Job Title:  Alliance Manager (Rare Diseases)
 Location: London/Edinburgh/Stevenage
 Job Type: Permanent

Agencies: We will only work with recruitment partners on our preferred supplier list and will not engage with speculative CVs submitted.

LifeArc, we want to hear from people who are as passionate as we are about making life science life changing that can improve patients’ lives.

 A bit about the role:

The Alliance Manager (RD) will lead specific alliances supporting the goals of the Rare Diseases (RD) Translational Challenge (TC). The Alliance Manager will report to the Head of Alliance Management and will operate within the Alliance Management Framework for LifeArc, aiming to maximise the impact delivered from all science-based partnerships and collaborations, appropriately manage any risks, track and manage contractual obligations and relationship progress over time, taking action to extend, reduce or terminate obligations and benefits accordingly to best leverage LifeArc resources and strategy.   This role will have accountability to adopt and help refine the Alliance Framework across the LifeArc organisation, and to coordinate closely with Program Managers and Program Leads working on the same Rare Disease alliances.  The Head of Alliance Management will support the Alliance Manager to ensure that support is provided where necessary. The Alliance Manager (RD) will ensure to coordinate closely with the RD TC Lead.

 About you:

You will be managing one or more RD alliances, including the £40m Translational Rare Disease Centres, within the spirit and guidance provided by the LifeArc Alliance Management framework of policies, guidance and best practise on the management of contractually based, scientifically focused relationships established to advance LifeArc Translational Challenges and Science platforms and portfolio strategies.

You will contribute to the Alliance Management team and broader community of people who manage these relationships across LifeArc, where relevant providing training and coaching to other members of the organisation.

You will have contractual and relationship management responsibility for some RD external partnerships and collaborations including governance, risk management and management of conflict.

You will manage external relationships and reputation.

This role involves implementing key processes and working through a matrix structure and therefore has high complexity. It requires an individual with highly developed coaching, mentoring and influencing styles.   

The Alliance Manager will report to the Head of Alliance Management, but generally operate independently to resolve issues and negotiate solutions to challenges, while collaborating across the LifeArc teams associated with the RD TC, who are managing partnerships and managing existing partnerships in order to deliver the most impact for people suffering with disease.

Education & experience:

• Life sciences degree
• Ph.D. or MBA or other equivalent postgraduate qualification
• Experience managing significant Life Science partnerships and alliances, including renegotiations, conflict resolution, terminations and relationship management
• Experience in working in matrix teams
• Experience in working in line with internal policies and internal guidance
• Experience of rare disease development & commercial challenges in rare diseases

Skills & abilities:

• Be able to Demonstrate personal leadership qualities, influencing skills and ability to represent LifeArc in a wide variety of forums independently. 
• You will have a deep understanding of Life Sciences partnering, contracts and relationships and experience of alliance management in this area. 
• Knowledge of, and network in rare disease, one of the ecosystems in which LifeArc operates. 
• Ability to assess risk and make appropriate judgements about potential actions.   
   

About us:

At LifeArc, our ambition is to make life science life changing. We do this by advancing scientific discoveries beyond the lab, faster, so that they can shape the next generation of diagnostics, treatments, and cures. 

Working at the cutting edge of translational science and as the early-stage translation specialists, we progress scientific discoveries on their journey to becoming a medicine, diagnostic or intervention that can improve patients’ lives. Our work begins by seeking out innovative science, then helping to develop this to a point where there is a clinical and commercial pathway for others to invest the time and money to take it further forward. 

What we can offer you:

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. 

Join us, and you’ll have the scope to be creative and take measured risks. You’ll be rewarded for your curiosity, for working as one team, and for learning fast. And you’ll have everything you need to be your best every day. 

Don’t meet every single requirement? At LifeArc we are dedicated in building an inclusive workplace and a diverse workforce that can bring a range of skills, new ideas and innovative thinking to our work. So, whatever your background or lived experience, if you’re excited about this role, but perhaps feel you don’t meet every requirement in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. Our top priority is finding the best candidate, and you may be just the right person for this or other roles.

We all have potential. At LifeArc, you’ll discover what you can really do with it.