Head of Global Chemistry

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the Research leadership team, beyond specialist input on medicinal chemistry, to ensure that research productivity meets therapeutic area unit clinical development needs and the company’s commercial goals.
• Embed and empower the One Research mindset into not only the chemistry function, but the global research team, fostering shared ownership and enterprise-wide thinking.
• Drive the strategic evolution, direction and leadership of chemistry teams responsible for asset and PET ligand generation for multiple drug discovery programs targeting oncology, neuroscience and gastrointestinal/inflammatory diseases, from hit identification to IND filing.
• Lead the chemistry organization through transformation, operating effectively within evolving structures and organizational ambiguity, while helping to define and implement future-state operating models.
• Dynamically manage the resourcing and prioritization of each chemistry program based on scientific and therapeutic area priority considerations to deliver clinical development compounds within their agreed timelines.
• Continuously evaluate and elevate the productivity and capabilities of the global chemistry team through thought leadership and adoption of cutting‑edge technologies and the latest scientific approaches, including building partnerships with key external experts (academic institutions, research organizations and industry partners) and implementing state‑of‑the‑art AI/ML tools and processes.
• Drive change across the function by bringing teams along through disruption, including the adoption of automation, new ways of working, and evolving role definitions, ensuring engagement, clarity, and sustained performance.
• Be seen as an inspirational international subject matter expert and global thought leader in medicinal chemistry that fosters a culture of innovation and scientific excellence within the global chemistry team, promoting visionary thinking, knowledge sharing, and continuous learning.
• Build effective working relationships with internal business partners to enable program teams to work effectively with cross‑functional teams, including internal biology, pharmacokinetic, toxicological and pharmaceutical sciences teams as well as external partners, to develop and execute chemistry programs/strategies within each drug discovery program in the Research portfolio.
• Share best practices with other groups within Research and deploy enterprise thinking to maximize the success of Research as a whole, demonstrating low ego and non‑territorial leadership.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to team members, fostering their professional growth and development, retaining top talent and ensuring that everyone can achieve their full potential by establishing an equitable and inclusive working environment that is rich in diversity.
• Implement approved ways of working to ensure that the global chemistry team can work in a safe, legally compliant and fiscally accountable environment that provides its members with an industry‑leading work experience.
• Act as a Company Research ambassador at external public events e.g., media events, scientific review committees.

• Advanced degree in organic/medicinal chemistry or related field (e.g., Ph.D.) with 15 years industry and 10+ years management experience.
• Specialist knowledge in cutting edge drug discovery methodologies including ligand and structure‑based drug design, parallel synthesis and machine learning generative AI design to advance drug discovery projects to clinical development.
• Strong, adaptive leadership skills with demonstrated ability to lead effectively through organizational ambiguity and in environments where end‑state models are not fully defined, while continuing to deliver results.
• Proven capability in leading teams through transformation and disruption, including technology adoption (e.g., automation, AI), reskilling, and changes to team structures and workflows.
• Leadership style characterized by humility, low ego, and non‑territorial behavior, with a strong enterprise mindset and willingness to prioritize broader organizational success over functional ownership.
• Strong…