Vacancysoft_CPL UK_Corporate Services

Corporate Services UK Life Sciences Labour Market Trends

INTRODUCTION

Corporate Services sit at the heart of the front line in the life science space as many of the functions determine the management of the business, be it Tech, Finance, HR, Sales & Marketing, Supply Chain, Procurement, Manufacturing and Legal. When you think of really stapling down key industry knowledge and a shift in market patterns, you evidently see companies realising the importance of modernizing their corporate services functions. From this, it becomes transparent on how we can accelerate growth through back-office transformation. Mass key trends shaping up the life sciences sector include increasing pricing pressures and the acceleration of AI to not only bridge gaps but to expedite drug discovery, cost

reduction and revenue uplift.

In the tech space alone, our market research has shown us that AI is starting to profoundly reshape organisations and markets. In terms of calculations, the future of life sciences will likely be shaped by tech-enabled connectivity. Real time life science leaders globally are always thinking of ways to be more efficient. Market analysis showed that 95% of UK Executives agree leveraging AI agent ecosystems will be a significant opportunity for their organisations in the next 3 years, whilst some leaders already have this in place. When you think of AI, for many this enables faster innovation and exceeds a lot of businesses expectations to accelerate a wider purpose not just profitable margins. For supply chains specifically, there is an increased focus. Many reasonings behind this involve the vulnerabilities exposed by Covid – which in turn has led to a renewed emphasis on optimising supply chains. When you consider vulnerabilities on a global scale, you can see Canada being a real-time market player and making heavy waves in terms of investment strategies to be better prepared for future pandemics. From a growing recognition perspective, it’s apparent how these core functions drive agility and productivity, capitalising on new opportunities throughout many businesses. For many companies in the life science sector, this transformation is crucial more than ever. Many organisations face unique challenges from navigating complex processes, to managing unpredictable situations and complying with regulations on a global scale. With mass impacts on a global scale, we have a seen dramatic shifts in the market. In the UK alone, these functions contracted in terms of vacancies in 2023, with a drop of 32.2%. However, 2024 has seen a turnaround, with vacancies increasing by 9.5% so far. Especially now, looking ahead, with venture capital and private equity activity increasing, the expectation is for the industry to continue to expand in size and employment. The Life Sciences sector in the UK experienced a decline in vacancies during the COVID-19 pandemic but has largely recovered in 2024. While some areas and professions within the Life Sciences sector continue to face challenges, other areas and roles are showing signs of recovery and growth opportunities.

Charlie Lachacz - Director | Cpl UK

CONTENTS

Overview Skills in Demand (UK) Skills in Demand (EU) Top Companies About Cpl Life Sciences | Vacancysoft

Page 03 Page 04 Page 05 Page 06 Page 07

Overview With Europe facing a series of summer elections, it is probably the UK that is the one to watch. The Labour Party has expressly stated their intention to look to improve trade relations with the EU assuming they win power, and whilst they have not outlined exactly what that means, the impact of Brexit has been a dampener on the sector overall in the UK, so any change to this would be welcome. Similarly, the hope would be that as the MHRA becomes better resourced, this also manifests into greater activity. Corporate Services sit at the heart of all this, as the functions determine the management of the business, be it finance, HR, sales & marketing, or legal. In the UK, these functions contracted in terms of vacancies in 2023, with a drop of 32.2%. However, 2024 has seen a turnaround, with vacancies increasing by 9.5% so far. The year started positively for both the UK and the EU, with vacancies rising by 31.1% in the UK and 17.9% in the EU from Q4 2023 to Q1 2024. In the EU, the situation is slightly different. The EU has a higher number of vacancies compared to the UK, with 24,396 vacancies in the EU versus 4,471 in the UK. This translates to market shares of 84.5% for the EU and 15.5% for the UK. Furthermore, the EU has witnessed the highest increase in 2024, with a rise of 14.6%. The monthly average increase in vacancies in the EU stands at 14.6%, while in the UK, it is 9.5%. With that, the hope would be that the lull in activity seen in 2023 constitutes the low point over the period. Especially now, looking ahead, with venture capital and private equity activity increasing, the expectation is for the industry to continue to expand in size and employment.

Annual Totals

Professional Vacancies, Life Sciences, UK vs EU, 2019-24 *Est

8,000

30,000

6,000

20,000

4,000

10,000

2,000

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024*

Fig. 01 Source: Vacancysoft Analytics

Professional Vacancies, Life Sciences, UK vs EU, 2022-24 *Est Quarterly Totals

10,000

7,500

5,000

2,500

2024*- Estimation

Source: Vacancysoft Analytics

Fig. 02

Skills in Demand (UK)

Skills in Demand by Profession, Professional Vacancies, Life Sciences, UK, 2022-24 *Est

Regional Breakdown Professional Vacancies, Life Sciences, UK, 2022-24 *Est

Sales

South

Marketer / PR

Greater London

Procurement / Supply Chain

North

Accountant

Scotland

HR Professional

Midlands

Executive Management

Northern Ireland

Lawyer

Wales

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

1,000

2,000

3,000

2023

2024*

2022

Source: Vacancysoft Analytics

2024*- Estimation

Fig. 03

Fig. 04

Clinical R&D Medical Aairs & Medical Information Health Economics Outcomes Epidemiology

The Life Sciences sector in the UK experienced a decline in vacancies during the COVID-19 pandemic but has largely recovered by 2024. Between 2022 and 2023, vacancies for all top seven professional functions continued to trend downward from the previous year. However, in 2024, only the Executive Management profession saw a decline in vacancies, dropping by 44.8% year-to-date after a previous decrease of 51.8%. Among the professions with increased vacancies in 2024, the Sales profession stands out, maintaining the highest number of vacancies at 1,411, a 19.2% increase year-to-date after a 25.9% decline the previous year. Sales professions have shown the fastest growth in both vacancies and market share, with increases from 29.0% to 31.6%. Regional data for the UK reflects a similar trend. Most regions saw declines in 2022 and 2023 before rebounding in 2024. Greater London, which experienced a 26.0% decline in vacancies in 2023, Regulatory Aairs Quality Assurance Management Others

reversed this trend with a 17.6% increase year- to-date in 2024, maintaining its position as the region with the highest vacancies. Notably, South West England and Yorkshire & the Humber regions had significant declines in 2023 (34.6% and 50.4% respectively) but have since increased by 52.1% (Yorkshire) and 53.3% year-to-date. Several regions require close monitoring in 2024, including North East England, which has seen an 11.6% decline, Wales with a 21.9% decrease, and particularly East Midlands, which has experienced the largest decline so far at 30.0%. While some areas and professions within the Life Sciences sector continue to face challenges, other areas and roles are showing signs of recovery and growth opportunities. The question now is, with the upcoming UK elections and the results of the EU election already calculated, what will the impact be?

Skills in Demand (EU)

Skills in Demand by Profession, Professional Vacancies, Life Sciences, EU, 2022-24 *Est

Regional Breakdown Professional Vacancies, Life Sciences, EU, 2022-24 *Est

Sales

Île-de-France

Procurement / Supply Chain

Mazowieckie

Marketer / PR

Bavaria

Accountant

Hovedstaden

HR Professional

Budapest főváros

Executive Management

Baden-Württemberg

Lawyer

Nordrhein-Westfalen

2,500

5,000

7,500

10,000

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2023

2024*

2022

Source: Vacancysoft Analytics

2024*- Estimation

Fig. 07

Fig. 08

Clinical R&D Medical Aairs & Medical Information Health Economics Outcomes Epidemiology

The Life Sciences sector in the EU has mirrored trends observed in the UK. The Executive Management profession saw the most significant decline in vacancies in 2024, dropping by 36.8% after a 27.5% decrease in 2023. Notably, the Legal function also faced a reduction, with vacancies down by 12.3% year-to-date. In both the UK and the EU, Sales remains the profession with the highest vacancies. Despite a 17.3% decline in 2023, Sales vacancies in the EU increased by 23.6% in 2024, reaching 8,453. Conversely, the Accountant profession experienced the most substantial growth in vacancies in the EU, rising by 30.6%. Regional data from the EU highlights a similar recovery pattern. All regions mentioned in the top 10 report experienced declines in vacancies in 2023, with Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia recording the largest drops at 26.0%. However, Regulatory Aairs Quality Assurance Management Others

in 2024, most regions reversed this trend. The exceptions were Mazowieckie in Poland and Hessen in Germany, which continued to see decreases of 2.4% and 3.3%, respectively, year-to-date. On a positive note, Dublin, Ireland, showed the largest increase in vacancies, up by 34.2% year-to- date after a 22.4% decline the previous year. Île-de- France remains the region with the highest number of vacancies at 1,646, a 10.1% increase in 2024. The Irish have made a point of making themselves attractive to direct foreign investment, through a combination of tax breaks and more liberal employment law. As a result, Dublin has the highest ratio of employment from multinationals out of any capital in Europe. Hence the increase in jobs in the city is a positive sign of major corporations scaling up their recruitment into the region.

Top Companies

Top 10 Comoanies

When examining both UK and EU data on the top 10 companies within the Life Sciences sector, GSK stands out for its continued decline. In the UK, GSK is one of only three companies in the top 10 to see a decrease in vacancies in 2024, with a 13.2% drop in 2023 and a further 20.5% year-to-date. This trend is mirrored in the EU, where GSK experienced an 18.0% decline, making it one of just two companies to continue trending downwards. In contrast, Syneos Health in the UK reversed its previous decline, transforming a 22.8% drop in 2023 into a 96.2% increase year-to- date, securing its position at the top of the UK list with peak vacancies of 451. In the EU, AstraZeneca leads with a 41.4% increase in 2023 and a further 2.4% year-to-date. Other notable companies in the UK that have managed to increase vacancies in 2024 include Ipsen, with an 86.7% rise, and Cytiva, which recorded the largest increase at 140.0%. Within the EU, Eurofins remains the leading CRO in terms of recruitment activity, with 614 vacancies so far this year, which if recruitment continues at this pace, will be an increase of 17.9% on last year. Meanwhile, GSK has had the sharpest decline out of the top ten, with vacancies falling by 18% so far this year. Could this slowdown in activity be linked to the transaction between themselves and Novartis, to sell their oncology products whilst buying their vaccines division? Finally, looking towards the UK elections, it raises questions about the potential impact on trade and economic policies. Could the Windsor Framework be enhanced as a result of a Labour Government, to result in more frictionless trade? For companies in the sector, they will hope this to be the case.

Professional Vacancies, Life Sciences, UK, 2022-24 *Est

Organization

YoY%

2023 2024*

Sector

96.2%

Syneos Health

230

CRO

451

2.5%

AstraZeneca

323

Pharma

331

-20.5%

GSK

317

Pharma

252

-12.3%

IQVIA

219

CRO

192

56.0%

Johnson & Johnson

Pharma

125

62.3%

Merck

Pharma

115

-14.3%

Abbott

126

Pharma

108

86.7%

Ipsen

Pharma

101

140.0%

Cytiva

Biotech

0.0%

Almac

CRO

Top 10 Companies

by Profession, Professional Vacancies, Life Sciences, EU, 2022-24 *Est

Organization

YoY%

Sector

2023 2024*

AstraZeneca

2.4%

Pharma

1476

1512

Eurofins

1192.6%

CRO

1250

1474

Novo Nordisk

4.8%

Pharma

1248

1308

Syneos Health

12.3%

CRO

906

1018

IQVIA

8.7%

CRO

850

924

Johnson & Johnson

148.0%

Pharma

950

821

Merck

25.3%

Pharma

634

794

Roche

-5.2%

Pharma

737

698

Abbott

16.3%

Pharma

545

634

GSK

-18.0%

Pharma

679

557

Source: Vacancysoft Analytics

Fig. 07

2024* - Estimation

Cpl Life Sciences have an international presence, recruiting across Europe, supplying Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology and Clinical Services industries with the talent they require for success.

With excellent local knowledge of markets across the UK, Switzerland, and the USA, you can trust us to help with all your life science recruitment. From big pharma to medtech and small biotech start ups, we can deliver the total talent solutions you need.

Our team of sector specialist consultants have a deep understanding of all life sciences functions. We provide talent and staffing solutions across a range of pharmaceutical disciplines including: clinical, pharmacovigilance, regulatory affairs, commercial, medical communications, engineering and corporate services.

What we do: Our Service Capabilities across all European Countries include: ∙ Contingency permanent recruitment ∙ Contract recruitment – freelance and PAYE via Cpl UK

∙ Search and selection permanent recruitment ∙ Specialist ‘project-based’ interims via Cpl UK ∙ FSP outsourced teams across Europe ∙ European Salary Survey to determine the salary and benefits for each sector of the UK Life Science industry. For more information or to speak to one of our team please contact us on +44118 959 4990 or email UK@CPL.COM UK Office The BrickWorks, 35 – 43 Greyfriars Road, Reading, RG1 1NPt

Vacancysoft is the UK’s leading provider of labour market data and analytics. We provide high-grade lead generation, client intelligence and market analysis solutions for Britain’s top recruitment industry firms and others.

Vacancysoft’s products helps firms to optimise their businesses. Established in 2006, we have thousands of clients worldwide, ranging from FTSE-listed businesses to industry specialists.

How we gather data The data contained within this report is gathered solely and specifically from the career centres of company websites, not job boards.

Before publication, job postings are de-duplicated and verified as unique. Every vacancy is assigned up to 20 data points through Vacancysoft’s proprietary algorithm, which is double-checked for validity by a data quality control team.

The data showcased here is available within the Vacancy Analytics platform, where users can create and customise their own reports. To find out more please contact a member of the team or email support@vacancysoft.com.

Vicarage House, 58-60 Kensington Church St, London, W8 4DB Tel: +44 (0) 20 7193 6850

About Vacancysoft Data Every day Vacancysoft monitors careers centres on thousands of company websites, and gathers links where there is change. These links are then categorised automatically, and in the case of relevant content, by Vacancysoft staff.

vacancysoft.com

cpllifesciences.com

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8

Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker