Research Programme Lead

BT Group; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading telecommunications company in the UK is seeking a Network Infrastructure Research Director to lead key research programs aligned with company strategy. Candidates must have over 10 years of experience in telecoms and strong technical expertise, particularly in mobile technology. The role offers a hybrid working model, competitive salary, and a comprehensive benefits package.

Benefits

15% on target bonus

£5,500 Company Car or Cash Alternative

Family Private Healthcare

25 days annual leave increasing with service

Flexible benefits including cycle to work

World-class training and development opportunities

Option to join BT Shares Saving schemes

Discounted broadband, mobile, and TV packages

Access to retail discounts

Shared parental leave

Qualifications

• Strong skills in building the case for change using data.
• Identify strategic opportunities through market analysis.
• Set and implement strategies balancing commercial priorities.
• Detect early signs of potential developments in technology.
• 10+ years experience in network systems technologies.
• World-class standing in research and technical expertise.

Responsibilities

• Lead research programmes to align with BT Group goals.
• Deliver business value from the relevant research programmes.
• Collaborate with external partners to enhance research practices.

Skills

Story-telling with data

Strategy Development

Business acumen & insights

Horizon scanning

Technical domain expert

Stakeholder management

Education

Degree-level qualification

Post-graduate qualifications

Job description

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This role supports the Network Infrastructure Research Director in ensuring full alignment between research programmes the BT Group strategy and is accountable for delivering business value from research.

• Creates, leads and manages a number of research programmes to support the BT Group Network Strategy for a future programmable network infrastructure layer that enables growth through new Network-as-a-service (NaaS) business models and technology led innovation.
• Responsible for prioritization and tracking of resources, capital and operational spend across the unit, including external collaborations, in line with strategic priorities and RaNS goals, working with the Director, peer Research Programme Leads, Centre of Excellence Leads, and other stakeholders as appropriate. Responsible for maintaining a pipeline of research across multiple horizons, risk profiles and value destinations as appropriate.
• Ensures alignment with Network Strategy and the Standards programme, supports Business Unit priority interlock processes, and liaises closely with the Research Commercialisation and partnerships team to identify and pursue business value from research.
• Accountable for the successful execution of the relevant research programmes and contribution to business value and the goals of Research and Network Strategy, Networks and the BT Group.
• Sign-off authority for research programme outputs and deliverables, in addition to other signatories as required by the RaNS governance model.
• Responsible for influencing key stakeholders across BT to deliver business value based upon outputs from the relevant research programmes.
Influencing Industry in line with Research priorities and BT´s business objectives.

This role can be based in Ipswich, London or Bristol and our hybrid working model means you are expected to be in the office 3 days per week.

You'll have the following responsibilities

• Accountable for the delivery of a set of the Networks Infrastructure Research goals.
• Leads research programme to maximise the value from resources invested in achieving BT Group’s objectives and milestones, managing innovative problem resolution at an agile pace.
• Contributes to the development, execution and continuous improvement of a governance framework to enable appropriate measuring, tracking, reporting and visibility of business value from research.
• Exercises thought leadership in the area of network infrastructure research and technology development, including internal senior stakeholders, as well as key external bodies such as government, industry fora, standards, government and suppliers.
• Collaborates with key external partners driving opportunities with academic institutions and research organisations in order further develop BT Group’s research practices ensuring alignment with research advancements.

You'll have the following skills and experience

Skills

• Story-telling with data: strong skills in building the case for change, drawing on data and analytical techniques where appropriate, and communicating this to business audiences. (MANDATORY)
• Strategy Development: Identifies strategic opportunities through researching and analysing market and organisation performance and trends, decides how resources will be allocated across the organisation to achieve objectives. (MANDATORY)
• Business acumen & insights: Sets and implements strategies that balance commercial and people priorities across multiple functions by improving financial performance, organizational performance and managing business in a commercially viable way. (MANDATORY)
• Horizon scanning: Detects early signs of potentially important developments through a systematic examination of potential threats and opportunities, with emphasis on new technology and network Strategy. (MANDATORY)
• Technical domain expert: Considerable (10+ years) experience successfully pioneering new and emerging network systems technologies, with breadth and depth of knowledge across a range of technologies in the network infrastructure technology domain. Expected in-depth technical expertise in mobile technology (MANDATORY)
• Research reputation: World class standing and recognition, for example, authoring peer reviewed papers, generating patents, or creating experience of keynote speaking and being a panellist in high profile conferences and events. (PREFERRED)
• Stakeholder management: Evidence of managing project stakeholders across the business at a variety of grade and seniority levels (MANDATORY)

In addition, expected in-depth technical expertise in mobile technology (MANDATORY)

A degree-level qualification is required, post-graduate qualifications are highly desirable.
Member of a professional body e.g. Institution of Engineering and Technology (PREFERRED)

Experience

Technical Domain Expert: 10+ years in the Telecoms Industry and in highly technical roles (MANDATORY)
Significant research programme delivery: evidence of significant business impact through leadership of research programme (MANDATORY)
Change Agent (MANDATORY)
Solution Focused Achiever: identifies and implements plans to overcome obstacles and achieve ambitious goals (MANDATORY).
Inspiring Communicator: Delivers compelling messages that persuade, inspire and engage (MANDATORY)

• 15% on target bonus
• £5,500 Company Car or Cash Alternative
• Family Private Healthcare
• 25 days annual leave (not including bank holidays), increasing with service
• Huge range of flexible benefits including cycle to work, healthcare, season ticket loan
• World-class training and development opportunities
• Option to join BT Shares Saving schemes.
• Discounted broadband, mobile and TV packages
• Access to 100’s of retail discounts including the BT shop
• Shared Parental leave - maximum amount of leave you can share with your partner is 50 weeks