National AI Awards 2025Discover AI's trailblazers! Join us to celebrate innovation and nominate industry leaders.

Nominate & Attend

Study Start-Up Head, Director

Astellas Pharma
Addlestone
1 week ago
Create job alert

Join to apply for the

Study Start-Up Head, Director

role at

Astellas Pharma
6 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants
Join to apply for the

Study Start-Up Head, Director

role at

Astellas Pharma
About Astellas

At Astellas, experience is coupled energised with a relentless challenger spirit.
Description

Study Start-Up Head, Director

About Astellas

At Astellas, experience is coupled energised with a relentless challenger spirit.

Our global vision for Patient Centricity is to support the development of innovative health solutions through a deep understanding of the patient experience. At Astellas, Patient Centricity isn’t a buzzword - it’s a guiding principle for action. We believe all staff have a role to play in creating a patient-centric culture and integrating an awareness of the patient into our everyday working practices, regardless of our role, team or division.

We are unusual in our ability to combine the experience, expertise and resources of an established company with the agility, flexibility and tenacity of a start-up. Relentless curiosity and a hunger for discovery flows throughout our entire organisation.

We harness the latest technology and insights from big data with our research expertise to create powerful solutions that could transform the way doctors and nurses treat and care for their patients. We are accelerating product development, driving operational efficiencies and gaining a better understanding of the needs of patients and their healthcare providers.

We partner and collaborate with academic research institutes and biotechnology companies who share our passion for bringing breakthrough discoveries to patients.

The Opportunity

As the Study Start Up Head (Director), you will oversee and provide strategic direction for the global execution and coordination of study start up activities for all Clinical Development Studies (Early Development & Late Stage) which may include (but not limited too): Contract & Budget Negotiations, Site Activation Management and regional country start-up activities and personnel to support site initiation.

In this role, you will be responsible for supporting the identification and execution of interventional trial support strategies aimed at increasing productivity and quality while decreasing cycle times and cost and for the development and implementation of cross- functional and cross regional strategy to ensure operational alignment within Medical and Development, along with functions outside of M&D, and across the early and late stage (including MA and RX+, where applicable ) clinical organizations for the relevant support functions. This role reports to the Head, Site Activation & Business Management and forms a part of the Clinical Operations, Development team.

Hybrid Working

At Astellas we recognise the importance of balancing your work and home life, so we offer a hybrid working solution allowing time to connect with colleagues in person at the office alongside the flexibility to work from home; optimising the most productive work environment for you to succeed and deliver.

Key Responsibilities

Establishing and leading the global site activation team, ensuring delivery, resourcing, quality, and contractual compliance for all clinical development studies (ED & Late-Stage) across all regions.
Acting as the primary decision-maker for portfolio study start-up issues, collaborating with cross-functional teams to resolve problems at the study level. Monitoring portfolio performance against site activation timelines and metrics (e.g., as defined by corporate objectives), while adhering to budget targets.
Monitoring portfolio performance against site activation timelines and metrics (e.g., as defined by corporate objectives), while adhering to budget targets.
Managing allocations of study start-up staff which includes regulatory document collection and site contracts/budgets, and frequently update resource algorithms based on portfolio needs.
Acting as a member of the Start-up Leadership Team and providing input into sub-division structure, budget and resourcing strategies, including development and implementation/oversight of processes & procedures, training, coaching and mentoring of staff.

Essential Knowledge & Experience

Demonstrable expertise in clinical trials including extensive leadership experience of global study start-up activities and study delivery.
Recognised leader in functional management and direct people management.
Proven track record of experience in working with teams to prepare for regulatory inspections including inspections readiness, participating in regulatory inspections and preparing responses to inspection findings.
Strong knowledge of current regulations, trends and practices in areas of support function responsibility.
Must have demonstrated extensive expertise in developing global clinical development strategies along with strong knowledge of ICH/GCP guidelines including multinational clinical trial guidelines.

Preferred Experience

Represented or participated as a member of governance committees both with vendors and external collaboration.
Partnered with cross-functional leaders on initiatives, activities and deliverables that span across Clinical Operations.
Experienced in managing international employees.
Management experience in multiple clinical operations positions.
Clinical trial management leadership.

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.

Additional Information

This is a permanent, full-time position.
This position is based in the UK.
This position follows our hybrid working model. Role requires a blend of home and a minimum of 1 day per quarter in our local office. Flexibility may be required in line with business needs. Candidates must be located within a commutable distance of the office.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Seniority level

Seniority level Director
Employment type

Employment type Contract
Job function

Job function Research, Analyst, and Information Technology
Industries Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Astellas Pharma by 2x
Sign in to set job alerts for “Study Director” roles.

Head Protocol and Clinical Program Excellence

London, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago
London, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago
Reading, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago
Director of Corporate Sustainability (9-day fortnight)

International Senior Market Research Director (healthcare - quant)

London, England, United Kingdom 8 months ago
Associate Director/Director, Business Development, Payers, Providers & Government Connected Healthcare Platform solutions.

Reading, England, United Kingdom 1 month ago
London, England, United Kingdom 1 day ago
Associate Director/Director, Business Development, Payers, Providers & Government Connected Healthcare Platform solutions.

London, England, United Kingdom 1 month ago
London, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago
Associate Director, Clinical Pharmacology

Maidenhead, England, United Kingdom 2 days ago
Associate Director, Clinical Pharmacology

Associate Director/Director, Business Development, Payers, Providers & Government – Connected Healthcare Platform solutions.

London, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago
London, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago
London, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago
Medical Director - Oncology/Cardiology/Gastroenterology/Endocrinology/Radiology/Infectious Disease/Immunology/Nephrology/Psychiatrist

London, England, United Kingdom 4 days ago
Farnborough, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago
London, England, United Kingdom 5 months ago
Gastroenterologist / Hepatologist - Medical Director

London, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago
Senior Director of Discovery Pharmacology

London, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago
Leadership & Management Coach / Trainer and IQA

Greater London, England, United Kingdom 4 months ago
London, England, United Kingdom 1 month ago
London, England, United Kingdom 1 month ago
Careers Consultant (University of London Careers Service)

London, England, United Kingdom 4 weeks ago
London, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago
Ad Effectiveness Lead, Sell-side Platform

Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist (20K RRP)

London, England, United Kingdom 6 days ago
London, England, United Kingdom 1 day ago
Manager - Life, Pensions & Retail Investments

Associate Manager, Implementation Consulting (Imaging)

London, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago
London, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago
Chertsey, England, United Kingdom 5 days ago
Crawley, England, United Kingdom 4 weeks ago
We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.

#J-18808-Ljbffr

Related Jobs

View all jobs

Snr Clinical Study Administrator - Luton

Senior Regulatory and Start Up Specialist

Senior Regulatory and Start Up Specialist

Contract Specialist

Entry/Senior Contract Specialist

Sr Clinical Trial Manager

National AI Awards 2025

Subscribe to Future Tech Insights for the latest jobs & insights, direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

How to Present Biotech Concepts to Non-Scientists: A Public Speaking Guide for Job Seekers

In today’s biotechnology job market, your ability to explain complex science clearly is just as important as your lab skills. Whether you're applying for a research role, pitching to investors, or collaborating with marketing teams, you'll often need to present technical information to people without a scientific background. This blog explores how biotechnology job seekers can develop and deliver compelling presentations that make sense to non-scientists. From structuring your content to designing effective slides and using storytelling to bring data to life, these techniques will help you stand out in interviews and on the job.

Biotech Jobs Employer Hotlist 2025: 50 UK Companies Actively Hiring Right Now 

Bookmark this guide – we refresh it every quarter so you always know who’s really expanding their life‑science teams. The UK biotechnology scene is on a tear in 2025. Venture & follow‑on funding hit £3.5 billion last year, up 94 % on 2023, and Q1 2025 alone brought in another £924 million of equity for scaling therapeutics, diagnostics & deep‑tech platforms  bioindustry.org. Meanwhile, Westminster’s new industrial strategy pledges a record £86 billion for science & tech, with life sciences top of the eight “high‑growth” priority sectors . The consequence? Hiring is white‑hot. From big‑pharma giants to gene‑editing start‑ups, employers need research scientists, QC analysts, bioprocess engineers, bioinformaticians, regulatory specialists & commercial leads – right now. Below you’ll find 50 organisations that have posted UK vacancies or announced head‑count growth during the past eight weeks. They’re grouped into five bite‑size categories so you can jump straight to the type of employer – & mission – that excites you. For every entry you’ll see: Main UK hub Example recent vacancy Why it’s worth your time (tech, culture, impact) Use the internal search on BiotechnologyJobs.co.uk to pull up live roles, or set a free alert so fresh openings land in your inbox.

Return-to-Work Pathways: Relaunch Your Biotechnology Career with Returnships, Flexible & Hybrid Roles

Returning to work after a career break can feel like stepping into a new frontier—especially in a fast-evolving sector such as biotechnology. Whether you’ve paused your professional journey for parenting, caring responsibilities or another life chapter, the UK’s biotech industry now offers a variety of return-to-work pathways designed to help you transition back smoothly. From formal returnships and part-time contracts to hybrid and fully flexible roles, these programmes acknowledge the value of your transferable skills and life experience. In this guide tailored for parents and carers, you’ll discover how to: Grasp the current demand for biotech talent in the UK Translate your organisational, communication and resilience skills into the laboratory and beyond Tackle common re-entry challenges with practical solutions Refresh your scientific and technical knowledge through targeted learning Access returnship and re-entry programmes specifically in biotech Find roles that fit around family commitments—be they flexible, hybrid or full-time Balance work with caring duties Navigate applications, interviews and networking in the biotech world Learn from inspiring returner success stories Get quick answers in our FAQ section Whether you’re keen to step back into a research lab, quality control, regulatory affairs or bioinformatics team, this article will map out the steps and resources you need to reignite your biotechnology career.