Head of Strategic Programs – Knee & Trauma in Leeds

Shape the future of orthopaedic innovation. This is a rare opportunity to lead at the forefront of Knee & Trauma innovation—where breakthrough ideas become life‑changing medical solutions used by surgeons and patients worldwide. As Head of Strategic Programs – Knee & Trauma, you’ll own and lead a high‑value portfolio of complex development programs, partnering with some of the world’s leading medical device companies. From early concept through clinical readiness and into scalable manufacturing, you’ll turn ambitious designs into commercially successful, globally compliant products. This is a senior, visible role with real impact—commercially, technically, and clinically.

What You’ll Do

• Own and lead the Knee & Trauma portfolio: Take full accountability for performance, including P&L, portfolio prioritisation, and delivery of predictable, sustainable growth.
• Set and execute the strategy: Define end‑to‑end strategy across product development, clinical readiness, and manufacturing scale‑up. Ensure programs are aligned to customer needs, market opportunity, and long‑term business goals.
• Deliver complex programs with pace: Lead multiple, high‑impact development programs from early concept through to commercial handover. Enable fast decision‑making, and proactively manage risk, dependencies, and trade‑offs.
• Translate innovation into manufacture: Work closely with engineering and manufacturing teams to ensure surgeon‑led designs become robust, manufacturable, and scalable products—delivered on time, to quality, and at the right cost.
• Lead clinical and regulatory success: Oversee clinical strategies that support strong claims, surgeon confidence, and global market access. Ensure programs progress smoothly through FDA, MDR, ISO and other global regulatory pathways.
• Build trusted customer partnerships: Act as a senior, credible partner to OEM customers, surgeons, and key opinion leaders—bringing transparency, pace, and solutions to complex technical, clinical, and commercial challenges.
• Inspire and develop high‑performing teams: Lead and grow multidisciplinary teams across programme management, product development and manufacturing. Create a culture of accountability, curiosity, collaboration, and pride in patient impact.

What You’ll Bring

• Significant strategic and commercial leadership experience in Class III medical devices, ideally within knees and/or trauma.
• A proven track record delivering complex product development programs from concept to launch.
• Deep understanding of global regulatory pathways and clinical development.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience owning budgets and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Credibility with surgeons, OEM design teams, and executive customers.
• The ability to lead, inspire, and align large multidisciplinary teams.

In addition to a competitive salary, we also offer an attractive benefits package including private healthcare, 29 days holiday and a generous company pension contribution.