Cathy Rowe
Salisbury,Wiltshire
Summary
Experienced professional specializing in risk management and project management, certified in PRINCE2. Proven ability to lead teams and develop strategic plans that enhance quality assurance across projects. Strong skills in stakeholder engagement facilitate effective communication and collaboration for successful outcomes. Focused on applying expertise to drive growth and excellence in upcoming initiatives.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
5
5
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Head of Vaccine Assays & Immune Response
UK Health Security Agency
Salisbury, Wiltshire
01.2023 - 07.2025
- Delivered key elements of UKHSA's scientific strategic plan, emphasising vaccines and therapeutics.
- Led commercial discussions with industry, academia, and government to foster collaboration.
- Cultivated strategic partnerships for vaccine development and 100 DM preparedness.
- Managed contracts to ensure adherence to timelines, budgets, and quality standards.
- Assessed new technologies, implementing automation to enhance capabilities across VDEP initiatives.
- Established screening methods for therapeutics at early discovery stages to support AMR and CEPI missions.
- Ensured compliance by collaborating with QA and Validation teams on testing standards.
- Secured commercial funding and developed networks for external funding opportunities to expand income base.
Operations Lead, Research & Development Institute
Public Health England
Salisbury, UK
10.2018 - 12.2022
- Implemented risk mitigation strategies to avert operational disruptions.
- Established operating models for effective matrix management of scientific leaders.
- Organised coaching, mentoring systems, and workforce succession plans.
- Established systems for oversight and governance of grant funding applications through to delivery of project, and preparation, review and approval of scentific papers and reports
- Translated senior management directives into actionable front-line policies and implemented changes with staff.
- Created detailed reports on operational performance, providing valuable insights for decision making.
- Led change management initiatives, resulting in smoother transitions during restructuring phases.
- Organised financial and operational data to help with yearly budgeting and planning.
- Implemented a scientific seminar schedule for internal and external speakers
- Represented organisation at seminars, conferences and business events.
General Project Manager
Health Protection Agency
Salisbury, UK
10.2010 - 10.2018
- Collaborated with researchers and manufacturers to develop services for vaccine assessment during early discovery.
- Lead a workforce of 30 staff to deliveer multiple projects annually.
- Successfully delivered on tasks within tight deadlines. Managed contracts to meet timelines, budgets, and standards.
- Maintained regulatory compliance by working with QA and Validation teams to enforce appropriate testing standards, with health and safety and security regulations.
- Secured commercial, research council, and built networks for external funding opportunities to increase income base.
- Secured capital funding for development of capability and expanded capacity.
Quality & Regulatory Manager
Health Protection Agency
Salisbury, UK
12.2001 - 10.2010
- Directed culture banking and release of quality-controlled cell lines, bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
- Ensured compliance with agreed specifications for international research applications.
- Played a key role in merging four separate HPA collections into one cohesive entity.
- Established partnerships for marketing and distribution of HPACC products beyond UK borders.
- Developed quality management system for participating laboratories in European Virus Archive consortium.
- Enhanced access to high-quality virus stocks for collaborative research across EU.
- Streamlined quality assurance protocols to meet regulatory requirements effectively.
- Actively contributed to strategic planning within Culture Collections senior management team.
Database Manager
Centre for Emergency Preparedness & Response
Salisbury, UK
04.2001 - 11.2001
cGMP Products Senior Release Officer
Porton Biopharma Ltd
Salisbury, UK
08.1997 - 04.2001
Scientific Officer
UK Department of Health
London
09.1996 - 07.1997
QC Validation Officer
Centre for Applied Microbiology & Research
Salisbury, UK
06.1995 - 08.1996
Laboratory Analyst
Microchem Laboratories
Waterford
01.1995 - 05.1995
Education
M.Sc. - Applied Sciences Microbiology
National University of Ireland (NUI)
09.1993 - 12.1994
B Sc (Hons) - Microbiology, Biochemistry
National University of Ireland (NUI)
09.1989 - 05.1993
Skills
- Risk management and mitigation
- Change management
- Matrix management
- Leadership and team development
- Project management
- Stakeholder engagement
- Strategic planning
- Quality assurance
- Data analysis
- Technical communication
Custom
I have more than 25 years operational project and programme leadership experience in the bioscience industry, ranging from research policy development to product and research product review and release, across a variety of research areas. This includes vaccine research, development and evaluation activities, in high containment (Advisory Commission on Dangerous pathogen level 2 and 3, ACDP 2 and 3) specialist facilities operating under negative pressure cascade systems, to meet health and safety, security, environmental and quality regulatory requirements. I have previously provided quality management leadership to international laboratories, such as the European Virus Archive (EVA-g) programme (EU funded) to standardise product specifications, and characterisation for supply of high containment bacterial and viral pathogens. I am experienced in the delivery of complex technical projects, of durations ranging from three months to eight years, which can range from service testing, to evaluation of countermeasures, in vitro and in vivo, establishing capabilities and functions at the behest of the customer, and/ or funding body, as well as our own areas of research in alignment with our scientific strategy and corporate objectives. Throughout my working career I have routinely enjoyed collaborating and building relationships with stakeholders, customers, regulators and funding bodies. I have been responsible for applying for and securing funding for developing and strengthening infrastructure projects such as the establishment of an in vivo imaging capability using mobile scanner providers at Porton Down, and more recently, securing external funding and support for the procurement, design and installation of a PET CT scanner facility for in vivo studies in our animal facility. I have lead redesign teams for initiatives such as the National Infection Service strategic redesign programme and also represented our division in review and redesign of regional laboratory provision. I have participated in the development and testing of the Growing our Leaders apprenticeship programmes. I represent the Public health Microbiology division on a working group to address and reduce Stress in the Workforce as well as on strategic management of learning and development across UKHSA. I lead an intercalated placement student programme for the recruitment of ten undergraduate students each year and oversee the competition and selection of research projects for those students on an annual basis.
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Head of Vaccine Assays & Immune Response
UK Health Security Agency
01.2023 - 07.2025
Operations Lead, Research & Development Institute
Public Health England
10.2018 - 12.2022
General Project Manager
Health Protection Agency
10.2010 - 10.2018
Quality & Regulatory Manager
Health Protection Agency
12.2001 - 10.2010
Database Manager
Centre for Emergency Preparedness & Response
04.2001 - 11.2001
cGMP Products Senior Release Officer
Porton Biopharma Ltd
08.1997 - 04.2001
Scientific Officer
UK Department of Health
09.1996 - 07.1997
QC Validation Officer
Centre for Applied Microbiology & Research
06.1995 - 08.1996
Laboratory Analyst
Microchem Laboratories
01.1995 - 05.1995
M.Sc. - Applied Sciences Microbiology
National University of Ireland (NUI)
09.1993 - 12.1994
B Sc (Hons) - Microbiology, Biochemistry
National University of Ireland (NUI)
09.1989 - 05.1993
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