Assistant Director – IP and Commercialisation Services

ABOUT LGC GRANT MANAGEMENT GROUP
LGC Ltd (www.lgcgroup.com) is an international life sciences company working with customers in the government, academic, pharmaceutical, agricultural biotechnology, food, environment, security and sports sectors.  

LGC’s Grant Management Group (GMG) works with UK government departments and arm’s length bodies to support medical and health research across the UK. Our activities include funding call management, contract management and Intellectual Property management. We work with senior level stakeholders in academia, the NHS, government and industry to promote improvements in medical and health care in the UK and overseas. 

As part of our expanding services to government customers, LGC is expanding its expertise in technology transfer. We are looking for individuals with experience of technology transfer, intellectual property management and commercialisation of research in the medical, health and life science sectors.

LGC is looking to recruit an experienced leader in intellectual property and technology transfer to establish and develop a team that will deliver outstanding Intellectual Property Management and Commercialisation services to the UK Research and Innovation Medical Research Council (UKRI-MRC).

This is a unique opportunity to work with world leading scientists funded by UKRI-MRC to help them navigate the complex world of IP so that their outstanding science benefits wider society. We are looking for someone with a passion for supporting scientific leaders in their field to translate their innovative research into real world impact by using IP and commercial tools to facilitate efficient and effective technology transfer. The successful candidate will need to be able to help UKRI-MRC to creatively manage IP that is produced from research to produced measurable impact to society and the UK economy.

The successful candidate will need to be able to demonstrate an ability to balance managing complex processes with an entrepreneurial approach to commercialisation of medical  and life science research IP. The appointed Assistant Director will also need to able to inspire a team to manage a complex portfolio of work with rapidly changing priorities to ensure customer satisfaction at all times. The Assistant Director and their team will be part of the wider LGC Grant Management Group that works with a range of UK government departments and arm’s length bodies to support translation of government funding into novel treatments, therapeutics, medical technologies and services that benefit the UK population and communities outside the UK.

Job Purpose 
To manage and be accountable for all aspects of delivery of Intellectual Property Management and Commercialisation services to the UK Research and Innovation Medical Research Council (UKRI-MRC) to ensure customer satisfaction and profitability for LGC.

Reports to
LGC Grant Management Group Director of Innovation Programmes 

Responsibilities 

• Recruiting, developing and line managing a team of up to 10 FTEs (including some team members who have already been recruited) to deliver excellent service with demonstrable impact to UKRI-MRC
• Collaborating with peers to ensure that customers benefit from the collective experience with the LGC Grant Management Group
• Acting as the main point of contact to the UKRI-MRC Head Office and Directors of MRC research establishments to agree operational priorities and draft strategic plans
• Responsible for ensuring that work at MRC scientific research establishments is assessed for commercial value and, if appropriate,  protected and commercialised via licensing, sales of assets or creation of spin out companies
• Responsible for oversight and management of the UKRI-MRC patent portfolio, including registering new patents and payment of registration and maintenance fees in agreed territories
• Chairing the Joint UKRI-MRC and LGC Intellectual Property Board to agree how to manage the UKRI-MRC patent portfolio within the allocated budget   
• Working with peers in LGC’s Grant Management Group to ensure alignment with the wider UK policy landscape, work with UKRI-MRC to develop, review and implement policies and strategies relating to intellectual property and commercialisation
• Supporting creation of new spin outs from UKRI-MRC research establishments and working with UKRI-MRC Head Office to monitor and represent UKRI-MRC's interests in established spin out companies
• Responsible for ensuring that the MRC reagent portfolio is managed and marketed to generate revenue for UKRI-MRC, including addition of new reagents to the portfolio
• Responsible for ensuring that LGC provides IP and commercial reviews for applications to MRC funding programmes 
• Facilitate strategic industry partnerships by identifying collaborative research opportunities, aligning MRC expertise with industry needs
• Enhance industry engagement and commercialisation through technology transfer, advisory services, translational research support, and leveraging private investment for public-private collaboration
• Oversees and approves creation and delivery of business development plans for IP assets, including financial modelling and revenue forecasting
• Ensures that the LGC and UKRI-MRC finance teams have all relevant information to complete routine and ad hoc financial reporting and payments on behalf of UKRI-MRC 
• Develops and oversees delivery of IP and commercial training programmes to UKRI-MRC staff as agreed with UKRI-MKRC Head Office and Directors of Research Establishments
• Ensuring that LGC staff have a regular presence at UKRI-MRC research establishments to build effective working relationships with UKRI-MRC scientists, entrepreneurs in residence, contract leads and site directors
• Providing contractual and governance information is provided to UKRI-MRC at agreed schedules, including monthly reports to research establishments and representing LGC at Contract Management Boards with UKRI-MRC Head Office to review all aspects of service delivery
• Responsible for delivering services to agreed customer key performance indicators and internal LGC metrics that are reported on a monthly basis
• Responsible for allocation of work to agreed subcontractors and delivery of activities by subcontractors within agreed timelines and budgets
• Ensuring that the services are delivered following approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Work Instructions (WIs) with appropriate reviews and approvals within LGC’s Quality Management System
• Ensuring that LGC works within delegated authority boundaries provided by UKRI-MRC, including ensuring that LGC only signs documents using delegated Power of Attorney rights when appropriate and, if required, approved by UKRI-MRC
• Work with the LGC GMG Finance team to ensure that services are delivered to UKRI-MRC within the budget and to agreed profitability
• Ensuring that all UKRI-MRC data managed by LGC is recorded and managed using appropriate software systems to deliver high data level of data integrity and adherence to relevant UK and international legislation (e.g. General Data Protection Regulations, GDPR)
• Working with other senior members of the LGC Grant Management Group to coordinate efficient and effective use of resources and expertise to deliver current services and support business development activities for new and existing customers

Required Criteria

• Degree qualified in an appropriate subject (e.g. biosciences, medicine, law) with additional qualifications and/or experience in Technology Transfer
• Extensive experience of leading a high performing technology transfer office (TTO) function in a university, NHS or industrial organisation
• Senior level experience of working in complex stakeholder environments to define strategic and operational priorities and plans that have appropriate approaches to prioritisation of activities 
• Significant experience of identifying, protecting and commercialising new research, with a focus on medical, health and biological research with demonstrable impact
• Significant experience of managing a complex patent portfolio to ensure effective use of available funding to maximise impact for the customer
• Experience of creating and developing spin out companies from basic and applied research
• Significant experience of negotiating complex high value transactions with licencees and investors to ensure that the interests of the inventing organisation are recognised and appropriately valued in payments, royalties and equity valuations
• Experienced at creating and implementing financial models and forecasting of revenue from IP assets
• Able to demonstrate leading a team that delivers a high quality and responsive service to a customer with complex needs and regularly changing priorities
• Significant experience of working with world leading scientists to support them through the commercialisation of novel IP
• Experience of successfully managing a cost centre with multiple budget lines and profitability expectations

Desired Criteria

• Experience of working with UK government arm’s length bodies and research councils such as UKRI-MRC
• Experience of using and developing specialist software packages to manage complex IP portfolios
• Experience of managing a reagents portfolio, including marketing of reagents
• Experience of reviewing IP and commercial aspects of applications to government scientific funding programmes
• Experience of developing and improving processes using established continuous improvement systems

Salary & Benefits 
Salary - In-line with the experience and skills required for this role
Bonus - subject to company performance
25 days annual leave, plus public holidays (UK)
Enhanced contributory pension scheme
Life Insurance
Benenden Healthcare
Season Ticket Loan
Laptop, IT equipment and remote IT support

NB: This is a hybrid office-based role. Employees are expected to work from our Victoria, London office at least four days per month, with additional visits to customer sites in Cambridge, London, and Harwell as required. The frequency of site visits may increase based on team needs.

Application
If you are excited about the prospect of joining our team and believe you possess the relevant skills and background, we invite you to apply. Please submit your CV along with a 'Statement of Suitability' that showcases your key skills and experiences in relation to the 'Required Criteria' outlined in the job description. Additionally, share your enthusiasm for working with the LGC Group. 

Closing date for applications is 5pm on 21st February. 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES 
LGC strongly believes that every job applicant and employee should be valued for their individual talents regardless of age, disability, race, color, ethnic or national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion, or belief. Short listing, interviewing and selection will always be carried out without regard to gender, sexual orientation, marital status, color, race, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, age, or trade union membership.