NGP Science Manager / Science Lead

About Us

We're a truly international company, fourth largest in our industry and operating across 119 markets. An inclusive, innovative global FMCG business supported by 26,000 employees. As we embrace a new era of growth, we are transforming. Our ways of working and culture are driven by a challenger mindset, constantly questioning the status quo where people can bring their best selves to work. Our agility and collaboration are driving our ambitions, innovation and success all supported by our award-winning development programmes that creates exciting and rewarding career opportunities for all.

As we move forward, our consumers will be at the heart of what we do, evolving to needs and expectations and committing to a more meaningful contribution to harm reduction by building a successful NGP business. Integral to our long-term success is our sustainability strategy, behaving responsibly and supporting our ambitions, all underpinned by high governance.

Encouraging inclusion at local levels and supporting a developing and robust diversity agenda globally, we’re fully committed to creating and maintaining an environment that celebrates and respects difference.

The Role

Daily, you’ll be responsible for driving the strategic and scientific direction for our Next Generation Product (NGP) portfolio related activities to ensure necessary safety and regulatory science is conducted to enable on time and successful product launches in markets in line with commercial plans. The role works closely with & delivers through the subject matter experts across our Group Science & Regulatory Affairs team thereby significantly reducing the handoffs between the Science department and the rest of the business. You’ll ensure delivery of high-quality regulatory science data that supports the defence of current NGPs, and there will also be opportunities to get involved in studies that support Imperial’s ESG objectives for tobacco harm reduction. You’ll have a deep understanding and lead for one of the NGP categories and sufficient understanding to support and cover for the other NGP categories.

Location: Flexible with the ability to travel in Bristol.

Principle Accountabilities

• Create & drive tactical plans to support new Next Generation Product launches in line with commercial plans, and support the defence of current products to ensure ongoing commercial viability;
• Align across departments on strategic directions of projects, and to ensure compliance and regulatory submissions for new products are in line with tobacco/NGP regulations.
• Provide NGP subject matter expertise on priority scientific & technical regulatory issues in markets, represent the company’s interests at relevant national (UK-BSI), European (CEN) and global (ISO) standardisation bodies, and internal/external scientific meetings in order to defend and advance Imperial’s views/positions.
• Work in collaboration with the Harm Reduction and Engagement team to define and drive the planning and delivery of scientific research to support the development of product-specific external narratives/positions in order to build consumer and regulator confidence, ensure robust evidence-based policy development that is not disadvantageous to our commercial agenda and ensure the company is viewed as a credible source of scientific & regulatory information.
• Work in collaboration with Harm Reduction and Engagement team to communicate the complex science behind its NGP portfolio and harm reduction assessment approaches.
• Promote the science that contributes to Imperial’s consumer health ‘People and Planet' KPIs and tobacco harm reduction, making complex science accessible to a lay audience.

Key Skills, Education & Experience

Essential

• Post-graduate Degree in relevant science
• Significant experience in a highly regulated product category
• Broad understanding of the business and its current and future challenges
• Skills in developing and executing appropriate scientific and technical research activities in co-ordination with key stakeholders
• Ability to analyse complex and detailed scientific and technical issues
• Strong interpersonal skills along with an ability to build relationships internally and externally across a diverse stakeholder network
• Strong influencing skills
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with ability to tailor the science to audiences very different levels of understanding
• Project Management skills

Desirable

• Experience of leading others without direct line management responsibilities
• In depth understanding of one or more of Next Generation Product categories

What We Offer

Competitive salary, bonus scheme, pension, and 25 days holiday (with an additional 4 days on top to cover the Christmas period, and bank holidays), flexible working policy, corporate discounts, Health Cash Plan, and other wellbeing initiatives.

Imperial Brands is committed to inclusiveness and creating a work environment where differences are expected, accepted, and valued—and people feel like they belong. As part of this, there are four employee resource groups focused on Gender, Disability, LGBTQ+, and Ethnicity which any employee can join.

If you’re a person with a disability or have a condition that you believe may affect your performance during our selection process, we’ll by happy to make reasonable adjustments for you.

Next Steps

Interested applicants are encouraged to apply, highlighting their suitability for the above post.