Executive Director of Innovation and Commercial Partnerships

Health Innovation South West is at a defining moment. Our coastal and rural region faces some of the most complex health challenges in the country, including long travel times to care, an ageing population and deep-rooted health inequalities. These challenges create powerful opportunities for health innovation to deliver real impact for the people of the South West and drive economic growth.

With strong backing from government through the NHS 10-Year Health Plan and the Life Sciences Sector Plan, we are working in partnership with the NHS, industry, academia and communities to realise this opportunity. Working as part of a national network of place-based health innovation organisation, we are ambitious about what we can achieve next: establishing the region as a national leader in rural and coastal health innovation.

As Executive Director of Innovation and Commercial Partnerships, you will be at the heart of that ambition. A member of the Executive Team, reporting to the Chief Executive, you will lead our innovation directorate and set the commercial direction for the organisation. This is the front door for hundreds of innovators, from fast-growing start-ups to global life sciences companies. You will lead the team which identifies high promise innovations, tests and evaluates innovation in the real-world settings with NHS partners and prepares innovative solutions for implementation at scale. You will build high-impact partnerships between industry and the NHS, lead collaboration with universities and local authorities, and shape how innovation delivers measurable health and economic benefits across the South West and beyond.

We are looking for a bold, commercially minded leader with a strong track record in life sciences, management consultancy or equivalent. You will bring credibility in NHS and industry partnerships, a history of delivering growth, and the confidence to operate at Board and system level. Strategic, opportunity-driven and highly collaborative, you will lead with energy, pace and integrity in motivating teams, building powerful partnerships and staying relentlessly focused on impact. Above all, you will be driven by the chance to shape the future of health innovation and make a lasting difference to the lives of people across the South West.

Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to Health Innovation South West on this appointment. For further information about the role, including details about how to apply, please visit using reference ABXNA. Alternatively, email . Applications should be received by midday on Monday 19 January 2026.