Mantell Associates is partnered with a fast-growing B2B pharmaceutical company specialising in small-molecule finished dosage forms, who is seeking an energetic and analytically strong Head of Planning & Commercial Excellence to elevate its strategic planning, commercial performance, and decision-making capabilities.
This is a key hire and offers a clear development path into senior leadership positions across Sales, Marketing, or broader Commercial functions. This opportunity is ideal for a down-to-earth, dynamic leader with a blend of planning, marketing, commercial operations, and quantitative analysis experience, as well as exposure to international transformation initiatives.
Head of Planning & Commercial Excellence - Responsibilities:
- Lead the annual strategic planning and forecasting cycles, ensuring alignment across Commercial, Finance, Marketing, and Senior Leadership
- Drive commercial excellence initiatives, enhancing processes, KPIs, dashboards, and performance tracking across all business units
- Oversee budgeting, scenario modelling, and advanced financial/quantitative analysis to support high-quality decision-making
- Review, challenge, and refine business cases, investment proposals, and in-licensing opportunities with analytical depth and strategic insight
- Partner closely with Sales, Marketing, and Finance to shape brand planning, market assessments, and commercial strategy
- Mentor and develop a small but growing team (currently 1 direct report), with scope to expand as the function scales
- Build and maintain strong senior-level relationships internally and externally, acting as a trusted advisor across the organisation
- Support transformation initiatives across international markets, improving commercial structure, operational efficiency, and analytical rigor
Head of Planning & Commercial Excellence - Requirements:
- 6-10+ years’ experience in commercial excellence, strategic planning, business operations, commercial finance, or marketing operations within the pharmaceutical industry
- Background in small-molecule FDF or broader B2B pharma strongly preferred
- Strong analytical skill set with demonstrated experience in financial modelling, forecasting, KPI development, and scenario evaluation
- Experience reviewing and challenging business cases, investment proposals, and cross-functional commercial strategies
- Proven ability to work across multifunctional teams, influence senior stakeholders, and communicate complex insights in a clear, actionable way
- Experience in organisational or commercial transformation within international environments
- Leadership experience, ideally managing and developing small teams with potential for expansion
- Energetic, collaborative, pragmatic, and comfortable operating in a fast-moving commercial environment
- Based in Spain (or willing to relocate) with eligibility to work and operate in a hybrid capacity
Mantell Associates is a specialist Pharmaceutical and Life Science headhunting firm. For more information on this opportunity, contact us at +44 (0)20 3854 7700.