Accenture

Life Sciences R&D Strategy Manager

Accenture$87K — $253K *
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Minimum of 5 years in Life Sciences R&D at a top-tier strategy consulting firm or leading biopharma company.
  • Track record of leading measurable strategy work for biopharma clients.
  • Experience presenting strategic recommendations to C-suite and senior R&D stakeholders.
  • Strong grasp of AI and digital technologies in biopharma R&D.
  • Demonstrated ability to support business development and client relationship building.
  • Experience in team leadership and junior professional management.
  • Willingness to travel as necessary.

Responsibilities

  • Lead R&D strategy initiatives from inception to delivery, ensuring client impact.
  • Advise clients on key R&D transformation strategies and operational models.
  • Develop and present strategic recommendations and transformation roadmaps to senior stakeholders.
  • Oversee workstream lifecycle, ensuring quality and delivery excellence.
  • Cultivate and expand client relationships within biopharma R&D.
  • Collaborate with Accenture teams to enhance R&D engagement success.
  • Identify and shape new business opportunities in the Life Sciences R&D domain.
  • Contribute to thought leadership in R&D transformation and innovation.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
  • 401(k) plan with employer matching.
  • Bonus opportunities based on performance.
  • Generous paid time off and paid holidays.
  • Long-term disability coverage.
Full Job Description
About the role:

We are seeking a Manager or to play a critical role within our growing R&D strategy team to focus on R&D reinvention across the value chain: helping clients move beyond incremental improvement to AI-enabled transformation of how they discover, develop, and deliver medicines. This high-impact role sits at the intersection of biopharma R&D, digital innovation, and enterprise transformation - advising R&D leaders at the world's leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies.

You will own end-to-end strategy workstreams and engagements, engage with clients across R&D functions, support business development, and contribute to practice growth through thought leadership and capability building.

The Work (Role Responsibility)
  • Lead complex R&D strategy workstreams and small engagements from problem framing through delivery, ensuring measurable client impact.
  • Advise clients on R&D transformation priorities including strategy, pipeline portfolio management, scientific data and AI integration, R&D operational excellence, R&D operating model, etc.
  • Develop and present strategic recommendations, transformation roadmaps, and reinvention narratives to Heads of R&D functions, and other senior stakeholders.
  • Serve as a guiding presence throughout the workstream lifecycle - shaping critical deliverables, driving quality assurance, and ensuring delivery excellence.
  • Buildand grow client relationships across biopharma R&D functions.
  • Partner with the broader Accenture team to bring the tailored expertise needed for an individual R&D engagement in support of our clients (e.g., Data & AI, Technology Strategy & Advisory, Talent & Organization)
  • Support originate and shape new opportunities, support proposals and commercial pursuits, and contribute to Accenture's pipeline growth in the Life Sciences R&D space.
  • Identify adjacent opportunities and expand existing client relationships across the R&D value chain.
  • Contribute to thought leadership on R&D transformation and scientific innovation - supporting the development of assets that establish Accenture's differentiated perspective in the market.
  • Support the build of reusable offerings, frameworks, and assets that accelerate future client engagements.
  • Mentor and develop junior colleagues; actively contribute to performance management and recruiting.
  • Partner with Accenture's global industry leads, capability leads, and cross-functional teams to evolve the R&D Strategy practice and go-to-market strategy.


Here's What You Need (Basic Qualifications)

Candidates must have at least 5 years of combined experience in the following areas:
  • Deep expertise in Life Sciences R&D with experience at a top-tier strategy consulting firm or a leading biopharma company in an R&D strategy or transformation function.
  • A proven track record leading strategy work with measurable outcomes for biopharma clients.
  • Experience supporting the development of strategic recommendations and transformation roadmaps to C-suite, SVP, and VP-level R&D stakeholders.
  • Strong understanding of how AI, data, digital technologies, and scientific informatics are reshaping biopharma R&D - and the ability to translate that understanding into client strategy.
  • Demonstrated success in supporting business development: identifying opportunities, shaping solutions, and building client relationships.
  • Experience teams and managing junior professionals.
  • Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally as client and business needs require.


Bachelor's Degree

Bonus Points (Preferred Skills)
  • MBA, advanced scientific degree (PhD, PharmD, MD), or equivalent combination of education and experience in a relevant discipline.
  • Experience building a new strategy offering, or capability from the ground up.
  • Track record supporting the development of thought leadership - whitepapers, conference presentations, or published perspectives - in the life sciences or R&D space.
  • Experience operating across multiple biopharma sub-sectors (large pharma, emerging biotech, CROs, or medtech) and geographies


Compensation at Accenture varies depending on a wide array of factors, which may include but are not limited to the specific office location, role, skill set, and level of experience. As required by local law, Accenture provides a reasonable range of compensation for roles that may be hired as set forth below.
We anticipate this job posting will be posted until 09/19/2026.

Accenture offers a market competitive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability coverage, a 401(k) plan, bonus opportunities, paid holidays, and paid time off. See more information on our benefits here:

U.S. Employee Benefits | Accenture

Role Location Annual Salary Range
California $87,400 to $253,000
Cleveland $87,400 to $253,000
Colorado $87,400 to $253,000
District of Columbia $87,400 to $253,000
Illinois $87,400 to $253,000
Maine $87,400 to $253,000
Maryland $87,400 to $253,000
Massachusetts $87,400 to $253,000
Minnesota $87,400 to $253,000
New York $87,400 to $253,000
New Jersey $87,400 to $253,000
Virginia $87,400 to $253,000
Washington $87,400 to $253,000

About Accenture

Accenture plc is a multinational professional services company that provides services in strategy, consulting, digital, technology, and operations. The company has more than 537,000 employees serving clients in more than 120 countries. Accenture operates across five business segments: Communications, Media & Technology; Financial Services; Health & Public Service; Products; and Resources. The company is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, and has offices worldwide.
Learn more about Accenture
Size
624,000 employees
Market Cap
$173.8 billion
Industry
Net Income
$5.2 billion
Founded
1989
5 Year Trend
+11.2%
Revenue
$44.7 billion
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