Business Development Manager, Life Sciences Consulting in London

We are a leading consultancy with a purpose to make an enduring impact on health and healthcare. We work with leaders and frontline teams to improve health, transform healthcare, drive adoption of innovation and create value through investment. Our consultancy serves the entire healthcare sector, from payors and providers of care, to life science companies, health tech and sector suppliers and health investors. We provide end-to-end services, from strategy through implementation, accelerated by data, digital and AI. We shape opinion through evidence-based thought leadership on key issues affecting health. With unmatched ability to access and use health data, our consultants are a driving force for delivering positive and meaningful change.

As Business Development Manager, you will play a pivotal leadership role within our Life Sciences team. Working closely with senior leadership, you will shape and execute our business development strategy, building market presence, deepening key client relationships, and converting high-quality opportunities into tangible growth. You will take ownership of the end-to-end BD lifecycle: from horizon scanning and identifying emerging opportunities, through to managing a robust pipeline and leading high-impact proposals and bids. Partnering with our marketing team and senior stakeholders, you'll ensure a coordinated, insight-led approach to market engagement.

This role requires a commercially astute and proactive individual, confident in navigating complex client environments, including procurement functions, and building trusted relationships across the ecosystem. A strong understanding of the Life Sciences landscape — and the ability to translate market trends into actionable opportunities — will be key. You'll also play an important role in elevating our external profile, identifying and supporting conferences, partnerships, and thought leadership activity. This is a high-visibility role with real influence, offering the opportunity to shape strategy, accelerate your career, and make a meaningful impact on the continued growth of the practice.

Requirements

We are looking for passionate individuals with an in-depth knowledge of the Life Sciences industry and experience within strategy or management consultancy to take ownership of the following responsibilities:

• Strategic Business Planning and Management: Work closely with the Managing Partner and Commercial Director in the development of our priorities and plan on an annual, quarterly and monthly basis. Identify emerging Life Sciences trends and opportunities that align with our business goals. Manage the end-to-end business development pipeline from discussion through to proposal development and contracting. Ensure the capture and use of management information to track and measure the performance of business development activities. Lead cross-functional teams to orchestrate business plans, connecting with the marketing function and collaborating with partners to leverage collective capabilities.
• Marketing and Thought Leadership: Collaborate with the marketing team to create compelling content that highlights the company's expertise in Life Sciences and healthcare innovation. Lead the creation of white papers, case studies, and other thought leadership content. Monitor industry trends and insights to ensure the company remains at the forefront of innovation and thought leadership. Partner with external stakeholders to develop co-branded marketing initiatives and joint thought leadership campaigns.
• Proposal Development and Bid Management: Provide leadership in proposition, proposal and pitch development to ensure documents are tailored to client needs and of the highest quality. Ensure compliance with both client and internal requirements during the bid process, including around pricing, resourcing and procurement rules. Lead problem-solving meetings and engage with relevant stakeholders to gather necessary information and insights for proposals. Handle the necessary preparations to facilitate effective business development meetings.
• Team Leadership and Development: Lead and mentor junior team members to foster professional growth and ensure high performance. Respond to ad hoc requests agilely and prioritise tasks effectively for the Life Sciences team. Delegate tasks effectively to ensure alignment with team capabilities and manage workloads. Organise and lead key internal meetings, such as steering groups and pipeline reviews, by setting agendas and coordinating inputs from other team members. Develop and maintain an effective repository of business development materials to streamline the bid process. Identify tools and processes that improve our overall bid performance and efficiency. Review and integrate lessons learned from bid submissions to enhance the end-to-end business development process.
• Networking: Network with potential partners to explore and develop collaborative projects. Build and maintain relationships with client procurement teams to enhance business opportunities. Identify and attend relevant conferences to build network and identify opportunities.

In order to be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates with a combination of the following skills and experiences:

• In-depth knowledge of the Life Sciences industry and experience within strategy/management consulting.
• Strong business development acumen, including identifying new opportunities and contributing to organisational growth.
• Excellent written communication skills and experience developing proposals.
• Ability to think strategically and develop comprehensive plans to address complex challenges for the Life Sciences industry.
• Good project management skills, including multitasking, resource management, and delivering successful outcomes within tight timeframes.
• Proficiency in data analysis, with the ability to interpret analysis for informed decision-making.
• Exceptional leadership abilities, with the capacity to inspire and mentor team members for high-performance results.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to establish and nurture client relationships.
• Commitment to continuous learning and staying updated with industry trends and best practices.
• Educated to a degree level (or equivalent experience).

We offer a competitive and flexible reward package designed to support you at work and beyond it. You will benefit from a generous holiday allowance that grows with your career (minimum of 25 days), a strong employer pension contribution, and the freedom to tailor benefits to suit your lifestyle, from wellbeing and fitness to financial protection. We are committed to supporting life's important moments, with enhanced family leave, income and life protection, and access to practical benefits that make everyday life easier, such as interest-free loans and travel support. Your wellbeing matters to us. You will have access to a comprehensive wellbeing and employee assistance programme, preventative health benefits, and initiatives that support an active, balanced way of working. Above all, we invest in our people; offering flexibility, security, and benefits that grow with you, so you can do your best work while building a sustainable and rewarding career.