Cambridge Design Partnership is an employee-owned product and innovation consultancy operating internationally with offices in the UK (Cambridge) and US (North Carolina). Our scientists, engineers, designers and commercial teams work together to solve complex problems for leading businesses across Healthcare and Life Science markets.
We are seeking an experienced Key Account Manager to manage and grow our strategic Healthcare and Life Sciences client accounts across the UK and Europe. You will engage client companies that require an external engineering partner to accelerate new product development from concept through commercialization.
The work we do for clients includes the development of new products, technical innovation, and engineering consulting. Our clients are market leaders across Healthcare and Life Sciences.
This is a senior role, responsible for the commercial growth, strategic development and long-term value of key accounts. You will direct the account strategy, and act as trusted partner to your clients, understanding their challenges and connecting them with CDP's technical expertise. The role demands a proactive, growth mindset with a focus on long-term client partnership over transactional sales.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
- Identify and progress qualified opportunities for new project activity, working with CDP's technical teams to develop proposals and secure business.
- Expand relationships up and across the client organisations to reduce single-thread risk
- Develop and maintain structured stakeholder maps and engagement plans across technical, operational, procurement and executive stakeholders
- Actively contribute to the evolution of CDP’s markets and service strategy by translating account management insight into actionable recommendations
- Share learning and best practice across accounts to raise overall performance
Requirements
To succeed in this role, you will be able to demonstrate:
- Degree-level education, or equivalent in relevant subject such as Mechanical Engineering, Physics or Natural Sciences.
- Experience selling engineering, technical consulting, product development or innovation services.
- Strong knowledge of the Healthcare and/or Life Sciences markets.
- Ability to develop strategic client relationships and engage confidently with senior technical and commercial stakeholders.
- Ability to understand complex technical challenges and work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to develop new opportunities.
- Strong commercial understanding, including pricing, negotiations, pipeline management and forecasting.
- Willingness to travel across the UK and Europe.
Benefits
Cambridge Design Partnership (CDP) is an end-to-end innovation partner, propelling global brands and ambitious start-ups to success. We build breakthrough products and services – from insight to ideas, prototypes to production – bringing innovation to life. Our teams are multi-disciplinary, uniting scientific rigor, design ingenuity, and engineering excellence for consumer and healthcare clients. People-centred, deeply collaborative, and – above all – expert, we’re uniquely positioned to shape the future for consumers, patients, and industry. Even our ownership model is innovative: We’re 100% owned by our employees, ensuring an open culture and a total commitment to our projects’ success. As part of our benefits package, we offer:
- flexible working
- a discretionary bonus
- excellent learning and development opportunities
- a 12% non-contributory pension
- private healthcare
- electric vehicle lease salary sacrifice scheme
- share incentive plan
- 33 days holiday inclusive of bank holidays