Scientific Director, Global Health-Infection

Job Title: Scientific Director, Global Health-Infection
Location: London
Job Type: Permanent, hybrid working with 3 days required in the office

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:

This key role requires an experienced and internationally recognised global health strategic antimicrobial resistance expert to lead on LifeArc’s Fleming Initiative commitment, and to provide input into other areas of drug-resistant infections. 

Working closely with the Head of Global Health – Infection, you will define objectives, shape and deliver on drug-resistant infection projects, and collaborate with international partners to translate the ambition of the Global Health – Infection portfolio into real world practicable solutions.

About you and the key responsibilities: 

• Lead on the formation and execute the delivery of LifeArc’s Fleming Initiative. commitment and input into other Global Health – Infection programmes as required. 
• Lead multi-stakeholder portfolios, including external partners ensuring deliverables are timely, high quality, and within budget, to drive key decision making.
• Identify potential collaborative opportunities across different interventions and create and present project proposals to senior stakeholders. 
• Oversee the overall Fleming Initiative management by ensuring high quality project plans, budgets, reports, risk analysis, milestone review and KPIs. Ensure monitor & control governance processes are fit for purpose and resolve or escalate issues appropriately.
• Keep abreast of new developments aligned to the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) area of focus in terms of both therapeutic/technological as well as public health advances.
• Build and maintain a reputation in the external scientific community, through networking, presentations and thought leadership. 
• Act as an ambassador for LifeArc, promoting, creating and maintaining strategic partnerships, and representing LifeArc at key external events
• Possibility for both line- and matrix-management, in a fluid and dynamic portfolio, aligning team objectives with overarching LifeArc’s goals.
• Support a culture of continuous improvement, streamlining and improving work processes as LifeArc evolves
• Act as a role model for LifeArc’s Principles.  

Education & experience required: 

Essential:

• PhD, MD, MSc or equivalent in a scientific discipline of relevance, with extensive experience leading GH-I programmes at both the strategic and operational level.
• Deep expertise and understanding of the global AMR challenge, including current research, policy landscape and intervention development.
• Significant experience in leading and delivering research and development programmes and interventions to prevent and control the burden of drug-resistant infections. 
• Established network and reputation as thought leader in AMR. 
• Substantial experience leading, managing and resourcing large portfolios with multiple stakeholders, including external partners.
• An experienced line manager, with experience of performance and goal management and the successful development of team members, including demonstrated track record of successful multi-disciplinary matrix- management.
• Experience of leading in a collaborative working environment, particularly integrating internal and external components and partners.
• Outstanding and authentic communication and engagement skills with all audiences.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with proven ability to work with senior leaders in the field, Board and Executive level.
• Self-awareness and excellent personal resilience, as well as a high level of professionalism, discretion, and tact. Can-do attitude with consistent track record of high impact delivery.

Desirable:

• Project leadership experience of progressing AMR and/or infectious disease programmes in resource limited settings including low- and middle-income countries.
• Experience in delivering AMR relevant capacity strengthening programmes globally.
• Experience in managing research funding.

Skills & abilities:

• Able to thrive in a fast-paced and delivery-orientated environment, and motivate and successfully drive a team even with ambiguity and immature and developing portfolios
• Inspirational line manager of both direct reports and cross-functional teams  
• Highly effective at influencing and negotiating with internal and external stakeholders
• Exceptional planning skills and execution of projects with a delivery mindset and excellent attention to detail.  
• Strategic and scientific leadership and influencing skills, with the ability to shape the AMR portfolio at organisational and operational levels.
• Advanced project and programme management skills, ensuring delivery of large investment to high quality.
• Exceptional communication skills and ability to engage, inform and influence senior stakeholders and external partners.
• Critical thinking and problem-solving abilities with a track record of innovative and inclusive decision-making.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, fostering collaboration and trust across diverse teams and organisations

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’. 

We are dedicated to creating a diverse, flexible, equitable and happy work environment so our colleagues can thrive as their truest selves. We act with courage, curiosity, care & commitment to deliver quality & excellence for our patients and each other Join us, and you’ll be given the scope to develop your professional skills and experience in a safe, supportive and challenging environment

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.