Centre & Education provider, providing you with a robust infrastructure to encourage and facilitate high-quality research programmes. Whats more, were excited to be embarking on our Green Plan which sets out how MFT continues to play its part in making healthcare more sustainable.

At MFT, we create and foster a culture of inclusion and belonging, provide equal opportunities for career development that are fair, open, and transparent, protecting your health and wellbeing and shaping the future of our organisation together.

Job description

Job responsibilities

MFT is one of the largest NHS Trusts in England with a turnover of £2.8bn & is on a different scale than most other NHS Trusts. Were creating an exceptional integrated health & social care system for the 1 million patients who rely on our services every year.

Bringing together 10 hospitals & community services from across Manchester, Trafford & beyond, we champion collaborative working & transformation, encouraging our 30,000 workforce to pursue their most ambitious goals. We set standards that other Trusts seek to emulate so youll benefit from a scale of opportunity that is nothing short of extraordinary.

Weve also created a digitally enabled organisation to improve clinical quality, patient & staff experience, operational effectiveness & driving research, and innovation through the introduction of Hive; our Electronic Patient Record system which launched in September 2022.

Were proud to be a major academic Research Centre & Education provider, providing you with a robust infrastructure to encourage and facilitate high-quality research programmes. Whats more, were excited to be embarking on our Green Plan which sets out how MFT continues to play its part in making healthcare more sustainable.

At MFT, we create and foster a culture of inclusion and belonging, provide equal opportunities for career development that are fair, open, and transparent, protecting your health and wellbeing and shaping the future of our organisation together.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Masters level qualification or equivalent experience
  • Significant experience or knowledge in research and development (R&D), science or healthcare
  • Significant specialist knowledge of the NHS, R&D systems and the context of the importance of the life sciences in this context

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Experience of owning and writing complex business cases
  • Broad knowledge and experience of utilising information technology to provide management information reports, particularly financial and activity reporting
  • Experience at dealing with very senior people both internally and externally e.g operational management
  • Proven experience of working successfully as part of diffused leadership teams
  • Proven staff management experience with the ability to gain their support, motivate and develop them
  • Experience of managing a customer-focused service
  • Experience of working in healthcare in an operational management or business management or development capacity
  • Experience of working with the life sciences sector or working within R&D within the NHS/academic sector
  • Ability to negotiate commercial contracts and non-commercial agreements with the commercial sector, the public sector, universities and charities
  • Professional leadership at an operational level
  • Experience at project management, with a good understanding of the complexities involved
  • An understanding of business and marketing principles

Desirable

  • Research management and administration including governance, sponsorship, costings, contracts, finance and clinical trial agreements
  • Appreciation of clinical research methodologies and trials organisation
  • Advanced experience of using R&D databases
  • Experience of working in the private healthcare sector and International business experience
  • Senior level experience of managing R&D activity in the health and social care/university sector
  • Demonstration of strategic thinking and strategy development
  • Experience of design management and delivery of completed research projects in the health, social care or university sector
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Masters level qualification or equivalent experience
  • Significant experience or knowledge in research and development (R&D), science or healthcare
  • Significant specialist knowledge of the NHS, R&D systems and the context of the importance of the life sciences in this context

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Experience of owning and writing complex business cases
  • Broad knowledge and experience of utilising information technology to provide management information reports, particularly financial and activity reporting
  • Experience at dealing with very senior people both internally and externally e.g operational management
  • Proven experience of working successfully as part of diffused leadership teams
  • Proven staff management experience with the ability to gain their support, motivate and develop them
  • Experience of managing a customer-focused service
  • Experience of working in healthcare in an operational management or business management or development capacity
  • Experience of working with the life sciences sector or working within R&D within the NHS/academic sector
  • Ability to negotiate commercial contracts and non-commercial agreements with the commercial sector, the public sector, universities and charities
  • Professional leadership at an operational level
  • Experience at project management, with a good understanding of the complexities involved
  • An understanding of business and marketing principles

Desirable

  • Research management and administration including governance, sponsorship, costings, contracts, finance and clinical trial agreements
  • Appreciation of clinical research methodologies and trials organisation
  • Advanced experience of using R&D databases
  • Experience of working in the private healthcare sector and International business experience
  • Senior level experience of managing R&D activity in the health and social care/university sector
  • Demonstration of strategic thinking and strategy development
  • Experience of design management and delivery of completed research projects in the health, social care or university sector

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

CityLabs

Nelson Street

Manchester

M13 9NQ


Employer's website

https://mft.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

CityLabs

Nelson Street

Manchester

M13 9NQ


Employer's website

https://mft.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Strategic Development Director

Dr Chris Smith

chris.smith@nihr.ac.uk

Details

Date posted

03 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£62,215 to £72,293 a year per annum (pro rata)

Contract

Secondment

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

349-RES-7146387-RL4

Job locations

CityLabs

Nelson Street

Manchester

M13 9NQ


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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