Early Development Leader (Oncology R & D)

For candidates seeking to be located at our Stevenage site, this role will temporarily be based at Stevenage. However, the Company plans to relocate its offices to Cambridge. The location of this role will therefore subsequently change to Cambridge in accordance with timelines to be set by the Company. The relocation is currently proposed to take effect by early 2029.

Business Introduction

At GSK, we have bold ambitions for patients, aiming to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade. Our R&D focuses on discovering and delivering vaccines and medicines, combining our understanding of the immune system with cutting-edge technology to transform people’s lives. GSK fosters a culture ambitious for patients, accountable for impact, and committed to doing the right thing, making sure that we focus our efforts on accelerating significant assets that meet patients’ needs and have the highest probability of success. We’re uniting science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together.
Find out more:
Our approach to R&D

Job Purpose

As the Early Development Leader (EDL), you will lead the early development of oncology medicines from candidate selection through proof of concept. As the single point of accountability for your asset, you will set a clear strategy, make evidence-based go/no-go decisions, and partner with teams across research, clinical development, medical, regulatory, and commercial functions. We value scientific curiosity, decisive leadership, strong collaboration, and an unwavering focus on patient impact. This role offers significant growth potential and visible influence across the pipeline.

Key Responsibilities

This role will provide you with the opportunity to lead high-impact activities including:

• Own the early development strategy and serve as the single point of accountability for one or more oncology assets, from candidate selection through proof of concept.
• Define and drive translational and clinical plans — including experimental medicine studies and biomarker strategies — that support robust go/no-go decisions.
• Identify key inflection points and make clear, evidence-based decisions to advance or stop programs.
• Lead cross-functional teams, building alignment across clinical, medical, regulatory, manufacturing, and commercial partners.
• Engage with external scientific, clinical, and regulatory communities to generate insights that sharpen development plans.
• Proactively identify regulatory and operational risks, putting mitigation plans in place to keep programs on track.

Team and Environment

You will join a collaborative, matrixed R&D environment that bridges discovery science and clinical development. Working alongside multidisciplinary colleagues and external partners, you will design and deliver robust early development programs. We encourage open scientific discussion and practical problem-solving that accelerates development while upholding the highest scientific standards.

Basic Qualifications

We're looking for professionals who bring:

• An advanced scientific or medical degree (MD, PhD, PharmD, or equivalent), or a relevant bachelor's degree paired with substantial oncology development experience.
• Proven experience in early-stage oncology drug development, including translational medicine and experimental medicine design.
• A demonstrated ability to translate preclinical data into actionable clinical development plans.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams in a matrix environment and driving decisions across diverse stakeholders.
• A track record of evidence-based go/no-go decision-making and defining clear development inflection points.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to present complex scientific plans clearly to both internal colleagues and external stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Three or more years leading oncology development programs, including experience preparing regulatory filings to initiate clinical testing.
• Experience with biomarker strategy development and clinical pharmacology considerations for first-in-human studies.
• A track record engaging external advisors, key opinion leaders, and patient communities.
• Experience in business development, due diligence, or partnership integration activities.
• Demonstrated skill in developing leaders and building high-performing teams
• Ability to apply late-stage development and commercial launch insight to early-stage strategy

#ESMO2026

PLEASE NOTE: This career opportunity offers hybrid working and requires an on-site office presence (minimum of two days a week) at one of GSK’s UK (Stevenage or London HQ); US (Collegeville, PA or Waltham, MA) sites.

Apply now
If you are ready to shape early development strategy and make a measurable difference for patients, we want to hear from you. Please submit your application and include a brief note about what motivates you to work in oncology early development.

Skills

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