Executive Scientific Director

Lucid Group; Manchester; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare communications agency in the UK is seeking a full-time Executive Scientific Director to oversee scientific strategy and manage client relationships. The successful candidate will lead a team, provide mentorship, and develop insights to enhance the agency's strategic objectives. Ideal applicants will have leadership experience, knowledge in financial management, and a track record in scientific content generation.

Benefits

Discretionary bonus scheme

Contributory pension up to 5%

Cycle to work scheme

25 working days holiday

Family friendly policies

Private health and dental cover

Qualifications

• Experience managing large teams and projects.
• Comfortable advising and collaborating with other team members.
• Track record in medical communications.

Responsibilities

• Lead scientific strategy across client accounts.
• Establish partnerships with clients and experts.
• Drive scientific strategic thinking and excellence.

Skills

Leadership skills

Scientific writing

Financial management

Collaboration

Content generation

Education

PhD or equivalent in a scientific field

Job description

Executive Scientific Director

Does SCIENCE make your heart sing?

Are you passionate about sharing your scientific expertise to transform patient lives? Are you a mentor and coach? Do you want to be part of an industry-leading healthcare communications agency, supported to further develop your own scientific expertise?

Our brilliant scientific and client service teams use scientific knowledge and strategic insight to forge true partnerships with our valued clients, and together we transform lives.

All this could be yours too.

A rare opportunity has arisen at Lucid Group for a full-time, UK‑based Executive Scientific Director to direct the scientific relationship with [insert therapy area/global?] clients.

ABOUT LUCID GROUP

We are a global healthcare communications agency with deep therapeutic expertise that traverses the asset lifecycle, delivering transformative outcomes for healthcare brands for over 20 years.

Our more than 500 highly trained professionals work with speed and agility to craft and execute breakthrough strategies that maximise performance and unlock a brand's full potential.

This position is aligned to one of our four divisions:

• Lucid Global works with global brand teams at big and mid‑tier pharmaceuticals and biotech clients to deliver powerful medical communications solutions across the asset lifecycle.

Our other divisions include:

• Lucid Consulting brings depth of expertise in the research, development and commercialisation of solutions across therapeutic areas and modalities by streamlining product development, building operational capabilities, innovating, and supporting execution to create value for patients, clients and shareholders.
• US Marketing works with clients across the Rx, Medical Device, OTC and Consumer Device categories to deliver compelling communications and promotional solutions to Healthcare Professionals for in‑market assets.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Executive Scientific Director is a core member of the Medical team. As Executive Scientific Director, you will play a pivotal role in crafting clinical and commercial insights and sharing knowledge as part of the client strategic plan process. The Executive Scientific Director leads team mentorship to drive scientific strategic thinking and excellence. You will also provide insights to inform the Lucid Group strategic plan, including capability building and acquisitions.

An Executive Scientific Director at Lucid is responsible for:

• Directing the scientific strategy across a portfolio of client accounts (£4M). They build client relationships by providing strategic medical insight and partner Client Services to win new business outside of existing organic growth that may include new asset, indication or client.
• Establishing high level scientific and strategic partnership with clients and experts, and leading understanding in the team.
• Partnering closely with clients, is a coach and acts as a sounding board supporting with their scientific strategy.
• Demonstrating expert level understanding of client scientific and commercial strategy while being abreast of latest medical/scientific advances.
• Partnering with Scientific Director to ensure high levels of scientific and strategic excellence across programmes of work.
• Partnering with Client Services to generate new business growth, and leading development of scientific proposals.
• Building effective internal partnerships with other capabilities to successfully deliver the portfolio plan on plan and to budget (client services, project management, creative, strategy, etc).

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

Successful candidates will have:

• Proven leadership skills and ability to manage large teams, including involvement in recruitment, resourcing, line management and team development.
• A willingness to constructively challenge colleagues, other agencies and clients alike.
• Comfortable advising and collaborating with other extended team members.
• Knowledge of financial management and budgets for projects.
• Senior scientific writing experience.
• A proven track record in scientific content generation within an omnichannel environment, including, but not limited to, medical communications, advertising, public/professional relations, digital and clinical trial recruitment.

If you look at this list and feel you don’t meet every single requirement, we still want to hear from you! We encourage you to apply, have a discussion with us about the role or others that we may have at Lucid Group either now or in the future, together we can build more inclusive workplaces.

WHAT YOU’LL BE WORKING ON

• Scientific strategic leadership
• Client partnering
• Relationship building
• Coaching & mentoring to drive scientific strategic thinking and excellence
• Crafting insights and sharing knowledge

BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH US

Our culture is fundamental to the delivery of transformation. Harnessing the talent and ambitions of those we work with empowers us to deliver our magic. On top of this, our benefits include:

• Discretionary bonus scheme
• Contributory pension with Lucid contribution up to 5% of basic salary (enrolment after 3 months of employment)
• Cycle to work scheme
• 25 working days holiday, 1 Celebration Day of your choice, 3 Christmas closure days plus 8 Bank Holidays per annum (pro‑ration for part‑time)
• Flexible holiday buy and sell scheme
• Family friendly policies
• Private family health and dental cover, including Employee Assistance Programme and a comprehensive employee rewards scheme
• 4x basic salary life assurance cover
• Medicash Healthcare Cash Plan (Level 1 company cover)
• Season Ticket Loans
• Regular incentive schemes aligned to individual and team performance

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR US TO BE LUCID?

At Lucid Group, we transform lives. Always. We believe in providing a culture of authenticity, where we can all be ourselves, make real connections, and enjoy the work that we do. Together.

We empower our people to embark on a journey of growth and advancement by offering meaningful learning and development opportunities.

Central to our ethos is our commitment to cultivating an environment that embraces and respects people of all backgrounds and identities, underpinned by a culture of conscious inclusion and support.

Lucid values are not just mere words; they are the culmination of our collective efforts. Co‑created by our people for our people, these values serve as our guiding principles, ensuring that every decision we make positively impacts the lives of the clients, patients, healthcare professionals, and colleagues we serve.

• Compassionately Human: We think about the human impact of our actions
• Accountable Allies: We are the go‑to strategic partners for our clients
• Invent with Intent: We create meaningful solutions to solve real problems
• Courageously Curious: We challenge ourselves to think disruptively

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds and identities. We are committed to providing an inclusive recruitment experience to everyone.

This commitment to inclusion is explicitly inclusive of race, colour, sex, age, pregnancy, marital status, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression or disability.

As part of our commitment to recruiting and supporting colleagues with disabilities Lucid Group are a committed member of the UK Government’s Disability Scheme, supporting people with disabilities provides us with access to a wider talent pool and enables us to be a force for good in the world by creating fair and equitable access to employment opportunities. Aligned to this scheme we commit to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible by:

1) Offering a guaranteed interview to candidates with disabilities who meet the essential criteria for the role

2) Anticipate and provide reasonable adjustments

3) Support any existing employee who acquires a disability or long‑term health condition

If you wish to apply under this scheme please indicate so when asked on our DEI page which will appear as part of our job application process.