ELIXIR Director in Saffron Walden

About ELIXIR

ELIXIR is a pan-European distributed research infrastructure for life science data, built on people, trust, and collaboration. It unites Europe's leading life science organisations in managing and safeguarding the increasing volume of data being generated by publicly funded research. It coordinates, integrates and sustains bioinformatics resources across its member states and enables users in academia and industry to access services that are vital for their research.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the ELIXIR organisation, lead the ELIXIR Hub and deliver the mission, strategy and objectives in partnership with governance bodies, Nodes and stakeholders.
• Develop and execute ELIXIR’s strategic direction, ensuring maximum scientific, societal and economic impact for members and the wider life science community.
• Articulate a clear and compelling vision, inspire staff, Member States, national Nodes, researchers, service providers, funders, industry partners and users across Europe to work collectively toward shared goals.
• Build trust, foster collaboration and drive alignment across organisations that retain significant autonomy, operating within a federated and distributed governance model.
• Lead through influence, partnership and consensus‑building rather than direct managerial authority.
• Engage with international institutions and funding agencies, operating at a multinational level and maintaining sensitivity to cultural and disciplinary differences.
• Represent ELIXIR as its public face, conveying the excitement and impact of a complex scientific project to a wide range of stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Life sciences specialist with experience in the practical applications of bioinformatics.
• Awareness of the needs of bioscience data users in both academia and industry.
• Proven ability to set a long‑term vision and the means for its achievement.
• Strong communication skills, able to convincingly convey scientific impact and inspire diverse audiences.
• Experience operating at a multinational level, engaging with international partners and funding agencies.
• Strong awareness of sensitivities involved in operating across countries and disciplines.

Benefits

• Monthly family, child and non‑resident allowances; annual salary review; pension scheme; death benefit; long‑term care; accident‑at‑work and unemployment insurances.
• Flexible working arrangements including hybrid working patterns.
• Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family (including prescriptions and generous dental & optical cover).
• Generous time off: 30 days annual leave per year plus eight bank holidays.
• Relocation package including installation grant (if required).
• Campus life: free shuttle bus to and from work, on‑site library, subsidised on‑site gym and cafeteria, casual dress code, extensive sports and social club activities (on campus and remotely).
• Family benefits: on‑site nursery, 10 days of child sick leave, generous paid maternity & parental leave, holiday clubs on campus and monthly family and child allowances.
• Benefits for non‑UK residents: visa exemption, education grant for private schooling, financial support to travel back to your home country every second year and a monthly non‑resident allowance.

Values

• Diversity and inclusion: We believe diverse teams drive innovation and scientific excellence. We encourage applications from candidates of all genders, identities, nationalities and any other diverse backgrounds.
• We are trusted.
• We work with a spirit of openness.
• We strive for excellence.
• We work in an environment of respect.

Employment Details

The Director will be an employee of EMBL (European Molecular Biology Laboratory). The place of employment will be the ELIXIR Hub, located at the Wellcome Genome Campus, near Cambridge, UK.