UK Biocentre is looking for a new Non-Executive Director who brings a commercial background in life sciences, and can provide useful insight as it looks to develop even more sector-leading partnerships. (Deadline: 3rd January)
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Time Commitment: At least 4 Board + c. 6 Committee meetings per year + annual strategy day and regular, ad hoc engagement
Compensation: £10,000 per year (+ £2,000 per Committee membership)
UK Biocentre is the not-for-profit provider of bio-sample processing and storage at the National Biosample Centre in Milton Keynes, a 70,000 square foot, purpose-built facility with capacity for 35 million samples.
Established in 2014 with funding from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), it was focused on serving the academic sector until, in 2020, it was commissioned by the UK Government to become the first Lighthouse Laboratory to provide rapid COVID-19 PCR testing. During that period, it processed over 100,000 samples a day and more than 31 million in total, at one point providing c. 30% of the UK's coronavirus testing capacity.
UK Biocentre now supports both academic and commercial research, offering end-to-end solutions to the biomedical research community as well as the healthcare, pharmaceutical, and biotech industries. In 2022, it took on the UK’s largest ever health research programme – Our Future Health – which aims to revolutionise the way we fight disease by collecting information from millions of volunteers across the country. Other partners include the NHS and the US biotechnology company GRAIL.
With employee numbers having soared during the pandemic, UK Biocentre now has a team of c.160 and is entering a new phase in its history, as an independent, professional and commercially-focussed organisation. As such, it hopes to forge even more partnerships within the health and life science industries, and remain at the cutting edge of science.
Joining an engaged and forward-thinking Board, UK Biocentre's new Non-Executive Director will have the opportunity to make a broad contribution to developing and supporting the organisation's strategic agenda, providing a commercial perspective. They will provide support and challenge to the management team, acting as a critical friend as UK Biocentre becomes increasingly independent and develops new commercial opportunities and new revenue models.
Working with other Board members, they will scrutinise the performance of management in delivery of agreed goals and objectives, ensuring that the effective plans are in place to drive the execution of UK Biocentre's strategy, and that it is compliant with its legal and regulatory obligations.
UK Biocentre is looking for a new Non-Executive Director who brings a commercial background in life sciences, and can provide useful insight as it looks to develop even more sector-leading partnerships.
Candidates will have strong commercial leadership experience gained in the biomedical or life sciences sector. This could have been gained in an operational role or as an early-stage investor, but they must be familiar with how to identify potential commercial and partnership opportunities.
Applicants will have held prior responsibility for, or oversight of, identifying new commercial contracts or partnerships, with a focus on the development of long-term projects. Prior engagement with government and funding bodies would be beneficial but is not required.
Overall, the successful candidate will be able to guide UK Biocentre to acquire new revenue streams, strengthening its financial independence and reinvesting any surplus funds into enhancing its already market-leading solutions.
This role is remunerated, and reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed. The base fee is £10,000, with an additional £2,000 per Committee joined, and a further £3,000 per Committee chaired.
The Board meets at least four times per year, in person, normally in Milton Keynes. Non-Executive Directors join at least one of the Board's Committees, which include the Audit & Risk Committee, and Nominations Committee. Beyond meetings, there is also an annual awayday and regular, ad hoc engagement with the executive team.
The appointment is for a three-year term, which can be renewed twice at the discretion of the Board.
Location
This organisation is based in Milton Keynes and meetings will normally take place in person or virtually. Candidates will therefore be UK-based.
If you would like to register your initial interest in this role, please fill in the form below. The deadline is 3rd January.
Please note that registering your interest via this microsite does not constitute a formal application for the role. If it would be worth submitting an application, a member of the Nurole team will be directly in touch ahead of the deadline to let you know and invite you to apply through the Nurole platform.