At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the R&D approach to AI and technology adoption, driving impactful change.
- Company: Join GSK, a global biopharma company dedicated to improving health worldwide.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, bonuses, healthcare, and flexible hybrid working options.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Shape the future of R&D with cutting-edge technology and make a real difference.
- Qualifications: Extensive experience in technology adoption and digital transformation in pharma.
The predicted salary is between 65250 - 79750 £ per year.
We create a place where people can grow, be their best, be safe, and feel welcome, valued and included. We offer a competitive salary, an annual bonus based on company performance, healthcare and wellbeing programmes, pension plan membership, and shares and savings programme. We embrace modern work practices; our Performance with Choice programme offers a hybrid working model, empowering you to find the optimal balance between remote and in-office work.
R&D Tech Transformation & Operations connects strategy, investment and delivery across priority R&D technology programmes. The team works with scientific, technology and business leaders to strengthen decisions, accelerate value and support consistent adoption across R&D. This role will shape how R&D adopts AI and technology so that new capabilities deliver measurable value and lasting changes in how people work. You will help establish and may lead a small, hands-on R&D technology adoption capability. The role combines strategic leadership with direct delivery, including cross-R&D initiatives, practical adoption methods and evidence-based value measurement. You will also help establish a hub-and-spoke model that enables local teams to adapt change approaches to their scientific context.
For candidates seeking to be located at our Stevenage site, this role will temporarily be based at Stevenage. However, the Company plans to relocate its offices to Cambridge, UK. The location of this role will therefore subsequently change to Cambridge, UK in accordance with timelines to be set by the Company. The relocation is currently proposed to take effect by early 2029.
In this role you will:
- Shape and lead the R&D approach to AI and technology adoption, connecting behaviour and process change with measurable value.
- Build and lead a small internal adoption capability while remaining a hands-on contributor to priority projects.
- Establish a hub-and-spoke model that coordinates cross-R&D adoption while enabling departments to address local needs.
- Partner with priority technology programmes to assess adoption plans, identify gaps and ensure capable delivery teams are in place.
- Lead adoption for technologies and ways of working that span R&D, including enterprise productivity tools, data platforms and major cross-R&D transformation programmes.
- Define clear adoption roadmaps covering stakeholder alignment, readiness, communications, capability building, process change and reinforcement.
- Develop practical, reusable methods and tools that improve consistency without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
- Define measures that connect adoption, behaviour and process change to programme outcomes and value.
- Advise on the right balance of internal capability and external consulting support, and strengthen internal ownership over time.
- Influence senior R&D, scientific and technology leaders, keeping adoption and change visible in portfolio and investment decisions.
- Support adjacent strategic work when required, applying analytical and project leadership skills beyond a narrow change-management remit.
Basic qualifications
We are looking for professionals with these required skills to achieve our goals:
- Extensive experience leading enterprise technology adoption, organisational change or digital transformation in a large pharmaceutical R&D environment.
- Demonstrated delivery of AI, digital tools, data platforms, or technology adoption and behaviour change, not solely advisory or methodology development.
- Experience creating and executing change strategies across multiple functions, business areas or geographies.
- Strong understanding of how new technology changes business processes, roles, capabilities and ways of working.
- Experience setting adoption measures and using data to assess progress, outcomes and value realisation.
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional projects and influence senior stakeholders without relying on formal authority.
- Strong communication, facilitation and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make complex topics practical.
- Evidence of operating as a hands-on contributor while providing strategic direction in an ambiguous environment.
Preferred Qualifications & Skills:
Please note the following skills are not necessary, just preferred, if you do not have them, please still apply:
- Previous line-management experience, ideally within a small expert team, alongside strong matrix leadership.
- Experience establishing or professionalising an internal adoption, change or transformation capability.
- Change-management, project-management or related professional certification.
- Learning and development, capability academy or workforce upskilling experience.
- Management consulting experience combined with in-house corporate delivery.
- Ability to contribute to strategic analysis and projects beyond the core adoption discipline.
At GSK, we have bold ambitions for patients, aiming to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade. Our R&D focuses on discovering and delivering vaccines and medicines, combining our understanding of the immune system with cutting-edge technology to transform people’s lives. GSK fosters a culture ambitious for patients, accountable for impact, and committed to doing the right thing, making sure that we focus our efforts on accelerating significant assets that meet patients’ needs and have the highest probability of success.
GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. We aim to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade, as a successful, growing company where people can thrive. We get ahead of disease by preventing and treating it with innovation in specialty medicines and vaccines. We focus on four therapeutic areas: respiratory, immunology and inflammation; oncology; HIV; and infectious diseases – to impact health at scale.
GSK is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), military service or any basis prohibited under federal, state or local law.
Senior Director, R&D AI & Technology Adoption in London employer: GSK
GSK is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters collaboration and innovation in the heart of Stevenage. With a strong commitment to employee growth, you will have access to extensive development opportunities while working on groundbreaking medicine projects. The hybrid work model and future relocation to Cambridge provide a unique advantage, ensuring a vibrant environment for both personal and professional advancement.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Director, R&D AI & Technology Adoption in London
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We think you need these skills to ace Senior Director, R&D AI & Technology Adoption in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Relevant Experience:When applying for a role in the pharmaceutical industry, it's crucial to highlight any relevant experience you have. Whether that's internships, lab work, or even related coursework, make sure to weave this into your CV and cover letter. We want to see how your background aligns with the role you're applying for at GSK!
Emphasise Your Understanding of Regulations:The pharmaceutical industry is heavily regulated, so it's important to indicate your familiarity with industry standards and regulations. In your cover letter, mention any training or certifications you've received that are relevant, or discuss projects where you’ve navigated compliance. This will show GSK that you're not just a fit for the job but also a safety-conscious candidate!
Tailor Your CV to Be Result-Driven:Craft your CV to highlight quantifiable achievements, especially if you have previous roles in pharmaceuticals or related fields. Use metrics to demonstrate your impact, such as improved processing times or successful project completions while working on trials. This analytical approach will resonate well with hiring managers at GSK!
Convey Your Passion for the Industry:In your cover letter, express why you are passionate about working in the pharmaceutical sector. Whether it’s your desire to contribute to groundbreaking drug research or improve patient outcomes, let it shine through! At GSK, we value candidates who are truly enthusiastic about their work—you might just stand out from the crowd.
How to prepare for a job interview at GSK
✨Understand the Science
Make sure you brush up on key pharmaceutical concepts and recent developments in the industry. You might get asked some technical questions during the interview at GSK that show your grasp of drug development processes or regulatory requirements, so be ready to discuss them clearly.
✨Showcase Relevant Experience
If you have any hands-on experience or internships in a laboratory setting, be sure to highlight these in your responses. Think about the projects you worked on, the methodologies you used, and the impact you made. It's all about telling a story that connects your background to the role you're applying for.
✨Know Their Products
Take some time to familiarise yourself with GSK’s product range and recent breakthroughs. Understanding their portfolio not only shows your enthusiasm for the role but also allows you to ask insightful questions that demonstrate your interest in actively contributing to their projects.
✨Be Ready for Regulatory Scenarios
In a full-time pharmaceutical role, understanding the regulatory landscape is crucial. Prepare for situational questions that may test your problem-solving skills concerning compliance and safety standards. You could be asked how you'd handle a hypothetical issue regarding a drug’s market release, so think through your approach.
