Compensation: £180,000–£250,000
The Opportunity
A leading global life sciences consulting organisation is seeking a Partner-level leader to lead and accelerate the growth of its Market Research (MR) practice across Europe and Global Headquarters accounts.
This is a senior, entrepreneurial leadership opportunity within a broader Business Insights & Analytics practice. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in strengthening the organisation’s position as a strategic partner to major global pharmaceutical and life sciences companies across primary market research, advanced analytics, and marketing strategy.
The organisation has an established foundation of relationships with multiple leading global pharmaceutical companies and is now making a significant investment in dedicated market research leadership. The ambition is to approximately double MR revenues in the near term, while expanding beyond standalone research into marketing strategy and planning with Global HQ teams.
The platform, talent and technology are already in place. The opportunity is for a commercially driven Partner to bring the leadership, industry relationships and growth agenda needed to take the practice through its next phase.
Why Now?
The market research landscape is undergoing significant change, creating a compelling opportunity for an experienced Partner to shape a differentiated proposition.
Key dynamics include:
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A decisive shift towards AI-enabled and AI-forward market research, with the organisation already developing differentiated capabilities in this area.
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Significant untapped potential across major pharmaceutical accounts where the organisation currently has limited market research penetration.
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An established regional team of approximately 10 senior market research professionals with relevant experience and the potential to form the foundation of a world-class MR capability.
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A strategic commitment to transforming market research offerings and ways of working through next-generation technology and methodologies.
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An opportunity to evolve from standalone MR engagements towards integrated programmes spanning insights, marketing strategy and commercial planning.
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Increasing demand from European and Global HQ pharmaceutical teams for sophisticated, scalable and technology-enabled insights solutions.
Key Responsibilities:
Market Research Leadership & Growth
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Own and shape the market research growth strategy across Europe and Global HQ, establishing strategic priorities across qualitative, quantitative and AI-enabled research.
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Take overall accountability for significantly growing the MR business, with a clear mandate to approximately double revenues in the near term.
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Identify and originate new opportunities across priority pharmaceutical accounts.
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Act as the senior market research leader and external ambassador for the organisation’s differentiated capabilities.
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Develop and execute a clear market proposition that positions the organisation at the forefront of next-generation pharmaceutical market research.
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Ensure market research expertise is deployed consistently and effectively across local markets and global delivery teams.
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Connect European client teams with global research delivery centres of excellence, ensuring quality, scalability and efficient execution.
Client Leadership & Business Development
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Develop and maintain C-suite and senior executive relationships with Insights, Market Research, Commercial and Marketing leaders across European and Global HQ functions.
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Leverage an established industry network to open doors, originate opportunities and accelerate revenue growth.
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Own and shape strategic client relationships, moving beyond individual projects towards long-term partnerships and broader account penetration.
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Partner with account and client-service leadership to identify whitespace, develop account strategies and convert opportunities into significant engagements.
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Lead major pitches, proposals and commercial negotiations.
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Represent the organisation externally as a senior thought leader through industry conferences, client forums, publications and other relevant channels.
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Elevate the organisation’s profile and reputation within the pharmaceutical market research and insights community.
Capability Building & Innovation
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Lead the adoption and commercial deployment of AI-forward market research methodologies across the European practice.
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Work with global innovation and research teams to adapt and develop differentiated offerings for European and Global HQ clients.
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Shape the future market research proposition in response to rapidly evolving client needs and technology.
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Drive best-practice sharing and thought leadership across the wider insights and analytics organisation.
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Identify and commercialise new offerings that bridge traditional market research with marketing strategy, planning and commercial decision-making.
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Establish a scalable, future-facing MR proposition capable of creating sustainable competitive differentiation.
Team Leadership & Talent
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Build, mentor and lead a high-performing European market research team.
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Provide senior leadership and career development for the existing population of approximately 10 Associate Principals and Managers.
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Establish compelling career pathways for MR talent, supporting retention and attracting high-calibre senior professionals.
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Partner with a global delivery centre based in India to develop and scale the delivery capability supporting European and Global HQ clients.
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Lead senior recruitment and succession planning as the practice grows.
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Establish a culture characterised by curiosity, methodological rigour, innovation, collaboration and strong client orientation.
Strategic Leadership & Governance
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Work closely with European Business Insights & Analytics leadership and global practice leaders to set strategic priorities, investment plans and resource allocation.
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Contribute to the organisation’s broader commercial strategy and growth agenda.
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Play a senior role in expanding the proposition into marketing strategy and planning with European and Global HQ clients.
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Collaborate closely with account and client-service teams to ensure integrated, expert-led delivery.
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Bring a Partner-level perspective to the development of the wider insights, analytics and commercial strategy offering.
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Contribute to the overall leadership and strategic direction of the European business.
Experience & Qualifications
The ideal candidate will bring:
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15+ years’ experience in market research, commercial insights, strategy or related consulting, ideally within life sciences or pharmaceuticals.
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A proven track record of building, scaling or transforming an MR or insights business.
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Significant commercial leadership experience within consulting, professional services or another client-facing environment.
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Demonstrable ownership of revenue growth, business development and P&L performance.
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Deep expertise across primary and secondary research methodologies, including qualitative research, quantitative research, demand estimation, segmentation and advanced analytics.
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Strong understanding of AI-enabled market research and a clear perspective on how AI will transform pharmaceutical insights.
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An established network among senior stakeholders within European pharmaceutical companies and Global HQ functions.
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A strong track record of originating
Specialisms: Market Research
Freelance/Permanent: Permanent
Regions: UK
