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Topic : News and Press Type : Briefing

About ABHI

ABHI is the UK’s leading industry association for health technology (HealthTech).

ABHI supports the HealthTech community to save and enhance lives. Members, including both multinationals and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), supply products from syringes and wound dressings to surgical robots, diagnostics and digitally enhanced technologies. We represent the industry to stakeholders, such as the government, NHS and regulators. HealthTech plays a key role in supporting delivery of healthcare and is a significant contributor to the UK’s economic growth. HealthTech is the largest employer in the broader Life Sciences sector, employing 154,000 people in 4,465 companies, with a combined turnover of £34.3bn. The industry has enjoyed growth of around 5% in recent years. ABHI’s 400 members account for approximately 80% of the sector by value.

We create a positive environment that encourages growth within our vibrant SME community and help HealthTech companies to connect with new customers around the world. Our international team has a well-established accelerator programme in the US, which is designed and tailored to specifically enable medical device, diagnostic and digital health companies flourish using the knowledge, advice, insights and network available through ABHI. We also host UK Pavilions at some of the world’s largest health shows.

The Role

An exciting opportunity now exists for an International Business Development Director to join our small team to drive the international businesses’ commercial success and expansion and in turn help to expand international trade in HealthTech through the support of our international portfolio of services including trade missions and international events. 

You will work with the Managing Director of International to help us grow our existing US programme, to support UK industry to enter and establish itself within key States. You will provide market access insights and support for customers in key markets. You will also be key in helping us build new trade relations using your international network in new regions such as the Middle East and North Africa and look for other opportunities for revenue generation and the recruitment of innovative companies to join the programmes. 

Reporting to the Managing Director of International, you will work together to deliver existing programmes, run your own activities independently, explore the potential for new activities and step in to substitute for the MD when required. 

You will also assist the team with the end-to-end delivery of international events and trips including attending some of our flagship events such as Arab Health in Dubai, ensuring value in content and purpose and the development of our service offering.

You will manage other members of the international team, provide day to day management of external parties including contractors, exhibition partners, healthcare providers and other consultants for international trips and events and ensure correct resourcing levels. You will also have joint responsibility for the overall finances and balancing costs versus the available resources from sales in exhibitions and trade missions.

The Place of Work

This role is UK home based but it will be essential that you have the ability and flexibility to travel to UK airports for international travel as the role requires frequent foreign travel to lead trade missions in the US and other new territories as they open up, including scoping trips to build new programmes. It is anticipated that there will be approximately 6-8 trips per year of a 5-7 day duration.  

The Candidate

Skills, Experience and Person Specification: 

• Educated to degree level preferably gained within a science/health discipline.
• Solid experience of working in a commercial role within Life Sciences, trade and exports with possible experience of working on other accelerator programmes.
• Working knowledge of the UK HealthTech sector and good knowledge of the UK health system and health commissioning, ideally with some knowledge of international health systems and markets overseas.
• Must be commercially savvy, understand the trading environment and have experience of launching, developing and reshaping commercial ideas.
• Highly developed organisational, project and event management skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks.
• Must have confidence and gravitas with strong leadership capability to confidently own activities and build business critical relationships.
• An entrepreneurial mindset and a can-do attitude. Able to work self-sufficiently and roll up their sleeves to work across a range of activities at different levels.
• Some experience of managing and overseeing the work of other team members would be a distinct advantage.

Company Benefits:

In return you will receive a competitive salary, 25 days holiday plus 3 days off at Christmas, 6% employer pension contributions, private healthcare, health cash plan, monthly health and wellbeing allowance and monthly broadband allowance.

ABHI confirms its commitment to equality of opportunity in all areas of its work. All individuals will be treated in a fair and equal manner at any stage in the recruitment process on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, maternity, pregnancy, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. 

How to apply:

For job enquiries, or to apply, please write to ABHI’s HR Partners at hradmin@apodi.co.uk. Your application must include your CV, accompanied with a cover letter. In your cover letter you must set out the relevant experience you have and why you believe you are suitable for this role.

Key Dates:

• Closing date for applications – 13th May 2024
• First interviews will take place in the week of 20th May 2024
• Final interviews will take place 5th and 6th June 2024