Senior Membership & Business Development Manager with BioIndustry Association (BIA)

Salary:             £45,000 (+profit-related annual bonus)
Location:         Bloomsbury, London (Hybrid, with 3 days office-based)
Contract:         Permanent, Full Time

Join the organisation championing the future of UK life sciences:

Charity People is delighted to be recruiting on behalf of the BioIndustry Association (BIA), the UK's leading trade association for innovative life sciences and biotechnology organisations.

Representing more than 600 member organisations, the BIA brings together biotech start-ups, scale-ups, pharmaceutical companies, universities, investors and professional service providers to help create the best environment for life sciences innovation to thrive.  We're looking for a commercially-minded Senior Membership & Business Development Manager to drive membership growth, strengthen engagement and help deliver value across one of the UK's most exciting and influential sectors.

About the Role

Reporting to the Associate Director for Membership & Business Development, you'll play a leading role in attracting new members, retaining existing organisations and identifying opportunities to grow participation across the BIA community.

This is an outward-facing relationship management and business development role where you'll spend time engaging with organisations across the life sciences ecosystem, attending sector events and helping businesses understand the value of membership.

This is a newly created position, so a fantastic opportunity to really make this role your own.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and converting new membership opportunities
• Building relationships with prospective and existing members
• Managing leads through the full sales cycle
• Supporting member retention and engagement activity
• Working alongside marketing colleagues on membership campaigns
• Attending events and representing the BIA across the sector
• Contributing to business solutions and partnership programmes
• Maintaining accurate CRM and membership data

About You

We're keen to hear from candidates with experience in:

• Membership development
• Business development or consultative sales
• Trade associations, professional bodies or membership organisations
• Account management or relationship management
• Target-driven environments

Previous experience in life sciences would be advantageous but is not essential.

Why Join?

This is an excellent opportunity to join a highly regarded membership organisation operating at the centre of the UK's thriving life sciences ecosystem.  You'll gain unparalleled access to biotech innovators, pharmaceutical leaders, investors, government stakeholders and pioneering organisations working to transform healthcare and scientific discovery.

If you're looking for a role where relationship building, commercial success and meaningful sector impact come together, we'd love to hear from you asap.

How to Apply

Charity People is recruiting on behalf of the BioIndustry Association for this position.
Please submit your CV at your earliest convenience. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Closing Date:  Sunday 15^th November 2026
Interviews:     w/c 23^rd November 2026

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.

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To follow

Charity People is delighted to be partnering with British Pharmacological Society to recruit for a Senior Manager, Policy and Engagement. 

A senior role within the organisation, the postholder will work closely with, and report to, the Director of Scientific Programmes, Policy and Partnerships, and will co-lead the communications team and function at the organisation.  

 About British Pharmacological Society

The British Pharmacological Society is a global community of more than 5,000 scientists, clinicians, educators and policymakers, united by a mission to promote and advance pharmacology.

Through its research, publications, education, policy work and partnerships, the Society brings expert voices together, shapes debate and champions the vital contribution pharmacology makes to scientific progress, safer medicines and better health.

As it approaches its centenary, the Society is entering an ambitious new chapter focused on advancing its pharmacological priorities, growing and connecting its community, and strengthening its influence and impact

Senior Manager, Policy and Engagement

Contract: permanent, full time position with part time working (four days per week) also considered

Salary: £54,589 to £59,651 per annum

Location: Hybrid role between home and BPS London office which is centrally based between Old Street and Angel stations, with a minimum of one day per week in office.  The office is fully wheelchair accessible.

Closing date for applications: 9am on Monday 23^rd November

Interviews: First round interviews will be held remotely on the 3^rd and 4^th November, with second round interviews held in person on the 14^th and 15^th December.  Travel to in person interview will be reimbursed.

The postholder will provide senior leadership for the Society’s policy, engagement and communications portfolio, ensuring that members, volunteers, and other key stakeholders are effectively engaged in shaping and advancing the Society’s objectives.

You will develop and communicate policy and engagement priorities, lead teams, and Committee relationships, strengthen the member experience and ensure that the expertise of the pharmacology community informs the Society’s influence and external voice.

 Core responsibilities within your role will be to:

• Develop and deliver integrated policy, membership and engagement plans aligned with the Society’s strategy.
• Turn strategic priorities into clear plans, budgets, team objectives and measures of success.
• Advise the Director, Senior Leadership Team, Trustees and committees on policy, membership and engagement.
• Lead the Society’s policy framework and produce evidence-based briefings, consultation responses and position statements.
• Build relationships with policymakers, learned societies, strategic partners and other influential stakeholders.
• Lead and support relevant committees and advisory groups, ensuring strong governance and effective delivery.
• Shape an inclusive engagement strategy that enables members and volunteers to connect, contribute and influence the Society’s work.
• Oversee engagement with industry, clinical and early-career communities, alongside the Ambassadors Scheme, grants and public engagement programmes.
• Lead membership development, using insight and feedback to improve recruitment, retention, progression and member value.
• Co-lead the communications function with the Senior Digital Marketing and Communications Manager, ensuring clear, accessible and consistent messaging.
• Represent the Society externally and develop partnerships that strengthen its reach, influence and impact.
• Line-manage and develop the Membership and Awards Manager and Community Engagement Officer, creating an inclusive, collaborative and high-performing team.
• Manage team priorities, budgets, grants, suppliers and other resources, ensuring value for money and effective risk management.
• Contribute to cross-organisational planning, improvement and leadership as a member of the senior management team.

Key experience and skills we’re looking for is as follows:

• Degree-level qualification in a relevant discipline, or equivalent senior professional experience.
• Significant experience of developing and delivering policy, stakeholder engagement, membership or community strategies.
• Experience of leading complex, cross-organisational work involving multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Proven experience of managing, motivating and developing staff.
• Experience of translating organisational strategy into clear plans, budgets, objectives and measures of success.
• Experience of building trusted relationships with members, volunteers, partners and senior stakeholders.
• Experience of supporting committees, boards, advisory groups or similar governance structures.
• Experience of developing evidence-based policy or advocacy outputs, such as consultation responses, position statements and briefings.
• Experience of improving member or community engagement, participation, retention or growth.
• Strong written communication skills, with experience of making complex information clear and accessible for different audiences.

Experience of working in a membership body, charity, learned society or scientific organisation, alongside an understanding of the biosciences, pharmacology, health or life sciences environment is desirable but not essential.

If you’re interested in hearing more about this opportunity, please send your CV to Alice at Charity People in the first instance. Alice can be reached at alice@charitypeople.co.uk.

We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability, and potential; please contact us if you require any assistance or adjustment so we can help make the application process work for you.

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.  

We want to encourage applicants with a diverse range of backgrounds to apply. In particular, those with lived experience of racial inequity, disability, or poverty.