Innovation Lead - Zero Emission Vehicles

Innovate UK; England; On-site; GBP 56,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Innovate UK is seeking an Innovation Lead for Zero Emission Vehicles. This role involves leading initiatives in the field of zero emission technologies and their integration within the UK's transport sector. The successful candidate will have substantial experience in technical leadership and stakeholder management, aimed at advancing the zero emission vehicle ecosystem and supporting the UK's transition to net-zero objectives.

Benefits

30 days annual leave

Flexible working hours

Defined benefit pension scheme

Qualifications

• Experience in zero emission vehicle technologies.
• Ability to handle competing priorities and complex stakeholder environments.
• Knowledge of business models related to zero emission vehicles.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of Innovate UK's activities on zero emission vehicles.
• Manage the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator program.
• Build strategic relationships with government and industry partners.

Skills

Technical knowledge

Stakeholder management

Communication

Problem solving

Strategic awareness

Education

Degree in relevant science or engineering

Job description

4 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants

This is the Internal Only Recruitment Site for UK Research and Innovation Staff for roles within Innovate UK (UKRI).

Please apply for jobs via this site only if you are employed by UK Research and Innovation (employees with access to Innovate UK's Workday system may apply via the "Careers" application within the system).

If you are not a current UKRI employee you can view vacancies at the externally advertised stage at the links given in the "About Us information on the right". If you wish to apply for the position below, please ensure that you comply with the requirements of the recruitment process by submitting both a full CV and application letter. Ideally, you should also advise your manager of your application.

Applications must be submitted by

20-06-2025

Innovation Lead - Zero Emission Vehicles

As Innovation Lead for Zero Emission Vehicles, you will develop and evolve Innovate UKs activities around Zero Emission Vehicles and our wider partnership with government, academia, industry and across UKRI.

• Please note this advert will close on the 19th June 2025 at 23.59pm.
  
  

Watch our video Why Join Innovate UK? here.

Title: Innovation Lead - Zero Emission Vehicles

Band: UKRI Band F (UKRI Ts & Cs)

Salary: £56,745 gross per annum

Reports to: Senior Programme Manager Land & Maritime

Location: Field based

Contract: Permanent

Innovate UK recognises the importance of work-life balance and we will be happy to discuss any requests for flexible working arrangements.

Context

The role holder will operate within the Innovate UK Land and Maritime Transport Team, which is part of the Mobility Directorate and the Net Zero Domain.

Innovate UKs Land and Maritime Transport team delivers millions of R&D funding to the UKs transport sector each year. We provide impact as one of the most significant areas of activity within Innovate UK, especially against aspirations set out in the governments Transport Decarbonisation Plan and Net Zero Strategy.

As a team of innovation specialists, our areas of focus include the transition to zero emission vehicles, zero emission vehicle infrastructure and bi-directional charging, maritime, rail, and Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV). We work alongside government and industry to enable land and maritime transport to be zero emission, and become smarter and more accessible while growing the UKs supply chain.

We particularly welcome female applicants as women are under-represented within Innovate UK in this type of role.

Job Purpose

As Innovation Lead for Zero Emission Vehicles, you will develop and evolve Innovate UKs activities around Zero Emission Vehicles and our wider partnership with government, academia, industry and across UKRI. You will work as a technical authority and thought leader in this area, providing input and direction to existing programmes, and developing new initiatives. This will include a significant focus on decarbonizing Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs), through technical leadership and programme management of the up to £200m Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) programme funded by the Department for Transport (DfT).

You will also maintain Innovate UKs strategically crucial position in the transport funding ecosystem while developing its role in crafting the future of UK mobility and transition to Net Zero, for example by providing thought leadership through our UK Transport Vision 2050, or by bringing an international angle to our activities.

Key Responsibilities And Accountabilities

As Innovation Lead for Zero Emission Vehicles, the post-holder will deliver across a number of key areas, these include but are not limited to:

• Being Innovate UKs principal thought leader and subject matter expert related to zero emission vehicle technologies and opportunities, including for Heavy Goods Vehicles and Non-Road Mobile Machinery, working closely with others in complementary areas
• Leading innovation within zero emission vehicle programmes including the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) programme and supporting forthcoming Industrial Strategy activity with Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) and others
• Acting as a decarbonisation champion, working with others to develop business cases to secure new funding for zero emission vehicle technologies, securing organisational buy-in and subsidy approval such that you can deliver targeted and impactful interventions to the sector
• Building strategic relationships internally and externally with relevant organisations supporting their objectives, including with the Department for Transport (DfT), Department for Business & Trade (DBT), Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), academia, industry bodies (e.g. Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Road Haulage Association, Logistics UK, Energy Networks Association), standards and regulatory bodies
• Developing international opportunities with countries and regions, which complement UK aspirations in the zero emission vehicle space
• Representing Innovate UK at leading industry events: disseminating our and our partners' work to support the sector, raising awareness of innovation opportunities and inspiring the innovation community.
• Using the resources and capability of the wider UKRI and Innovate UK family (Innovate UK Business Connect, Innovate UK Business Growth, Catapults Centres etc.) to increase your effectiveness.
• Contributing to the wider implementation of Innovate UK strategy; supporting colleagues in the implementation of their programmes and ensuring implementation of Innovate UKs and UKRI overall mission to boost UK innovation and deliver economic and societal impact.
  
  

This is not an exhaustive list and you might be encouraged to undertake any other duties across the wider directorate, commensurate with the Band and level of responsibility of this post, for which the post holder has the key experience and/or training.

Shortlisting criteria

(S) Assessed at shortlisting

(I) Assessed at interview

(S&I) Assessed at both shortlisting and interview

Person Specification

This position requires a person with strong technical knowledge of the field coupled with commercial awareness, who can handle many competing priorities and a complex stakeholder environment. The role holder will need to make sense of multiple inputs, establish underlying patterns, and articulate a clear and compelling vision of what needs to be done to decarbonize road transport, with a focus on HGVs.

You should be adept at building and strengthening relationships with a wide range of colleagues across relevant organisations, to ensure effective delivery of investments (finance and other). You will be expected to lead Innovate UKs thinking in this field and help shape wider government policies and programmes, and support as appropriate the creation and implementation of national strategies. You will be confident to work on your own initiative but work equally well in a highly coordinated way within Innovate UKs field-based teams.

You will need a passion for developing the UKs zero emission vehicle ecosystem of collaborative research and innovation, and a drive to turn that innovation into commercial success. You should be motivated to achieve goals that enable the success of others (colleagues and UK companies). Our corporate success is realised through the development and achievements of others and the commercial success and growth of UK-based companies.

Essential

Experience & Qualifications:

• Degree level in relevant science, engineering, or related technical field (or equivalent experience) (S)
• First-hand industry experience relevant to commercial vehicle (including HGV) deployment, development of zero emission vehicle technologies including the associated supply chain, or closely related topics such as technical leadership of fleet or transport sustainability initiatives (S&I)
• Strong technical understanding of technology roadmaps and trends relevant to this sector (S&I)
• Knowledge of business models associated with zero emission vehicles and HGVs, including relevant challenges and opportunities to their widespread uptake in the UK (S&I)
• Experience or knowledge of business-led innovation projects and the UKs innovation and collaborative research ecosystem (S)
• Ability to strategically assess business and innovation gaps and opportunities both at the domestic and international level (S&I)
• Excellent stakeholder management experience, including building links while working with senior-level individuals to manage conflicting demands and priorities (S&I)
• Excellent communication and presentation experience conveying critical messages on complicated topics to a range of audiences in a clear and simple manner (I)
  
  

Desirable

• Programme management experience (S)
• Knowledge of UK government and other stakeholder policies relevant to the role, such as policy on the deployment of EV vehicles and infrastructure (S&I)
• Track record of running large innovation projects related to the automotive sector, or a similar field (S&I)
• Relevant postgraduate and/or professional qualifications (S)
  
  

Competencies

All team members demonstrate compatibility with and capability against our Core Competencies such as:

Thinking and Problem Solving Stakeholder management Communication skills Influencing Self-awareness/self-management Strategic awareness Working with others Project management

Some of the above competencies will be assessed at interview stage, in addition to the criterias listed in the person specification.

Travel Requirements

Field-based: There will a requirement to travel, mostly national, and there is some flexibility in this. Innovate UK staff make extensive use of telepresence tools for meetings to minimise unnecessary travel.

Equality, Diversity And Inclusion

Innovate UK is a diverse workforce of people. We believe that encouraging these differences and drawing the best from them will build a productive environment in which everyone feels valued, where talents are fully utilised and in which organisational goals are met. Underpinning this is a belief that it is a fundamental right for everyone to be treated equally, with fairness, respect and dignity. We will act directly and use our influence to ensure that this right is promoted and upheld; we encourage applications from all those who meet the criteria set-out in our role profiles.

Equal Opportunities

We are an equal opportunities employer, committed to employing any person who meets the criteria for our roles. When undertaking recruitment we may require applicants to undertake certain tests or assessments, some of which will be online and others may be in-person. If you have a disability, heath condition or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia then you may be entitled to support with undertaking this type of assessment exercise. Where you feel that reasonable adjustments are required to support you, we ask that you advise your recruitment point of contact in a timely fashion, providing further information. In confidence, Innovate UK will then review your application for adjustments and provide support as required.

UK Research And Innovation

Innovate UK is partner organisation within UK Research and Innovation. If successful in securing the position, your employer will be UK Research and Innovation. More information can be found online http://www.ukri.org/.

Employee Benefits

We offer a benefits package crafted to provide an excellent work/life balance. This includes 30 days annual leave, 10.5 public and privilege days, flexible working hours, an exceptional defined benefit pension scheme, and access to a variety of support networks and discount schemes.

Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

Flexible Working

We understand the importance of work-life balance, and are happy to discuss the possibility of flexible working with applicants.

Pre-employment Screening

To enable us to hire the very best people we will conduct a comprehensive pre-employment check on successful applicants as part of the recruitment process.

The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

UKRI supports research in areas that include animal health, agriculture and food security, and bioscience for health which includes research on animals, genetic modification and stem cell research. Whilst you may not have direct involvement in this type of research, you should consider how this aligns with your personal values or beliefs. To enable us to hire the very best people we will conduct a full and comprehensive pre-employment check as a crucial part of the recruitment process on all individuals that are offered a position with UKRI. This will include a security check and an extreme organisations affiliation check.

Applications must be submitted by;

20-06-2025

LNKD1_UKTJ

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Management

• Industries

  Strategic Management Services

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