Director Preclinical Discovery and Development

Blackfield Associates are supporting a pre clinical start up, UK based firm, at the cutting-edge of first in class breakthrough novel therapeutic treatment.

To bolster their development to Phase 2, our client is looking to hire a Head of Preclinical Research and R&D / Pharmacology.

Role Responsibility :

• Strategic Leadership: Lead the preclinical strategy for lead assets and pipeline programs.
• Team & Budget Management: Oversee daily preclinical activities, team management, budgeting, and contingency planning.
• Pharmacology & Product Development: Generate new data, form hypotheses for therapeutic areas like sexual dysfunction and mood disorders.
• Third-Party Collaboration: Manage relationships with CROs, development partners, and academic institutions.
• Regulatory Oversight: Review and oversee preclinical submissions to regulatory agencies (FDA, MHRA, EMA, etc.).
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work with Clinical Development and IP teams to design trials and secure intellectual property.
• Compliance: Ensure compliance with preclinical GxP, ICH guidelines, SOPs, and H&S regulations.

Experience and Qualifications Required to be considered:

• Educational Background: Degree in Pharmacology or related field; PhD preferred.
• Senior Experience: Proven leadership in pharmacology and preclinical functions within the pharmaceutical industry (Start up experience would be ideal)
• Regulatory Knowledge: Familiarity with legislation and guidelines for preclinical drug development.
• Technical Writing: Skilled in writing regulatory documents, grant proposals, and scientific publications.
• Presentation & Communication: Experience presenting data at national/international meetings; strong written and oral communication skills.
• Leadership & Management: Proven track record in team management, budget control, and problem-solving.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Endnote, literature search engines, and scientific software such as GraphPad.

This role requires strong leadership, strategic vision, and deep expertise in preclinical research and drug development.