Director, Central Lab Alliance Lead

GSK•Upper Providence, PA

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Central Lab Alliance Lead is an individual-contributor role providing strategic oversight and hands-on partnership governance for an established central laboratory partnership. The role is approximately balanced between strategy and delivery, shaping the future direction of the relationship while supporting strong day-to-day delivery. The position helps embed a new operating model and ways of working, anticipates changing portfolio demands, identifies opportunities for continuous improvement, and ensures the partnership is positioned to respond effectively. The role also manages governance forums, monitors partnership health and study delivery, and supports the resolution of urgent operational challenges. The position may be based at GSK’s Stevenage site temporarily; the company plans to relocate its offices to Cambridge, UK, with the relocation currently proposed to take effect by early 2029. Occasional travel, mainly within the UK and Europe, is required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in life science, medicine, pharmacy, or a related discipline.
Experience working in clinical trials, with direct knowledge of central laboratory operations and how central laboratories support study delivery.
Demonstrated experience as an alliance lead, in strategic partnership management, or in a comparable external partner-management role.
Strong stakeholder and relationship-management skills, including the ability to work across complex, cross-functional, and multicultural environments.
Excellent communication skills, including confidence presenting to large audiences and communicating calmly and constructively in urgent or high-pressure situations.
Experience managing escalations, resolving complex delivery challenges, and maintaining a level-headed approach where patient or study impact may be at risk.
Strong analytical capability, including experience using an AI agent such as Claude or an equivalent tool to analyse large datasets and draw actionable insights.
Ability to interpret KPIs and trends and translate data into clear recommendations for operational teams and senior leaders.
Strong planning, prioritisation, and organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
Flexibility for occasional travel, mainly within the UK and Europe.

Nice To Haves

Experience implementing a new operating model or embedding new ways of working across an external partnership.
Experience within a large pharmaceutical organisation and understanding of pharmaceutical development operations.
Strategic and forward-looking mindset, with the ability to anticipate changing demand and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
High levels of professionalism, integrity, and collaboration in a regulated environment.

Responsibilities

Act as alliance lead and primary relationship owner for an assigned established central laboratory partner, building a trusted and collaborative partnership.
Contribute to the strategic direction of the central laboratory relationship by monitoring future portfolio demand and translating it into practical partnership priorities.
Lead and coordinate the implementation of a new operating model and ways of working, and identify further process improvements.
Lead and coordinate governance meetings, preparing materials for senior leaders on partnership health, study delivery, risks, and priorities.
Monitor KPIs, identify trends, and use data to provide insight into performance, assay usage, and kit usage.
Maintain regular interaction with the central laboratory partner and communicate developments, risks, and issues across GSK operational stakeholders.
Support timely escalation and resolution of critical delivery, quality, or operational challenges with internal teams and outsourced partners.
Help manage urgent situations before they become crises, considering potential effects on patients and clinical studies.
Use AI tools, such as Claude or equivalent AI agents, to analyse large datasets and generate insights that support decisions and continuous improvement.
Promote harmonised ways of working across central laboratory partnerships while tailoring approaches to individual partner relationships.