Open for hire at one of the following locations –  London. - Job ID: 6696 

Become a member of the BioNTech Family!
 

As part of our team of more than 5,000 pioneers, you'll play a central role in solving some of the greatest scientific challenges of our time. In less than a year, we were able to develop our COVID-19 mRNA vaccine to the highest scientific and ethical standards – by far the fastest vaccine development in the history of medicine. We believe our biggest impact is yet to come. BioNTech is investing heavily in its pipeline of cutting-edge treatments for cancer and infectious diseases. The goal is to try to turn many currently incurable cancers into treatable conditions, and prevent deaths from diseases that need not be fatal. 

Guided by our three corporate values: innovation, passion and cohesion, we have set audacious goals to accelerate and increase access to our groundbreaking clinical trials for patients in the NHS, with a headline aim of treating 10,000 NHS patients with personalised cancer immunotherapies by 2030. To achieve this, we signed a landmark partnership with the UK Government, NHS England and Genomics England in July 2023 to mobilize the unique span and capabilities of the NHS, the genomics infrastructure, the forward-thinking regulator and the world-class life sciences sector. Our partnership with the UK will encompass numerous clinical trials across many different cancers, from phase 1 through to registrational. 

To be successful, BioNTech needs to build brand new delivery structures and ways of operating in the UK, in concert with existing global teams. This role will be part of a small, UK-based team that will need to move rapidly and operate on many different levels at once: working with operational teams and NHS trusts to deliver our ambitious clinical trial plans right away; working with NHS England and Government to build future structures to improve recruitment, such as the NHS Cancer Vaccines Launchpad (CVLP), unified contracting for clinical trials, and a shared genomics pathway; designing and agreeing long-term strategic partnerships with hospitals and other important stakeholders; and designing, implementing and continually improving our UK strategy, governance and operating model.  

Associate Director*, UK Partnership Delivery (Trial execution) 

This role will focus in particular on embedding our ‘UK Clinical Trials Playbook’ - new processes enhancing our global trial start-up and management approach, to accelerate trial site activation and trial enrolment in the UK. Within this, the post-holder will lead and manage the implementation of unified budget and contract negotiation across all UK trials (the new process, aligned to the NHS National Contract Value Review, whereby a single national budget is agreed for each clinical trial in the UK with a lead site and adapted via a national costing tool for all other sites without individual site-level negotiations). As well as world-class operational delivery capabilities, this role will require flexibility, proactivity, creativity and, crucially, an ability to engage, lead and influence across team, functional and organizational boundaries. It is safe to say there will be scope to shape our strategy and ways of working, and indeed to further shape the role itself as our exciting UK work progresses. 

Your main responsibilities are: 

• Ensuring that UK trial activation playbook processes are visible to, understood and well implemented by all BioNTech global clinical trial teams and CRO teams, seeking feedback and incorporating changes to improve our processes and/or reflect best practices. 

• Coordinating and running regular UK playbook meetings (overall leadership level and individual trial level); working closely with the Director of Clinical Operations to embed this approach with global trial teams. 

• Identifying gaps/challenges limiting effectiveness of trial activation and delivery in the UK, iterating the playbook to include new steps and processes to address these through effective engagement of stakeholders, and managing their adoption by trial teams. 

• Lead and manage the implementation of unified budget negotiation and contracting including: working with global trial teams and CROs to communicate and embed standard processes in advance of national mandating by NIHR; acting as the main point of contact with responsible teams in NHS England and NIHR; providing SME contributions to the budget discussions with the lead site and leading regular progress meetings, ensuring actions are followed and deadlines met by all parties.  

• Implement a continuous improvement approach to ensure that lessons are learned from each contracting cycle and improvements are made in order to meet consistently the overall target timelines for BioNTech trials (e.g. budget agreement within 65 days; site activation within 90 days); key success measures for our UK partnership in improving access to our trials for patients in the NHS and accelerating clinical discoveries. 

• In addition, the post will provide support to wider delivery programmes that are key to the success of our BioNTech’s UK clinical trials partnerships. This could include, for example, work to develop the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launchpad; and to build a BioNTech network of clinical trial sites and national-level partnerships with Scotland and Wales. 

Due to the fast-paced nature and multiple demands of our UK programme, the relative balance of these different programmes may change over time at the discretion of the line manager. 

What you have to offer:

This role carries significant responsibility and also the opportunity to shape and lead our unique UK partnership as it develops. As such, your attributes and mindset (demonstrated by the outcomes you have achieved and how you have achieved them) matter as much for this role as your specific experience.  

Essential: 

• Engaging, leading and influencing across team, functional and organizational boundaries, demonstrating leadership to improve performance and achieve specific objectives. 

• Creative problem solving and proactivity in an operational setting: candidates should be able to evidence how they have grown/transformed a service or initiative to solve a specific challenge. 

• Operating with a start-up mindset and dealing with ambiguity. This is a first of a kind programme and we are building in-flight – flexibility coupled with a relentless focus on outcomes will be essential. 

• Experience of partnership working (i.e. working to deliver projects or achieve outcomes in close partnerships across organisational boundaries). 

• Project management and effective prioritization in managing multiple competing priorities. 

• Senior level experience of operational delivery of clinical trials and/or clinical services or service improvements within the NHS, with substantial responsibility for outcomes and resources.  

Desirable (but not pre-requisites for this role):  

• Natural/ life sciences or medical background (university degree and/or experience in a healthcare profession)  

• Track record of delivering clinical trials in a commercial or academic sponsor, CRO or site, with evidence of outcomes achieved.  

• Familiarity with start-up processes, in particular trial budgets, would be an additional advantage.  

• Track record of working in or in partnership with NHS organisations, with evidence of outcomes achieved. 

Location: You will be based in the UK (working remotely), with regular travel to the London office and semi-regular travel to UK clinical trial sites. You may have to travel to Mainz intermittently to visit global teams (all travel and expenses will be reimbursed). 

Benefits for you

BioNTech is committed to the wellbeing of our team members and offers a variety of benefits in support of our diverse employee base. We offer competitive remuneration packages which is determined by the specific role, location of employment and also the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Click here to find out more about what we do, the careers we offer and also the benefits we provide.
Note: The availability, eligibility and design of the listed benefits may vary depending on the location. The final requirements for the individual use of our benefits are based on the company's internal policies and applicable law.

Have we kindled your pioneering spirit? 

This vacancy is to be hired at one of the following locations – London. Apply now for your preferred job and location through our careers site.

*BioNTech does not differentiate on the basis of race, colour, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Most important – it’s a match!