Head of R&D China

Hello. We’re Haleon. A new world-leading consumer health company. Shaped by all who join us. Together, we’re improving everyday health for billions of people. By growing and innovating our global portfolio of category-leading brands – including Sensodyne, Panadol, Advil, Voltaren, Theraflu, Otrivin, and Centrum – through a unique combination of deep human understanding and trusted science. What’s more, we’re achieving it in a company that we’re in control of. In an environment that we’re co-creating. And a culture that’s uniquely ours. Care to join us. It isn’t a question.

This is an exciting time to join us and help shape the future. It’s an opportunity to be part of something special.

Reporting into the Chief R&D Officer, and working in partnership with the General Manager, China, and the China Leadership Team, the R&D Head China, will be responsible for leading a multi-disciplinary, multi-category R&D function of ~100 colleagues. This is a focused, multi-functional unit with a China-for-China remit, taking end-to-end responsibility for product innovation, research and development for the Greater China region.

The R&D Head China, will be the voice of R&D on the Chinese management board and will partner closely and effectively with the General Manager and commercial colleagues, bringing sound business as well as technical expertise and strong understanding of the Chinese consumer healthcare market and business environment, including managing external relationships and scientific and academic partnerships.

The role has international influence and impact, contributing to major global consumer healthcare brands. It is based at Haleon HQ in Shanghai, China.

Future career progression for the candidate who delivers success in this role could be lead one of our global categories or regions.

This role will provide YOU the opportunity to lead key activities to progress YOUR career, these responsibilities include some of the following…

• R&D partnership and delivery for China commercial business.

• Leadership of end-to-end R&D resources in China, including Innovation & Development and Product Maintenance.

• Head of a multi category, multi-disciplinary R&D function including innovation product development, project management, medical affairs, regulatory affairs, laboratory facilities, operations, formulation, analytics, scale up and stewardship.

• Line management of 100+ colleagues.

We're interested in the following capabilities ...

• Leadership – influence and collaborate cross-functionally to develop and deliver shared goals. Proven track record of engaging and inspiring teams, developing others, cross-matrix.

• Demonstrated commercial understanding and ability to engage and influence commercial partners.

• Strategic thinking, including setting and implementing a clear vision and direction, big picture enterprise thinking.

• Consumer, Customer and People focused/driven.

• Deep knowledge of local regulatory frameworks.

• Inspires others to make the connection between consumer obsession and trusted science to imagine and deliver consumer-preferred solutions.

• Creates new opportunities and competitive advantages and is committed to filling the development pipeline with competitively superior, innovative and marketable products.

• Proactively seeks and applies external thinking from competitors, agencies, contract research organizations, contract manufacturing organizations, and in so doing creates a winning mindset.

• Makes courageous and timely decisions.

• Manages ambiguity and resilience.

• Takes accountability, is results-orientated, entrepreneurial and self-motivated with the capability to define and evaluate.

• Takes and manages risks appropriately.

• Strong change leadership and able to challenge status quo to drive speed to market, effectiveness and efficiency.

• Committed to achieving business objectives while maintaining the ethical, regulatory and scientific standards.

• Ability to work in a culturally diverse and enterprising business environment and to build strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.

• Demonstrates excellent innovative and creative transformative thinking skills and proactive problem-solving.

• Committed to continuously learn.

Why you?

Basic Qualifications:

We are looking for professionals with these required skills to achieve our goals:

• Advanced science degree (MSc, PhD or equivalent) OR equivalent combination of education and experience, with consumer healthcare R&D as area of specialization.

• Doctorate preferred.

• 15+ years of Research, Development and Innovation Leadership Experience.

• Experience in the consumer healthcare, nutritional and/or OTC sector, or FMCG.

• Multi-functional and category experience advantageous.

• Experience working for a multi-national corporation.

• Strong internal and external networks across functions in technology, science and relevant management bodies, and uses them in service of the business.

• Significant scope and complexity of leadership experience – e.g. varying product categories and team size larger than 75 colleagues.

• Category experience in consumer healthcare e.g. Vitamins, Supplements & Minerals; Pain Relief, Respiratory; and/or relevant adjacencies.

• Recognizes & enables untapped opportunities emerging through the digital technology transformation, to deliver consumer health solutions “beyond the pill” including new business model & distribution channel opportunities.

• Advanced Science Degree – passionate about and excited by the Science.

• Multi-market experience advantageous.

• Established skills in understanding financials, budget management and business and process analysis;

• M&A / Business development experience.

• High proficiency in Mandarin and English.

Please save a copy of the Job Description, as this will not be available post closure of the advert.

When applying for this role, please use the ‘cover letter’ of the online application or your CV to describe how you meet the competencies for this role, as outlined in the job requirements above. The information that you have provided in your cover letter and CV will be used to assess your application.

Why Join Us?  

The future of everyday health is changing. And we’re the people changing it. In front of us is an incredible opportunity to go beyond what any of us have done before. And make everyday health more achievable, more inclusive and more sustainable. For more and more people. So, join us, as we build one of the world’s leading consumer healthcare companies. Join us to innovate our category-leading brands. To better understand people’s everyday health needs. To tackle the biggest barriers that stand in their way. To change individual and societal behaviour. Join us to work with colleagues who share your restless energy. To explore your interests. To stretch yourself to do the best work of your career. And join us, as together we build a working experience that encourages us all to lead happier, healthier, more productive lives. The way we see it, every day is an opportunity for better. And we’re going all in to realize it.

Care to join us. Find out what life at Haleon is really like www.haleon.com/careers/

At Haleon we embrace our diverse workforce by creating an inclusive environment that celebrates our unique perspectives, generates curiosity to create unmatched understanding of each other, and promotes fair and equitable outcomes for everyone. We're striving to create a climate where we celebrate our diversity in all forms by treating each other with respect, listening to different viewpoints, supporting our communities, and creating a workplace where your authentic self belongs and thrives. We believe in an agile working culture for all our roles. If flexibility is important to you, we encourage you to explore with our hiring team what the opportunities are.

As you apply, we will ask you to share some personal information, which is entirely voluntary. We want to have an opportunity to consider a diverse pool of qualified candidates and this information will assist us in meeting that objective and in understanding how well we are doing against our inclusion and diversity ambitions. We would really appreciate it if you could take a few moments to complete it. Rest assured, Hiring Managers do not have access to this information and we will treat your information confidentially.

Haleon is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, disability, genetic information, military service, covered/protected veteran status or any other federal, state or local protected class.

Important note to candidates:
 
The Haleon recruitment team will only contact you using a Haleon email account (@haleon.com). If you are not sure whether the email you received is from Haleon, please get in touch. 

Accommodation Requests

If you require a reasonable accommodation or other assistance to apply for a job at Haleon at any stage of the application process, please let your recruiter know by providing them with a description of specific accommodations you are requesting. We’ll provide all reasonable accommodations to support you throughout the recruitment process and treat all information you provide us in confidence.