Associate Director, Rare Disease Network

Job Title:
Associate Director, Rare Disease Network

Location:

London
Job Type: Permanent with hybrid working (3 days in the office required)

Closing date:

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.

Embedded into Life Arc’s Ecosystem department, this role will lead the delivery of Ecosystem programmes and contribute to the development and execution of the relevant programme’s portfolio strategy, working in close collaboration with other members of the rare disease network team, as needed.

Working within a complex, multi-partner environment, and with a focus on rare disease translational research, the role is responsible for driving programme performance, coordinating multiple projects, and ensuring the successful delivery of outcomes aligned to organisational priorities across high-profile, external, rare disease ecosystem major programmes and strategic partnerships, spanning rare disease therapeutic development in key areas of focus, including respiratory, kidney, rare mitochondrial disease, and other areas within Life Arc rare disease portfolio, clinical trial delivery, regulation, market access, policy and data.

• Contributing to the development of Ecosystem strategy and priorities, translating direction into delivery plans

• Leading the delivery of programmes and multiple projects, ensuring alignment with agreed objectives, timelines, and quality standards, within the Ecosystem pillar, and across the preclinical and clinical pillars

• Provide scientific and delivery leadership across a portfolio, setting direction and ensuring coordinated execution

• Develope and oversee programme and portfolio plans, including timelines, budgets, risks, dependencies, and performance tracking

• Prepare and present project and programme proposals, including assessment of risks, opportunities, resources, and delivery considerations

• Actively contribute to portfolio management, providing clear reporting, insights, and recommendations to inform decisions and prioritisation

• Build and maintain strong internal and external partnerships, acting as a key point of contact and representing Life Arc in collaborative environments

• Lead matrix teams and contribute to line management, aligning team objectives with portfolio and organisational priorities

• Ensure effective governance and decision-making, preparing materials and engaging with appropriate oversight forums

• Monitor and optimise delivery performance, proactively identifying risks, dependencies, and trade-offs across programmes

• Critically review programme and project outputs, ensuring quality, impact, and alignment with objectives

• Drive continuous improvement of portfolio delivery, identifying opportunities to enhance effectiveness and efficiency

• Act as a role model for Life Arc’s principles and behaviours

• Significant experience in biomedical, life sciences, or translational and clinical research environments, with a focus on therapeutic and diagnostic development

• Understanding of infrastructure for translational research delivery, and the key challenges in funding and sustainability

• Demonstrated ability to lead programmes and multiple concurrent projects, delivering outcomes to quality, time, and budget

• Experience in portfolio planning, delivery oversight, and performance tracking

• Strong experience of matrix leadership, coordinating across teams, disciplines, and organisations Proven ability to build and manage stakeholder relationships, internally and externally

• Strong scientific, analytical, and strategic thinking capability

• Excellent communication and influencing skills, including engagement with senior stakeholders. Experience of research and innovation policy would be desirable.

• Experience and/or knowledge in any of the following therapeutic areas would be desirable: rare respiratory, rare kidney, rare neuro.

• Degree (or equivalent experience) in a biomedical, life sciences, or related discipline

• Postgraduate qualification (e.g. MSc/PhD) desirable

• Strong programme and portfolio delivery leadership, managing multiple work streams and priorities

• Ability to translate strategy into actionable delivery plans

• Effective leadership and influence in matrix environments, with or without direct line management Highly developed planning, prioritisation, and…