Head of CMO Innovation

Company Overview

At GSK, we have bold ambitions for patients, aiming to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade. Our R&D focuses on discovering and delivering vaccines and medicines, combining our understanding of the immune system with cutting-edge technology to transform people's lives. GSK fosters a culture ambitious for patients, accountable for impact, and committed to doing the right thing, making sure that we focus our efforts on accelerating significant assets that meet patients' needs and have the highest probability of success. GSK has kicked off 2026 with impressive growth in sales, profits, and earnings. We anticipate five major new FDA product approvals and 15 phase III/pivotal study readouts over the next two years. So far, we have secured two FDA approvals, with three more expected later this year. By uniting science, technology, and talent, we are committed to getting ahead of disease together.

This is a newly created founding leadership role established to build and lead the CMO Innovation Group. The role is accountable for defining the vision, strategy, operating model, and governance of innovation across CMO (Chief Medical Office), creating a sustainable capability that accelerates business impact and organizational transformation.

The Head of CMO Innovation Group will provide strategic leadership for the innovation portfolio, identifying and scaling high-value opportunities, fostering a culture of experimentation and continuous improvement, and ensuring innovation efforts are aligned with business priorities. The role will build and lead a high-performing team, establish strong cross-functional partnerships, and position the Group as the central engine for intentional, measurable, and enterprise-wide innovation within CMO.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and lead the strategic vision, operating model, and direction of the CMO Innovation Group, with overall accountability for the innovation portfolio and delivery of measurable business impact.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the Head Data Value Office CMO and a visible champion for innovation across CMO, influencing and aligning senior stakeholders, including the Head of CMO , the CMO Leadership Team, and key enterprise partners.
• Establish and lead innovation governance, chairing or co-chairing the Portfolio Working Group and representing the portfolio at Growth Board forums, securing investment, shaping priorities, and driving decisions in complex and ambiguous environments.
• Lead the transformation required to embed AI-, data-, and digital-enabled ways of working into CMO's operating model, accelerating adoption, capability building, and sustainable organizational change.
• Build and cultivate a strong innovation ecosystem by developing strategic partnerships across AIML, R&D Digital & Tech, Enterprise AI, DP&I, and the CMO Innovation Champions network, while representing CMO innovation internally and externally.
• Own the Group's annual investment portfolio, headcount strategy, and multi-year resource plan, continuously optimizing funding and capacity to align with evolving business priorities and portfolio needs.
• Recruit, build, and lead the founding CMO Innovation Group, initially managing three direct reports and scaling the capability toward a mature-state organization of approximately 10-20 FTEs.
• Establish and strengthen the Group's innovation capital, creating a compelling narrative, proven track record, and trusted reputation as the leading source of innovation expertise and delivery excellence within CMO.
• Foster a culture of experimentation, continuous improvement, and evidence-based innovation, ensuring ideas are translated into scalable solutions that deliver tangible value for patients, the business, and the organization.

Basic Qualifications

• Masters degree or equivalent in computer science, data science, business, or other data/technology-related field.
• Significant senior leadership experience in innovation, transformation or venture-building within a large, matrixed organisation; pharma/life sciences experience is an advantage
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement abilities.
• Demonstrated ability to drive continuous improvement, innovation and manage complex data projects.
• Systems-thinking: able to connect domain knowledge, process expertise and technology acumen, and to simplify complex, disparate concepts for senior and cross-functional audiences.
• Demonstrated experience operating in matrix (hub and spoke) organizational structures, working with policy development, quality systems or standards frameworks within regulated environments

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree or equivalent in computer science, data science, business, or other data/technology-related field.
• Formal training in structured innovation methods (e.g. the Innovator's Method, Lean Startup, Design Thinking) is an advantage.

Skills

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Business Analysis, Data Analysis, D

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