Executive Director, Life Sciences Innovation

Great British Energy Group; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Innovate UK, part of UKRI, is seeking an Executive Director of Life Sciences for a hybrid, contract role. You will lead diverse teams, shape programmes across life sciences, and direct multi-million-pound budgets.

Engage senior stakeholders across government, industry and academia to deliver strategic innovation, governance and impact. The role focuses on strategy translation into actionable programmes with strong RoI, oversight of Catapults and partnerships across sectors to accelerate UK life

Qualifications

• Leadership of large, diverse teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience in designing and delivering complex innovation programmes in Life Sciences.
• Management of multi-million-pound budgets and contracts with delivery partners.
• Ability to translate national policy priorities into actionable innovation programmes.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire talented cross-functional teams, fostering high performance and inclusion.
• Shape and deliver innovation programmes in response to UK Life Science strategies.
• Provide thought leadership on emerging technologies to inform programme design and investment.
• Identify, prioritise and leverage breakthrough ideas from the Research Councils and wider base.
• Collaborate with government departments and industry bodies to ensure responsive programmes.
• Oversee lifecycle from scoping to launch, monitoring, evaluation and delivery.
• Build partnerships to accelerate life sciences SMEs and navigate regulatory pathways.
• Represent Innovate UK and UKRI at high-level forums and advisory boards.

Skills

Leadership of large, diverse teams

Delivery of life sciences programmes

Budget & contract management

Stakeholder management

Executive leadership

Policy to programme translation

Cross-organisational collaboration

Education

Degree in a technical field

Life Sciences degree or postgraduate

Job description

Innovate UK, part of UKRI, is seeking an Executive Director of Life Sciences for a hybrid, contract role. You will lead diverse teams, shape programmes across life sciences, and direct multi-million-pound budgets.

Engage senior stakeholders across government, industry and academia to deliver strategic innovation, governance and impact. The role focuses on strategy translation into actionable programmes with strong RoI, oversight of Catapults and partnerships across sectors to accelerate UK life