Position Details

Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer
Contract: Permanent
Location: Wellcome Genome Campus & Euston, London
Salary: £170,000 – £200,000 (+15% PRP)
Working Pattern: Hybrid – 2 days per week at the Wellcome Genome Campus, 2 days in Euston, and 1 day remote.

About the Health Data Research Service (HDRS)

The Health Data Research Service (HDRS) will enable approved researchers to access UK health data safely and securely, helping accelerate discoveries that lead to better treatments and improved patient outcomes.

Patients across the UK are waiting longer than necessary for medical innovations and potentially life-changing treatments. HDRS has been established to change this.

In 2025, the UK Government and the Wellcome Trust agreed to invest up to £600 million to create HDRS and transform access to NHS data through a secure, single access point for approved researchers.

Operating across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, HDRS will:

• Enable earlier diagnosis of disease

• Accelerate the development of more effective treatments

• Integrate data from hospitals, GP records and other healthcare sources

• Increase access to clinical trials

• Position the UK as a global leader in health data research and life sciences

HDRS is being established as a government-owned company, allowing it to operate independently from central government while remaining publicly owned and fully accountable.

Main Purpose of the Role

The Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) is responsible for developing and delivering the commercial strategy for the Health Data Research Service.

The successful candidate will ensure HDRS creates strategic partnerships and commercial services that generate measurable value for:

• Citizens

• The NHS

• HDRS

• The wider UK economy

The CCO will lead and coordinate the HDRS ecosystem to deliver ambitious programmes that:

• Improve patient outcomes

• Accelerate health and biomedical research

• Strengthen national health data capabilities

Key Partners

The role will work closely with:

• NHS organisations

• Major research funders and charities

• Data custodians and strategic alliances

• Life sciences and biotechnology companies

• Technology partners

• Academic centres of excellence

Key Accountabilities

The Chief Commercial Officer will:

• Develop the HDRS commercial strategy alongside the Executive Leadership Team.

• Define the long-term commercial vision and partnership model for HDRS.

• Create partnerships that deliver measurable value to patients, the NHS and the UK economy.

• Produce market intelligence, competitive analysis and strategic recommendations.

• Provide leadership across UK and international health data initiatives.

• Build sustainable partnerships across organisations, sectors and cultures.

• Champion customer needs across the UK health data ecosystem.

• Serve as a visible member of the Executive Leadership Team, contributing to organisational strategy and leadership.

Experience

Essential

• Proven commercial leadership experience as a Chief Commercial Officer (or equivalent senior executive), ideally within healthcare or large-scale data organisations.

• Experience operating within complex, highly regulated, multi-stakeholder environments.

• Demonstrated success using complex healthcare data to improve patient outcomes, accelerate biomedical research and strengthen national health data capability.

• Active membership of relevant health data or health informatics professional organisations.

Desirable

• Experience within:

  • National health or research data organisations

  • Genomics or precision medicine platforms

  • Public sector digital transformation programmes

• Experience building and leading commercial teams from an early or founding stage.

• Strong understanding of:

  • NHS data governance

  • Information governance

  • Public sector accountability frameworks

Skills & Capabilities

Commercial Focus

• Develop mutually beneficial commercial partnerships.

• Create innovative commercial models that deliver revenue and impact.

• Build long-term commercial strategies aligned to HDRS's mission.

• Balance sustainable relationships with commercial objectives.

• Lead complex negotiations involving the NHS, industry, technology organisations, academia and charities.

Relationship Management

• Build trusted, long-term stakeholder relationships.

• Strengthen collaboration across the wider health data ecosystem.

• Work effectively across multiple organisations and institutions.

• Align programmes to stakeholder and customer needs.

• Support HDRS's long-term strategic growth.

• Manage conflict openly and constructively.

Communication

• Communicate a compelling vision and strategic roadmap.

• Explain complex scientific and medical concepts clearly.

• Use multiple communication channels to maximise engagement.

• Communicate proactively during periods of change.

Innovation & Impact

• Drive continuous improvement using data, customer feedback and performance metrics.

• Prioritise long-term organisational improvement.

• Apply external insights to encourage innovation.

Customer Service

• Use KPIs to maintain high-quality service delivery.

• Introduce best practices from other sectors.

• Promote HDRS externally to strengthen its reputation and influence.

Industry Knowledge

• Apply deep knowledge of:

  • NHS systems

  • Health data ecosystems

  • Biomedical research

• Represent HDRS through publications, presentations and thought leadership.

• Build HDRS's reputation as a recognised sector leader.

People & Team Leadership

• Set clear objectives and develop high-performing teams.

• Foster an inclusive and collaborative culture.

• Manage performance proactively and recognise achievement.

• Identify and develop future leaders.

• Ensure strong governance, compliance and budget management.

• Demonstrate HDRS leadership values and behaviours.

• Coach and support individuals and teams.

• Adapt leadership style to different people and situations.

Education & Qualifications

• Degree in a relevant discipline.

Personal Specification

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• An open-minded, flexible approach with broad strategic vision.

• Personal accountability and the ability to hold others appropriately accountable.

• Confidence in managing conflict and making difficult decisions.

• A genuine commitment to contributing to the successful delivery of HDRS's strategy.

How to Apply

Please email your CV application to hq@thersagroup.com

Applications should be submitted no later than 23:59 on 21 August 2026.

Please note that HDRS reserves the right to close or extend the application period depending on application volumes.