About this role
Job summary
Penrose Health is looking for a senior, hands-on generalist to build and lead our growth function
We have grown significantly over the last decade but historically, much of the work has been relationship-led and driven by senior leaders. We now want to build something more deliberate, sustainable and scalable and are looking for someone to lead that.
As our Strategic Growth Lead, you will help shape how Penrose grows - but you will also personally make it happen.
You will work across four main areas:
Growing patient lists across our existing practices Understanding and improving patient retention Building relationships with practices considering succession, merger or takeover Developing a proactive and credible approach to competitive bids
This is not simply a marketing role, although digital acquisition and campaigns may form part of it. It is also not a traditional strategy role where recommendations are handed to someone else to deliver. You will be expected to analyse the problem, recommend what we should do, secure agreement and then drive the work forward.
You will not inherit a large team, mature systems or a finished playbook. We are looking for someone who is excited by the opportunity to build the machinery while delivering results.
Main duties of the job
Developing Penroses growth strategy and translating it into practical prioritiesAnalysing patient registrations, losses and net growth across our practicesIdentifying and testing local, digital and community-based acquisition opportunitiesUnderstanding why patients leave and working with operational teams to address avoidable causesIdentifying practices where partners may be considering retirement or successionBuilding trusted relationships and progressing potential mergers or takeoversDeveloping clear criteria for which formal contract opportunities Penrose should pursueShaping bid strategy, coordinating contributions and improving submission qualityBuilding clear reporting, pipelines and operating rhythmsUsing AI and automation to increase the speed, quality and scale of the functions workTurning ideas into action and seeing projects through to a measurable outcome
About us
Penrose Health is on a mission to deliver outstanding healthcare to every patient we serve.
We care for 75,000+ people across 9 sites in South East London, supported by a team of 200+ clinicians and staff. Our model is built on permanent, diverse teams, strong governance, and a clear focus on continuity, quality, and access.
We work closely with NHS partners to deliver a full range of services from routine checks to complex, long-term care backed by robust systems and a culture of continuous improvement.
We're proud to hold a CQC "Good" rating and consistently receive strong feedback from patients.
Learn more at penrosehealth.co.uk.
Job description Job responsibilities
The Growth Strategy Manager will help to drive Penrose Health's growth strategy, enabling the organisation identify, evaluate, and deliver opportunities that will expand our reach and meet our growth goals.
This is a unique role that combines strategy, analytics, commercial thinking, relationship management, and hands-on delivery. You will work across both organic and inorganic growth initiatives, from improving patient retention and supporting practice growth to researching acquisition opportunities, supporting merger discussions, and identifying new service opportunities.
You'll be responsible for turning ideas into action. Whether analysing patient trends, identifying opportunities within existing practices, preparing business cases, developing growth plans, or coordinating partnership discussions, you'll play a key role in shaping the future direction of the organisation.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Degree-level education or equivalent professional experience.
A relevant qualification in business, strategy, marketing, analytics, project management or healthcare may be useful, but should not materially influence selection unless supported by strong practical evidence.
Behaviours Essential
Take ownership and create momentum Be comfortable with ambiguity Work with pace without sacrificing judgement Be commercially curious and outcome-focused Remain willing to work at a detailed level Be persistent without being overly sales-led Challenge constructively Communicate clearly and directly Be low-ego and collaborative Know when to act independently and when to escalate Be comfortable testing ideas and learning from failure Focus on sustainable value rather than visible activity
Background Essential
Strategy and operations in a startup or scale-up Commercial or growth roles in a multi-site organisation Founder's associate or chief-of-staff roles with genuine delivery ownership Healthcare strategy, growth or business development Former consultants who have moved into operating roles Partnerships or business-development roles with analytical responsibility Corporate development or expansion roles Commercial transformation roles Entrepreneurial NHS or primary care roles Other regulated or stakeholder-heavy sectors
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details Employer name Penrose Health
Address 9 Holyrood St
London
London
SE1 2EL
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.penrosehealth.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)