Life Sciences R&D Strategy Senior Manager

Accenture•St. Louis, MO

5d•$122,700 - $317,200•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a Senior Manager or Principal Director to play a critical leadership role within our growing R&D strategy team to focus on R&D reinvention across the value chain: helping clients move beyond incremental improvement to AI-enabled transformation of how they discover, develop, and deliver medicines. This high-impact role sits at the intersection of biopharma R&D, digital innovation, and enterprise transformation — advising R&D leaders at the world's leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies. You will lead end-to-end strategy engagements, build lasting client relationships across R&D functions, drive business development, and contribute to practice growth through thought leadership and capability building. This is a balanced role: part trusted advisor, part business builder, part practice champion. You will be expected to partner across the various Accenture businesses to be successful in this role.

Requirements

At least 8 years of combined experience in the following areas:
Deep expertise in Life Sciences R&D with experience at a top-tier strategy consulting firm or a leading biopharma company in an R&D strategy or transformation function.
A proven track record leading strategy engagements with measurable outcomes for biopharma clients.
Experience developing and presenting strategic recommendations and transformation roadmaps to C-suite, SVP, and VP-level R&D stakeholders.
Strong understanding of how AI, data, digital technologies, and scientific informatics are reshaping biopharma R&D — and the ability to translate that understanding into client strategy.
Demonstrated success in business development: identifying opportunities, shaping proposals, and building senior client relationships.
Experience leading cross-functional teams and managing junior professionals.
Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally as client and business needs require.
Bachelor's degree

Nice To Haves

MBA, advanced scientific degree (PhD, PharmD, MD), or equivalent combination of education and experience in a relevant discipline.
Experience building or scaling a new strategy offering, practice area, or capability from the ground up.
Track record developing thought leadership — whitepapers, conference presentations, or published perspectives — in the life sciences or R&D space.
Exercise operating across multiple biopharma sub-sectors (large pharma, emerging biotech, CROs, or medtech) and geographies

Responsibilities

Lead complex R&D strategy engagements from problem framing through delivery, ensuring measurable client impact.
Advise clients on R&D transformation priorities including strategy, pipeline portfolio management, scientific data and AI integration, R&D operational excellence, R&D operating model, etc.
Develop and present strategic recommendations, transformation roadmaps, and reinvention narratives to Heads of R&D functions, and other senior stakeholders.
Serve as a guiding presence throughout the program lifecycle — shaping critical program stages, driving quality assurance, and ensuring delivery excellence on large-scale engagements.
Build, manage, and grow senior client relationships across biopharma R&D functions.
Partner with the broader Accenture team to bring the tailored expertise needed for an individual R&D Strategy engagement in support of our clients (e.g., Data & AI, Technology Strategy & Advisory, Talent & Organization)
Originate and shape new opportunities, lead proposals and commercial pursuits, and contribute to Accenture's pipeline growth in the Life Sciences R&D space.
Identify adjacent opportunities and expand existing client relationships across the R&D value chain.
Represent Accenture's R&D Strategy point of view in client briefings, industry forums, and executive conversations
Develop and contribute to thought leadership on R&D transformation, AI-driven discovery and development, and scientific innovation — publishing assets that establish Accenture's differentiated perspective in the market.
Build reusable offerings, frameworks, and assets that accelerate future client engagements.
Mentor and develop junior colleagues; actively contribute to performance management and recruiting.
Partner with Accenture’s global industry leads, capability leads, and cross-functional teams to evolve the R&D Strategy practice and go-to-market strategy.