Head of Strategy and Business Planning

Connected Places Catapult; London; Hybrid; GBP 68,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative firm is seeking a strategic leader to coordinate business planning and strategy development across its core innovation areas. This role involves leading market appraisals, providing actionable insights, and advising on strategic directions to penetrate new markets. You will collaborate with various business units to ensure alignment and drive impactful initiatives. If you are passionate about fostering inclusivity and sustainability while achieving organizational objectives, this is the perfect opportunity for you. Join a team committed to making a difference in the connected places sector.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in leading teams and managing organizational objectives.
• Strong collaboration and influencing skills to drive strategy development.

Responsibilities

• Lead market appraisal and identify barriers in innovation focus areas.
• Drive the annual business planning cycle with all CPC Leads.

Skills

Leadership and Management

Collaboration Skills

Strategic Planning

Project Management

Stakeholder Management

Business Analysis

Communication Skills

Sustainability Principles

Job description

Location: London or Milton Keynes (minimum of two days a week in the office. You can do more than two days if preferable)

Working model: We are Hybrid, two days a week working in the office and three days working from home.

Reporting to: Strategy & Portfolio Director

Working hours: Full time (9 day Fortnight companywide)

Contract type/duration: Permanent

Band: 4.1

Salary: £68,890 to £79,386. Dependent on experience and location

Closing date: 9am 8th May 2025

The Role

To lead and coordinate strategy development and Business Planning across CPC.

Key Responsibilities

1. Lead market appraisal including identification of market barriers in CPC’s core innovation focus areas.
2. Provide actionable market insight on Connected Places Catapult, define market focus areas and innovation themes in collaboration with Business Unit Leads.
3. Provide actionable internal insight based on our performance and impact data.
4. Advise on Business Unit’s strategic direction, by providing strategic assessment and horizon scanning on the state of the market, including insight into penetrating new geographies, new businesses, and UK leading innovation ideas.
5. Facilitate the development of organisational ‘points-of-view' informing technology roadmaps (with relevant BUs), policy consultations (with Public Affairs), etc.
6. Ensure appropriate information management of up-to-date supporting material (consistent bid/proposal material for innovation focus areas, case studies, etc).
7. Provide content for briefings aligned with the stakeholder engagement plan (signed off by BU lead or Managing Directors).
8. Develop approach and content for producing the State of the Nation and annual report.
9. Own and prepare the annual strategy and business planning process and outputs, with all areas of CPC, working in close partnership on design with Finance and Chief of Staff.
10. Drive the annual business planning cycle, working closely with all CPC Leads to produce inputs required to support the process.
11. Support Business Unit Directors in developing strategic initiatives and programmes through shaping and leading targeted strategy development projects.
12. Support Business Unit leads with strategic insight to assist them in securing opportunities across the innovation imperatives, coordinate strategic initiatives/ programmes/projects where cross-cutting or part of CPC’s internal R&D.
13. Work with Business Unit Leads and marketing colleagues to ensure pre-sales material and opportunities are strategically aligned.
14. Ensure an ethos where equity, inclusivity, and diversity underpin your work activity, contribute to inclusive innovation across all Catapult activities.
15. You may be required to undertake any other reasonable duties to support the Catapult in achieving its strategic outcomes and ensure effective business operations.

Required Skills and Experience

1. Adept at leading, managing, and developing people to deliver organisational objectives and nurture talent, using excellent collaboration and influencing skills.
2. Ability to set deadlines and support others to meet them effectively.
3. Experience driving planning activities in complex fast-paced environments.
4. Experience with using collaboration and influencing skills to support others to iterate strategy and business planning effectively.
5. Working knowledge of business tools for effective strategy development and prioritisation.
6. Demonstrable experience of working with colleagues to build and deliver plans.
7. Working knowledge of operational management in a projects environment, including project and programme management methodologies.
8. Demonstrable experience in instigating and delivering business change.
9. Confident influencer and communicator with the ability to adapt style and message for a variety of different audiences. Experience of managing relationships with very senior stakeholders.
10. Focused on achieving impact for the organisation.
11. Showing determination, drive, and commitment always and particularly when faced with challenges and setbacks.
12. Be a champion of embedding sustainability and EDI principles into strategy development.