Executive Director, Respiratory Stevenage

Reporting to the Respiratory and Immunology Research Unit (RI RU) leadership, the Executive Director, Head of Translational Biology (Respiratory) will lead a line of laboratory-based biologists to define and execute human-centric translational biology strategies that increase the probability of success from discovery through clinical transition. This role is accountable for building and leading an integrated biology and translational capability rooted in human disease understanding, spanning target identification, validation, and progression across key respiratory indications, including COPD, bronchiectasis, allergy, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), interstitial lung disease (ILD), and pulmonary hypertension (PH/PAH). The successful candidate will combine deep expertise in respiratory biology with translational science leadership to ensure that therapeutic hypotheses are grounded in human-relevant biology, with early deployment of predictive model systems, biomarkers, and patient-derived data to enable confident decision-making. Operating within a matrixed global environment, this individual will lead internal and external scientific teams, partner across research, clinical, and precision medicine, and shape a forward-looking respiratory portfolio grounded in mechanistic insight and translational rigor.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership to define and execute a human-first translational biology strategy, ensuring all programs are grounded in human disease biology and patient-relevant mechanisms.
• Lead the end-to-end integration of biology and translational science to enable high-confidence target validation and clinical translation.
• Drive development and deployment of advanced human-relevant model systems (e.g., primary human cells, organoids, tissue systems, biopsies) to increase predictive value from preclinical to clinical stages.
• Advance disease area strategies across inflammatory and fibrotic respiratory diseases, including COPD, bronchiectasis, allergy, IPF, and ILD, with strong mechanistic insight into disease progression.
• Integrate multi-omics, human tissue data, and clinical insights to deepen disease understanding and inform target and asset differentiation.

Translational Biology & Human-Centric Scientific Leadership:

• Provide strategic leadership to define and execute a human-first translational biology strategy, ensuring all programs are grounded in human disease biology and patient-relevant mechanisms.
• Lead the end-to-end integration of biology and translational science to enable high-confidence target validation and clinical translation.
• Drive development and deployment of advanced human-relevant model systems (e.g., primary human cells, organoids, tissue systems, biopsies) to increase predictive value from preclinical to clinical stages.
• Advance disease area strategies across inflammatory and fibrotic respiratory diseases, including COPD, bronchiectasis, allergy, IPF, and ILD, with strong mechanistic insight into disease progression.
• Integrate multi-omics, human tissue data, and clinical insights to deepen disease understanding and inform target and asset differentiation.

Leadership of Biology Line & Resourcing Model:

• Build, lead, and inspire a high-performing line of biologists, spanning in-house laboratory teams and externally resourced capabilities (e.g., CROs, academic partnerships).
• Define and implement a flexible resourcing strategy, leveraging internal expertise and external partnerships to accelerate delivery and access specialized capabilities.
• Establish clear scientific priorities, ensuring alignment of biology resources to portfolio needs and delivery milestones.
• Foster a culture of scientific excellence, accountability, innovation, and inclusivity, with strong focus on talent development and succession planning.

Biomarker & Translational Integration:

• Define and drive biomarker and translational strategies to support proof of mechanism (PoM), target engagement, patient stratification, and proof of concept (PoC).
• Ensure early embedding of translational endpoints to enable rapid learning and decision-making in clinical development.
• Partner closely with the RII clinical and the clinical biomarker teams for alignment of translational strategies and seamless preclinical to clinical biomarker execution.

Portfolio & Cross-functional Leadership:

• Serve as a key scientific leader within the respiratory portfolio, ensuring strong biological rationale underpins target selection, progression, business development, and lifecycle strategies.
• Collaborate across biology, translational science, clinical, and commercial teams to integrate insights across the drug development continuum.
• Support progression and expansion of the clinical portfolio, including combination strategies and indication development aligned with governance bodies and Disease Area teams.

External Innovation & Business Development:

• Establish, lead and/or support external collaborations to access cutting-edge model systems, biosamples, and translational technologies.
• Build a network of key opinion leaders and scientific advisors to maintain leadership at the forefront of respiratory biology and translational science.
• Partner with Business Development to identify, evaluate, and diligence external opportunities, contributing to portfolio expansion and innovation strategy.

Scientific Rigor, Quality, and Compliance:

• Ensure highest standards of experimental design, data quality, and reproducibility across internal and external work.
• Drive compliance with regulatory and quality standards across discovery and translational activities.
• Champion a culture of rigor, transparency, and data-driven decision-making.

Requirements:

• Ph.D. in relevant scientific discipline (e.g., Cell/Molecular Biology, Genetics, Pharmacology, Physical Chemistry or related field) with extensive experience in respiratory biology and pharmaceutical research.
• Extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry, with a focus on respiratory therapeutics and remaining unmet need in asthma, COPD, and/or fibrotic lung disease.
• Experience leading and managing external collaborations and diligence of business development opportunities.
• Proven track record of successfully leading and managing a respiratory portfolio, including research contributions to product launches and lifecycle management.
• Strong knowledge of fibrotic respiratory diseases, pathways and mechanisms, treatment guidelines, and market dynamics.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strategic mindset with the ability to work with the Head of Respiratory Biology, the Respiratory Disease Area Acceleration Team (DAAT), the Respiratory Clinical Research Head, and aligned Project Leaders in discovery, early and late clinical to help interpret complex data and commercial trends, using biological and clinical insights to make informed decisions and provide advice on indication expansion and business development acquisitions.
• Knowledge and experience in cardiovascular comorbidities of respiratory diseases.
• Strong business acumen and understanding of commercial aspects, including marketing, sales, and market access.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to effectively engage with internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple priorities.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements and compliance standards in the pharmaceutical industry.

Skills:

• Business Strategies
• Cross-Functional Teamwork
• Drug Development
• Drug Discovery Process
• Influencing Without Authority
• Interpersonal Communication
• Market Opportunities
• Matrix Leadership
• Relationship Management
• Scientific Presentations
• Scientific Research
• Scientific Writing
• Strategic Alignment

Why GSK?

Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. 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. People and patients around the world count on the medicines and vaccines we make, so we’re committed to creating an environment where our people can thrive and focus on what matters most. Our culture of being ambitious for patients, accountable for impact and doing the right thing is the foundation for how, together, we deliver for patients, shareholders and our people.

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.

We believe in an agile working culture for all our roles. If flexibility is important to you, we encourage you to explore with our hiring team what the opportunities are.