United Kingdom · Research and development · Principal/Manager (12-16 years)

Scientific Research Manager

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

See how AI is changing this job, and get the full read by email.

As a Scientific Research Manager, a good place to start on AI-Driven Research Strategy & Oversight is Planning Automation Across a Department, a free Future Fluency module at Level 5. You'd practise working out what in your department's work could be automated, what should not be, and what to recommend.

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One email: what AI is changing in this job, the new skills it asks for, where it leads, and where to start free. With a link back here. Nothing else follows unless you confirm your address.

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  • Experience bandPrincipal/Manager (12-16 years)
  • Direct reports10-25 reports
  • Reports toDirector of Research
  • UK framework levelUsually a manager, or the deepest specialist in a team

Also advertised as Principal Scientist · Research Programme Lead · Head of Research Group

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in what real qualifications cover

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

GQA Level 5 Diploma in the Practice of Process Safety Management GQA Qualifications Limited · Level 5 · covers 2 of 7 standards
GQA PAA\VQ-SET Level 3 Diploma for a Bulk Storage Operator (Technician) GQA Qualifications Limited · Level 3 · covers 1 of 7 standards
GQA PAA\VQ-SET Level 3 Certificate in Laboratory Technical Skills GQA Qualifications Limited · Level 3 · covers 1 of 7 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Understand how to comply with the relevant Regulations, Industry Standards and Management Requirements for Process Safety GQA Level 5 Diploma in the Practice of Process Safety Management
Principles of Safe Manufacture of Quality Medicines in the Pharmaceutical Environment Open Awards Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians (Diploma)
Research skills for health and social care NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care
Comply with External and Internal Obligations within a Bulk Storage Operations Environment GQA PAA\VQ-SET Level 3 Diploma for a Bulk Storage Operator (Technician)
Manage and Monitor the Work of Technical Teams MPQC Level 4 Diploma in Managing Laboratory and Associated Technical Activities for Mineral Products Operations
Good Manufacturing Practice GQA PAA\VQ-SET Level 3 Certificate in Laboratory Technical Skills

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly
Automation Fluency building AI into how work runs
Systems Fluency seeing the whole picture
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Scientific Research Manager

6 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Understand how to comply with the relevant Regulations, Industry Standards and Management Requirements for Process Safety GQA Qualifications Limited · covers 2 of 7 standards Level 5
  2. Principles of Safe Manufacture of Quality Medicines in the Pharmaceutical Environment Open Awards · covers 2 of 7 standards Level 3
  3. Research skills for health and social care NCFE · covers 1 of 7 standards Level 3
  4. Comply with External and Internal Obligations within a Bulk Storage Operations Environment GQA Qualifications Limited · covers 1 of 7 standards Level 3
  5. Manage and Monitor the Work of Technical Teams MP Awards · covers 1 of 7 standards Level 4
  6. Good Manufacturing Practice GQA Qualifications Limited · covers 1 of 7 standards Level 3
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Scientific Research Manager?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

  • AI-Driven Research Strategy & Oversight
  • Advanced Data Storytelling & Visualisation
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Scientific Research Manager plan as you set up, starting with the free Automation Fluency module. No card.

Your first Future Fluency module is free. After that, your AI tutor is £70 a month.

Keep this read. One email with what AI is changing in this job, the new skills it asks for and where to start free. Nothing else follows unless you confirm your address.

3What this role really is

A scientific research manager leads a research programme, from early discovery through to key preclinical milestones. The role sets the direction, builds the team, and makes sure the work moves forward. It means turning ideas from the lab into tangible progress, managing budget and people to make that happen.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

You won't be writing daily scripts, but you'll evaluate and approve complex data analysis pipelines developed by your team, understanding their capabilities and limitations. You'll set standards for code quality and reproducibility.

Benchling / Labguru (ELN) Architect

You'll define the ELN templates and data structures for your entire programme, ensuring compliance and optimal data capture. You'll audit entries and train new team members on best practices.

STARLIMS / LabVantage (LIMS) Strategic

You'll define the long-term LIMS strategy for your programme, overseeing its integration with instruments and ensuring data flows seamlessly. You'll manage vendor relationships and ensure GxP compliance.

BLAST / Geneious / ImageJ/Fiji / HALO Architect

You'll lead the strategy for computational biology or imaging analysis platforms for your research programme, evaluating new software and ensuring your team has the right tools and expertise. You'll interpret complex bioinformatics outputs.

You'll use these tools to manage your programme's portfolio, track key milestones, and ensure effective communication across your team and with other departments. You'll set up and maintain project boards and documentation spaces.

Diligent Boards / Tableau Server Strategic

You'll prepare and present high-level R&D pipeline updates, budget forecasts, and strategic initiatives for board-level consumption, often using aggregated data visualised in these platforms.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Research Programme Direction & Strategy N/A (executes specific experiments within a defined direction) Proposes minor adjustments to experimental approach within a project, escalates strategic questions. Makes technical decisions within a workstream, recommends strategic pivots to programme lead.
Budget Allocation & Spend Requests consumables, no spending authority. Approves small purchases (up to £500) for own experiments. Approves project-specific purchases (up to £5K), recommends larger equipment buys.
Team Management & Hiring N/A (individual contributor) N/A (individual contributor, informal guidance) Mentors 0-2 junior scientists, provides input on performance reviews.
External Collaborations & Partnerships N/A (internal focus) N/A (internal focus) Contributes to discussions with external partners, but no decision authority.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Programme Milestone Achievement
The percentage of agreed-upon research programme milestones delivered on time and within budget.
Target · Consistently hit 85-90% of major quarterly milestones.

If your programme had 10 key milestones for Q2 (e.g., 'validate target X in primary cells', 'initiate in vivo proof-of-concept study'), you'd be expected to deliver 8-9 of them, with clear explanations for any delays or shifts.

Research Budget Adherence
Managing your assigned research programme budget, keeping actual spend within an acceptable variance of the plan.
Target · Maintain actual spend within +/- 5% of the approved annual budget for your programme (typically £500K-£2M).

If your annual budget is £1.5M, you're expected to manage expenditure to stay between £1.425M and £1.575M, adjusting plans as needed to stay on track.

Team Productivity & Output
The collective scientific output of your team, measured by publications, patent applications, and successful data packages for internal decision points.
Target · Aim for 2-3 significant internal data packages (e.g., for Go/No-Go decisions), 1-2 patent applications, and 1 peer-reviewed publication from your team annually.

Your team successfully generates the data for a preclinical candidate nomination package, files a patent on a novel target, and publishes a key mechanistic paper in a reputable journal.

Talent Retention & Development
The ability to retain high-performing scientists within your team and support their professional growth.
Target · Maintain regrettable attrition (voluntary departures of high performers) below 10% annually, with at least 75% of your team having a clear development plan.

Your team sees only one high-performing scientist leave in a year, and you've successfully mentored two junior managers into more senior roles within the programme.

Strategic Influence & Thought Leadership
How effectively you shape the scientific direction of your programme and contribute to broader R&D strategy, both internally and externally.
  • You're regularly sought out by other programme leads for scientific advice. Your proposals for new research avenues are seriously considered and often adopted by senior leadership. You represent the company's science credibly at external conferences or with collaborators.
Team Cohesion & Morale
The overall health, engagement, and collaborative spirit within your research group.
  • Your team consistently scores highly on internal engagement surveys. They proactively help each other, share resources, and celebrate successes. You hear positive feedback about your leadership style from your direct reports during skip-level meetings.
Quality of Scientific Rigour
Ensuring your team's experimental designs, data analysis, and documentation meet the highest scientific and regulatory standards.
  • Your team's ELN entries are consistently thorough and auditable. Data packages pass internal scientific review without major issues. You're proactive in implementing new best practices for data integrity and reproducibility across your programme.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
How well your team works with other departments (e.g., Clinical, Regulatory, Manufacturing) to ensure smooth transitions of research programmes.
  • Other department leads praise your team's responsiveness and proactive communication. There are clear hand-off points and shared understanding of goals between your research group and downstream development teams. You're seen as someone who builds bridges, not silos.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Seeing Scientific Discoveries Translate

You'll get a real buzz from seeing your team's early-stage research data become the foundation for a new drug candidate or a critical patent application. It's about taking an idea from a hypothesis to a tangible asset.

Your team's groundbreaking work on a novel receptor leads to a successful preclinical candidate nomination, meaning it's now a real prospect for clinical development.

Building and Nurturing High-Performing Teams

You love the challenge of bringing together diverse scientific talent, coaching them, and watching them grow into confident, independent researchers. Developing your people is as rewarding as the science itself.

Mentoring a junior scientist who then successfully leads their own sub-project, or seeing your team collaborate seamlessly to overcome a major experimental hurdle.

Shaping Strategic Direction

You enjoy having a seat at the table where big decisions are made. You'll be influencing where our R&D investment goes, what targets we pursue, and how we position our scientific efforts for maximum impact.

Your scientific insights and programme data directly influence a decision to pivot a multi-million-pound research programme towards a more promising therapeutic area.

What frustrates people
  • Dealing with constant budget pressures and having to make difficult trade-offs between promising research avenues.
  • The political dance of managing expectations from both your team and senior leadership, especially when results aren't clear-cut.
  • Spending significant time on HR issues or performance management rather than scientific discussions.
  • Having to shut down a 'pet project' or a promising line of inquiry due to strategic shifts or lack of funding, even when the science is compelling.
  • The sheer volume of documentation and compliance requirements (GLP/GCP) that can feel like it stifles scientific agility.
What this role does not give you
  • Extensive hands-on lab work or daily experimental execution.
  • A purely academic focus without commercial pressures or strategic constraints.
  • A predictable, unchanging work environment; priorities and scientific directions can shift rapidly.
  • The ability to make all decisions purely on scientific merit without considering business implications.

8Who you work with

This role directly impacts the success rate and speed of our research pipeline. You're responsible for delivering the scientific data that underpins major investment decisions, influencing our long-term product strategy and market position. Getting it right means we're first to market with groundbreaking solutions; getting it wrong means lost opportunities and wasted resources, potentially affecting our entire commercial future.

Inside the business
  • SVP of Research & Development
  • Head of Preclinical Development
  • Clinical Operations Leads
  • Finance Business Partners
  • Regulatory Affairs Team
  • Intellectual Property (IP) Counsel
Outside the business
  • Academic Collaborators
  • Contract Research Organisations (CROs)
  • Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs)
  • Industry Bodies and Consortia
  • Technology Vendors

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • A proven track record of leading significant scientific projects or workstreams, taking them from concept to completion.
  • Demonstrable experience in managing and mentoring a team of scientists, including performance reviews and career development.
  • A deep understanding of the drug discovery and development process, with specific expertise in preclinical research.
  • Experience managing a substantial research budget and making resource allocation decisions.
  • Strong publication record or significant contributions to patent filings, demonstrating scientific impact.
  • Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to present complex scientific information to diverse audiences.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Omics Data Integration & Interpretation

The sheer volume and complexity of multi-omics data (genomics, proteomics, metabolomics) demand sophisticated approaches. You'll need to understand how to integrate these diverse datasets to gain holistic biological insights and guide your team in using advanced bioinformatics tools to make sense of it all.

Multi-Omics Data Fusion · Pathway & Network Analysis · Single-Cell Technologies · Data Standardisation & Annotation

  • This quarter: Attend a scientific conference or workshop focused on multi-omics integration in your therapeutic area.
  • Next 6 months: Identify a key research question in your programme that could benefit from multi-omics data and scope out a pilot project.
  • Next 9 months: Work with your bioinformatics team to understand their current capabilities and identify gaps for future omics analyses.
  • Next 12 months: Develop a strategy for how your programme will systematically generate and analyse multi-omics data to drive discovery.

Quick win: Encourage your team to use public omics databases (e.g., GEO, TCGA) to generate preliminary hypotheses or validate findings, even before generating your own data.

Automation & High-Throughput Screening (HTS) Strategy

To accelerate discovery and reduce costs, high-throughput automation is becoming standard. You'll need to understand the principles of lab automation, guide your team in designing automated workflows, and strategically select and implement HTS platforms to maximise efficiency and data quality.

Liquid Handling Robotics · HTS Assay Development · Data Management for HTS · Process Optimisation & Lean Lab Principles

  • This quarter: Visit an automated lab or attend a vendor presentation on new HTS technologies.
  • Next 6 months: Identify one manual, repetitive assay in your programme that could be automated and scope out a plan for its transition.
  • Next 9 months: Work with our automation specialists (if available) to understand the technical requirements and challenges of implementing automated workflows.
  • Next 12 months: Develop a roadmap for increasing automation within your research programme, justifying the investment with clear ROI.

Quick win: Encourage your team to document manual assay steps meticulously. This makes it much easier to identify bottlenecks and plan for future automation.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attending and presenting at international scientific conferences (e.g., AACR, Keystone Symposia, SfN) to stay current and build a professional network.
  • Participating in leadership development programmes, either internal or external, focusing on strategic management and team coaching.
  • Engaging with industry consortia or working groups to influence scientific best practices and regulatory landscapes.
  • Mentoring junior scientists and postdocs, formalising your leadership and coaching skills.
  • Publishing in peer-reviewed journals and contributing to patent applications, maintaining your scientific credibility.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

AI-Driven Research Strategy & Oversight

AI and machine learning are rapidly transforming how we identify targets, design experiments, and analyse complex biological data. As a leader, you won't just be using these tools; you'll be defining how your team integrates them into their workflow, ensuring ethical use and robust validation. Competitors are already using AI to accelerate discovery, so we can't afford to be left behind.

  • Ethical AI in Research
  • AI Model Validation & Interpretation
  • Strategic AI Tool Selection
  • Data Governance for AI

Advanced Data Storytelling & Visualisation

As data complexity explodes, simply presenting raw data won't cut it. You'll need to lead your team in crafting compelling, clear narratives from complex datasets, making them accessible and actionable for non-scientific stakeholders and executives. This is about influencing decisions, not just reporting facts.

  • Visualisation Best Practices
  • Narrative Structure for Data
  • Audience-Centric Communication
  • Interactive Dashboards & Tools

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Experimental Design (DOE) & Statistical Rigour
  • Assay Development & Validation Oversight
  • Hypothesis-Driven Inquiry & Scientific Strategy
  • Scientific Writing & Communication (Strategic)
  • Data Integrity, Reproducibility & FAIR Principles
  • Intellectual Property (IP) Strategy & Management

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    From Lead/Staff Scientist (Internal)

    3-5 years at Lead/Staff level

    Skills to master

    • Transitioning from individual scientific contribution to formal team leadership, managing project budgets, and presenting strategic updates to senior management.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully mentored 2+ junior scientists to independence.
    • Led a significant research workstream from concept to key data package.
    • Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex scientific problems and propose novel solutions.
    • Proactively taken on informal leadership roles within project teams.
  2. 2

    From Senior Scientist (External - Biotech/Pharma)

    5-8 years at Senior Scientist level in another company

    Skills to master

    • Adapting to our specific therapeutic areas and company culture, quickly building rapport with a new team, and understanding our internal processes for programme management and budget oversight.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Managed a team of 5+ scientists in previous roles.
    • Directly contributed to advancing at least one drug candidate through preclinical development.
    • Strong publication and patent record in a relevant scientific field.
    • Experience with GxP regulations and quality systems.
  3. 3

    From Academic Group Leader / PI

    5-10 years as a Principal Investigator or Group Leader in academia

    Skills to master

    • Shifting from a grant-funded, curiosity-driven model to a milestone-driven, commercially focused R&D environment. Understanding industrial timelines, budget constraints, and regulatory requirements.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Managed a research lab with multiple postdocs and PhD students.
    • Secured significant grant funding and managed associated budgets.
    • Published high-impact research in peer-reviewed journals.
    • Demonstrated ability to translate basic research into potential applications.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead to senior leadership positions, a deeper scientific specialism, or a move into strategic business roles.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Scientific Research Manager is actually changing.

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Understand how to comply with the relevant Regulations, Industry Standards and Management Requirements for Process Safety, worked against Scientific Research Manager.

Understand how to comply with the relevant Regulations, Industry Standards and Management Requirements for Process Safety Level 5

Applied to your work in Scientific Research Manager

The objective of this unit is to provide learners with a comprehensive understanding of the regulations, industry standards, and management requirements for process safety. Learners will understand the role of the Process Safety Leadership Group, relevant frameworks, legal duties, and the role of the Competent Authority.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Scientific Research Manager
  • Experimental Design (DOE) & Statistical Rigour
  • Assay Development & Validation Oversight
  • Hypothesis-Driven Inquiry & Scientific Strategy
  • Scientific Writing & Communication (Strategic)
  • Data Integrity, Reproducibility & FAIR Principles
  • Intellectual Property (IP) Strategy & Management
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Scientific Research Manager is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Director of Research

    3-5 years as a Scientific Research Manager

    Level 6

    • P&L Management (Larger Scale) Owning a departmental budget of £2M-£10M+.
    • Organisational Design Structuring and optimising entire research functions.
    • Talent Strategy Developing and retaining top scientific talent across multiple teams.
    • Regulatory Strategy (Advanced) Shaping the overall regulatory approach for a portfolio of programmes.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

As a Scientific Research Manager, your time is precious. You're juggling strategic oversight, team leadership, budget management, and complex scientific challenges. Imagine if you could offload some of the heavy lifting, not just for yourself, but for your entire team. Our AI Productivity Hub shows you how.

AI isn't here to replace the deep scientific thought that you bring to the table. Instead, it's a powerful co-pilot that can automate the tedious, accelerate the analytical, and even spark new hypotheses. For a manager, this means more time for strategic thinking, team development, and driving breakthrough discoveries, rather than getting bogged down in administrative or repetitive tasks.

Automated Literature Synthesis & Trend Spotting

Use AI tools like Scite or Elicit to rapidly scan and summarise thousands of new research papers. As a manager, you can direct the AI to highlight emerging trends, novel methodologies, and potential competitive intelligence relevant to your programme, giving your team a crucial head start and saving countless hours of manual review. This helps you quickly identify new opportunities or threats.

Predictive Experimental Design & Optimisation

Imagine AI analysing your team's past experimental data to suggest optimal parameters for new assays or studies. This isn't just about saving time; it's about increasing the probability of success for your team's experiments, reducing wasted reagents and precious animal models. You'll guide your team to use AI to refine their designs, making every experiment count more.

AI-Driven Hypothesis Generation & Data Mining

Feed AI models vast public and proprietary datasets (genomic, proteomic, clinical) to uncover non-obvious correlations and generate novel, testable hypotheses. As a manager, you'll challenge your team to use these AI-generated insights to explore new avenues, potentially accelerating your discovery phase by weeks or even months and uncovering breakthrough targets that human intuition alone might miss.

Accelerated Scientific Writing & Grant Drafting

Empower your team (and yourself!) to use AI assistants like Jenni AI or ChatGPT to generate first drafts of Methods sections, literature reviews, and even entire grant proposals. AI can also flawlessly format citations and check for consistency. This frees up your team's cognitive load for critical analysis and interpretation, and for you, it means faster review cycles and more time spent on strategic content.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Scientific Research Manager?

Common routes in include From Lead/Staff Scientist (Internal) (3-5 years at Lead/Staff level), From Senior Scientist (External - Biotech/Pharma) (5-8 years at Senior Scientist level in another company) and From Academic Group Leader / PI (5-10 years as a Principal Investigator or Group Leader in academia). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Scientific Research Manager progress to?

This role can lead on to Director of Research (3-5 years as a Scientific Research Manager), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Scientific Research Manager?

Increasingly, AI-Driven Research Strategy & Oversight and Advanced Data Storytelling & Visualisation. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

Free tools

Want a read on where you stand?

Three free tools, no account needed. Each one ends with a role, a level and a way in.

17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 5

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

More jobs in research and development

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.

If you leave this industry

Scientific expertise and leadership experience in R&D transfer well to other settings. This can mean a move to other biotech or pharmaceutical companies, or a senior role at a Contract Research Organisation (CRO). It can also lead to scientific consulting, life sciences venture capital, or a non-profit research foundation.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my free Automation Fluency module What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.