R&D Head of Advanced Research

Welcome to Haleon. We’re a purpose-driven, world-class consumer company putting everyday health in the hands of millions. In just three years since our launch, we’ve grown, evolved and are now entering an exciting new chapter – one filled with bold ambitions and enormous opportunity.
Our trusted portfolio of brands – including Sensodyne, Panadol, Advil, Voltaren, Theraflu, Otrivin, and Centrum – lead in resilient and growing categories. What sets us apart is our unique blend of deep human understanding and trusted science.
Now it’s time to fully realise the full potential of our business and our people. We do this through our Win as One strategy. It puts our purpose – to deliver better everyday health with humanity – at the heart of everything we do. It unites us, inspires us, and challenges us to be better every day, driven by our agile, performance-focused culture.
** About the Role
** We are seeking a
** R&D*
* ** Head of Advanced Research
** to lead a central, enterprise‑level R&D capability acting as a
** Deep Technology Accelerator**. This role is responsible for identifying, prioritising, and scaling breakthrough technologies that fuel long‑term product superiority, category leadership, and competitive advantage.

Operating at the intersection of
** advanced science, consumer insight, external innovation, and emerging technologies**, the Head of Advanced Research will build future‑facing platforms and pipelines that redefine category standards and unlock sustainable growth. The role partners closely with senior enterprise leaders and represents the organisation externally across the global innovation ecosystem.

The core mission is to
** break traditional trade‑offs**—such as sustainability versus performance—by systematically developing innovations that sit at the intersection of unmet consumer needs and science opportunities. Success is measured by the
** speed, quality, and impact of breakthrough technologies brought to market**, and by the role’s influence on enterprise‑wide transformation.
** Responsibilities
* *** Build a breakthrough technology pipeline
** Create and deliver a multi‑year, high‑impact pipeline of advanced technology platforms that fuels global category innovation, supported by step‑changing patents, intellectual property, and proprietary inventions.
** External technology & partnership leadership
** Lead the identification, evaluation, and commercialisation of external technologies through licensing, joint development, acquisition, and strategic partnerships. Assess high‑value opportunities for potential and long‑term technology collaboration.
** Open innovation ecosystem development
** Establish a world‑class open innovation network spanning start‑ups, founders, CEOs, universities, suppliers, venture capital, and private equity. Build a strategic supplier Joint Value Creation (JVC) model and convene a scientific technology advisory board of leading global innovators.
** Advanced consumer research & analytics
** Lead advanced consumer research and analytics capabilities, leveraging AI and data platforms to unlock breakthrough trends, emerging Intellectual Property, benefits, forms, claims, and scientific communication that build external scientific credibility.
** Evidence generation & scientific rigour
** Create and scale high‑throughput screening and evidence‑generation capabilities that deliver defensible, claims‑ready science and demonstrable product superiority versus competition.
** Platform scaling & de‑risking
** Develop advanced technology platforms through iterative consumer and scientific evaluation loops, ensuring new concepts are pressure‑tested, de‑risked, and commercially viable before full‑scale development.
** Enterprise impact
** This role is a catalyst for enterprise innovation and growth, redefining category standards and shaping future‑proof competitive advantage. Working closely with the Chief R&D Officer, the Head of Advanced Research contributes directly to building a breakthrough pipeline representing a significant share of future global innovation growth.

This is a rare opportunity to
** shape the future of science‑led innovation at enterprise scale**,…