Head of Alliances

Our science and innovation will increasingly be organised around a deliberately small portfolio of Transformational Resilience Goals (TRGs): clear, ambitious national objectives that no single organisation could achieve alone. Each Goal brings together an alliance around a committed problem-owner, combines research, engineering and policy expertise, and succeeds when the capability created is adopted in the operational setting—not simply when research outputs are produced. Strategic alliances are therefore fundamental to how the Institute identifies the right challenges, mobilises talent and resources, creates routes to deployment and hands successful capabilities to those who will sustain them.

The Alan Turing Institute is seeking an experienced partnerships leader to build high-value alliances, generate sustainable revenue and lead a high-performing team at the heart of the UK’s national institute for data science and artificial intelligence.

ROLE PURPOSE
As Head of Alliances, you will lead the development of ambitious, multi-year relationships with organisations across government, industry, academia, technology and the third sector.

You will be accountable for creating and converting a strong pipeline of alliance opportunities, securing substantial financial and non-financial commitments, and building trusted relationships with senior partners. Working across the Institute, you will turn shared priorities into compelling propositions, investable programmes and alliances that deliver measurable impact.

Reporting to the Director of Partnerships, you will lead a team of five Partnership Development Leads and work closely with executive leaders, research and innovation teams, delivery colleagues and senior external stakeholders

HOW YOU WILL MAKE AN IMPACT

• Generate substantial and sustainable revenue by originating, developing and securing high-value, multi-year alliances.
• Build and manage a qualified, forecastable pipeline, with clear income targets, priorities and routes to conversion.
• Develop compelling propositions and investment cases that secure financial and in-kind commitments from partners.
• Build trusted relationships with senior executives, funders, sponsors, researchers, government and public-sector leaders.
• Lead complex negotiations, balancing commercial opportunity with contractual, financial, data, intellectual property and reputational risks.
• Provide strategic oversight of priority alliances, maintaining senior-level commitment and resolving issues as relationships develop.
• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing team, setting clear priorities, strengthening capability and creating a collaborative culture.
• Improve alliance development practices, including account planning, opportunity qualification, CRM discipline, pipeline forecasting and performance reporting.

ABOUT YOU
You will bring:

• A strong track record of generating significant revenue and securing substantial financial and in-kind commitments.
• Significant experience of building, negotiating and growing complex, high-value alliances or strategic partnerships.
• Excellent relationship management skills, with the credibility to influence and engage senior stakeholders across organisational boundaries.
• Strong commercial judgement and the ability to turn complex opportunities into clear, compelling and fundable propositions.
• Experience of leading and developing a successful partnerships, alliances or business development team.
• Confidence managing complex negotiations, governance arrangements and commercial or delivery risks.
• The ability to combine strategic thinking with a clear focus on delivery, income generation and measurable results.

Experience within AI, data science, research, technology, innovation or national resilience would be valuable, although we also welcome candidates from adjacent sectors with strongly transferable experience.

WHY JOIN US?
This is an opportunity to build a distinctive alliances function with national visibility and substantial autonomy. You will help translate world-class research into practical capabilities, while creating the partnerships and investment needed to strengthen the resilience of the UK’s critical systems.

Please see the Job Description for a full breakdown of the role and person specification

APPLICATION PROCEDURE
If you are interested in this opportunity, please click the apply button below. You will need to register on the applicant portal and complete the application form including your CV and covering letter. If you have questions about the role or would like to apply using a different format, please contact us at [email protected].

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
This full-time post is offered on a permanent basis. The annual salary is £82,500 plus excellent benefits, including flexible working and family friendly policies, Employee-only benefits guide | The Alan Turing Institute

The Alan Turing Institute is based at the British Library, in the heart of London’s Knowledge Quarter. We expect staff to come to our office at least 4 days per month. Some roles may require more days in the office; the hiring manager will be able to confirm this during the interview.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
We value diversity of background, experience, and perspective, and are proud to be an inclusive employer. We warmly encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from groups currently under-represented in our sector. If you feel passionate about this role but don’t meet every single requirement, please apply – we recognise that great candidates may bring strengths beyond the criteria listed. 

We are committed to making sure our recruitment process is accessible and inclusive. This includes making reasonable adjustments for candidates who have a disability or long-term condition. Please contact us at [email protected] to advise us how we can assist you. 

Please note all offers of employment are subject to obtaining and retaining the right to work in the UK and satisfactory pre-employment security screening which includes a DBS Check. Full details on the pre-employment screening process can be requested from [email protected]

Named in honour of Alan Turing, the Institute is a place for inspiring, exciting work and we need passionate, sharp, and innovative people who want to use their skills to contribute to our mission to make great leaps in data science and AI research to change the world for the better.

Please find more information about us here.