Associate Director, Strategic Advisor in Life Sciences

Associate Director, Strategic Advisor in Life SciencesLexica is a leading specialist consultancy, transforming environments for clients in health and life sciences. From June 2025 Lexica is a member of WSP (UK) Ltd and will be fully integrated into the organisation by Jan 2026. We are helping organisations to become more efficient and effective in the core sectors that we work in; whether improving patient pathways for the NHS, developing laboratories to facilitate world-leading science, or rationalising educational campuses to attract the highest calibre students and research investment. Our clients tell us that we are different from other consultancies. They know that we have a wide range of skills across the business that gives us a competitive edge over other organisations. By joining Lexica, you will be part of the journey with our clients and colleagues.Job SummaryLexica is growing its strategic advisory in the life science sector.A key priority is to develop a strategic advisory capability by growing and developing our offering to new and existing clients, in both the public and private sectors, the UK and overseas, in the life science sector. The post holder, for this full-time role, will have a key role in:Delivery: offering professional, strategic planning and consultancy services to all clients. The post holder will bring expertise to support designing individual solutions and securing client mandates. They will support the operational leadership to deliver to clients’ expectations including service excellence, quality of processes and performance standards.Business development: to grow the business, meeting strategic objectives and targetsResource development: to grow the team supporting recruitment and line management duties and the professional development of a growing team.What we expect from youKey responsibilities:Client management/ engagementBuild and maintain strong relationships with Clients, acting as a key account holder, understand client’s needs, provide tailored strategic advice, manage accounts effectively, ensuring clients satisfaction to secure a long-term partnership.Lead stakeholders’ engagement and support strategic lead with key communicationsTo be able to successfully integrate into client’s team and support the development of the client teamWork with multidisciplinary teams, including scientific experts, regulatory specialists, and property professionals to deliver integrated solutionsLead the delivery of estate strategies and development control plansDevelop and refine client’s estate strategic plans that align with their business objectives and optimisation of the estate portfolio, through efficient asset managementLeverage business experience and acumen in identifying strategic alternatives/solutions to client questionsLead and deliver the business case process from end-to-endSupport the Life Sciences senior leadership teamBe accountable for the performance of the service line and client satisfaction with outcomes based on agreed scope/ specificationsLead the management of the profit & loss/ financial performance of their account/commission, analysing performance against budget and income targetsIdentify and proactively pursue business opportunities and building a pipeline of future workDevelop and write proposals and respond to tendersContribute to the development of thought leadership materials, including white papers, case studies and presentation to enhance the firm’s reputation in the industryWork independently but perform as a key member of the team/s, with responsibility for supervising team members as well as line manage SLS staff and resourcesProvide guidance and mentorship to junior consultants, fostering a collaborative and high-performance team environmentExcellent Delivery and Continuous ImprovementSupport the successful implementation of best practices and have the capability to tailor best practices to Clients’ requirementsApply robust methodology to strategic planning processes including data collection, validation, assurance, and governance processesCreate and deliver high quality reports, presentations, workshops with clients, management of teams and other stakeholders showing knowledge and aptitude of the subject matterWhat you will bring to the roleBusiness DevelopmentSignificant experience of successfully delivering consultancy services within the life sciences sector and estates environmentA record of positive client feedback within the Life Science sector and estates management and developmentExperience of leading teams to achieve targets, and of supporting and managing individualsDemonstratable experience of business development, with bid experience/ managementRobust financial management skillsand commercial acumenDeliveryImpeccable stakeholder engagement skills and political awarenessExceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present and chair at executive board levelA demonstrable ability to produce and design high quality and technical presentations/papersRelevant experience in risk and change management in estates’ environmentsQualifications/ training/ specialismA chartership level qualification in the built environment, i.e. architecture, engineering, FM, or PropertyRecognised qualifications in Project Management, specifically in the management of processes and projects specifically related to strategic planning in the Life Science sectorRelevant skill in the use of visual aids and graphic tools such as PowerPoint, InDesign, IllustratorGood level of skill in the use of the Microsoft suite of appsWhat makes Lexica a great place to work….At Lexica, you'll work in a supportive and inclusive work environment, with access to ongoing learning and development opportunities. If you share our commitment to Professionalism, Innovation, Knowledge and Collaboration, joining Lexica is the way to make a real difference.We work in an agile and inclusive environment bringing our expertise to each project. We are at our best when we work together to help others and have supported many local and national charities over the years. You will be joining an ideas-driven culture that embraces new perspectives to solve complex problems.We are organisational members of Social Value UK, and are committed to achieving social and environmental progress, whilst ensuring the success of our organisation and the organisations we serve. We strive to maximise the opportunity to deliver social value benefits to our clients or as a result of the work we do. #J-18808-Ljbffr