Innovation Lead (Inside IR35)

Contract Term: 12 Months

Contracting Authority: UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) (BEIS UKRI)

Location: Remote with travel to London/ Swindon once a month for meetings.

Innovation Lead – Rail

Sitting in Innovate UK’s Manufacturing, Materials and Mobility directorate, the Land Transport team work to support industry led innovative research and development in the UK Automotive, Rail and Connected Transport sectors.

As an Innovation Lead, your main responsibilities will be:

• Be an Innovate UK ‘expert’ for innovation in rail, supporting the translation of rail policy and industry strategy into funding interventions that deliver the desired impact
• Proactively manage the portfolio of live rail projects to time and budget, maintaining demonstrable control including appropriate reporting to funders and other key stakeholders. Act as ‘point of contact’ for senior industry figures within the businesses supported by the Innovate UK’s rail programmes.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with funders of rail innovation including the Department for Transport and Network Rail.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with funders of rail innovation including the Department for Transport, HS2 and Network Rail
• Act as a champion and lead architect of any future (multi-year) programmes of R&D support in this field and the translation of government rail policy goals into impactful interventions that deliver business growth and positive change on the railways.

• Support project participants to maximise their return on investment during and after project completion.
• Support and steer evaluation of the rail innovation programmes, helping produce robust evidence which presents the success and impact of the investments made over time.

• Work closely business, Government, academia, trade associations, standards and regulatory bodies etc., to inform programme development and delivery, and build and sustain a globally recognised, UK-wide ‘rail innovation system’.

You’ll have relevant experience in:

• First-hand industry experience including the technical aspects of the rail sector incl. its infrastructure.
• A track record of successful programme and/or project management experience, related to innovation or transferable area.
• Knowledge of the UK’s rail strategy and trends in new innovations in this field.
• Knowledge of business models and value streams associated with rail technologies, including relevant challenges and opportunities to their widespread deployment on the UK’s rail network.
• Experience or knowledge of business led innovation projects relevant to the rail sector.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing experience, including working with senior level individuals managing conflicting demands and priorities while building relationships.
• Demonstrable communicating and presenting experience conveying a message a range of audiences.
• Able to work in a fast-paced, often matrix, environment.
• Ability to assess business and innovation gaps and opportunities – both at domestic and international level

Desirable

• Familiarity with the collaborative research environment, along with experience of engaging with government departments.
• Experience in tracking impacts and managing a portfolio of activities, projects or investments
• Track record of managing large innovation projects related to rail technologies.

Skills:

• Strong technology knowledge relevant to the role
• Programme and/or project management
• Excellent stakeholder management and an ability to influence
• Ability to communicate complex technologies and/or projects in a clear and simplified manner
• Ability to think and act strategically.
• High degree of organisational ability and attention to detail.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, able to present to a wide range of audiences.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Capable of delivering in a field working environment, working unsupervised with the ability to prioritise and multitask.

Qualifications:

• Degree level in relevant science, engineering, business or related discipline (or equivalent experience)

If this role sounds like something that you would be interested in, please click the link to apply or get in touch with <email address removed>

Should you require reasonable adjustments at any point during the recruitment process or if there is a more accessible way for us to communicate, please do let me know.

In applying for this role you acknowledge the following, this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.