Applications must be submitted by; 06-01-2025 Vacancy for Innovation Lead – Future Flight You will be joining a team of experts and specialists at the heart of this fast-moving and high-profile challenge to transform the future of aviation. Please note this advert will close on the 5th January 2024 at 23.59pm. Watch our video “Why Join Innovate UK?” here. Title: Innovation Lead – Future Flight Band: Innovate UK Band 3 (UKRI Ts & Cs) Salary: £47,000 - £55,000 gross per annum Reports to: Deputy Director for Future Flight Location: Field based Contract: Fixed Term (Until 31st December 2025) This role is also eligible for up to 10% performance-related pay on base salary. Subject to UKRI Pay & Reward Policy Employees applying for any opportunity which may mean being away from your substantive role for a temporary period of time, please refer to the Recruitment Policy for further information in the first instance. If you are made an offer, please ensure you liaise with your Line Manager and the designated HR Team as soon as possible in order that implications of any move are clear and understood, prior to a move taking place. Innovate UK recognises the importance of work-life balance and we will be happy to discuss any requests for flexible working arrangements. Context: The Future Flight Challenge is a £300m programme that will assure the UK’s position in the third aviation revolution. A focus on developing new aviation systems will transform how we connect people, deliver goods and provide services. Using new classes of drones, and electric/hydrogen and autonomous vehicles, the challenge will speed up the acceptance of these innovative air vehicles into service safely and practically by encouraging different businesses to share their knowledge and resources. Over the past 4-years, the challenge has created a vibrant community with members from across the aviation industry and wider technology sector. Linking new entrants, established global players, academia and regulators to collaboratively develop new aviation system concepts and working with communities to secure early involvement with new technologies. It has worked to inspire and accelerate the next generation of sustainable aviation to position the UK as a world leader in aviation products and markets. This will enable the UK to build, use and export new, greener ways of flying that will facilitate new modes of travel and new services. Now in its latter stages, there is a significant need to ensure the successful completion of the programme whilst at the same time planning for future programmes to transition from R&D to commercialisation. Due for completion in March 2025 but with new activities likely to continue for some time after, the programme has a significant amount of work still to be delivered. In parallel, we are working to ensure the legacy of this work and build proposals for future government programmes and interventions. We particularly welcome female applicants as women are under-represented within Innovate UK in this type of role. Job Purpose: You will be joining a team of experts and specialists at the heart of this fast-moving and high-profile challenge to transform the future of aviation. Reporting to the Deputy Challenge Director, this role is part of an exciting research programme. The successful candidate will work with a wide range of industry and public-sector partners to deliver this significant R&D programme. By using the insight gained from stakeholders the role-holder will be asked to propose and deliver activities, studies and further funding suggestions to help the Future Flight programme meet its objectives. As a knowledgeable advocate of the technologies being developed, you will engage with colleagues across the public sector to support integration with complementary innovation programmes. Engaging with wider technical and business communities will also be required, as is working internally with colleagues at InnovateUK and in the broader civil service. Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities: Build strong working relationships with relevant bodies and networks. These include, but are not limited to, businesses, trade associations, Catapults, government departments and agencies, private investors, regulatory bodies and research organisations and the Knowledge Transfer Network. Identify, negotiate and establish new partnership arrangements to leverage funding and support to businesses. Work with internal colleagues to ensure the dissemination of results and sharing of key learnings. Support the generation of new strategic proposals for future R&D programmes. Take on responsibility for managing complex R&D projects, working closely with Monitoring Officers and our Impact & Performance Manager to support their operational and technical needs throughout their project lifecycle. Represent Innovate UK and UKRI at events such as conferences, meetings, workshops, developing a strong network of stakeholders. Undertake project visits as appropriate, working with other internal parties to ensure stakeholder disputes are handled efficiently and successes are recognised and communicated effectively. 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: Experience & Qualifications: This role requires an individual with a blend of commercial awareness and technical acumen who can manage competing priorities in a complex stakeholder environment. The post holder will need to work with and make sense of multiple information sources and clearly articulate what needs to be done to support the delivery of a complex and broad aviation innovation programme and translate this into a series of deliverable activities. Possessing excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, the role holder should be able to work comfortably with industry executives, civil servants and internal colleagues. We are looking for a team player with the ability to work effectively with others and support emerging tasking that may be unfamiliar. Identifying and negotiating positive collaborations and partnership opportunities is also desirable. Experience: Essential – Degree or post-graduate qualification in a subject relating to aerospace, aviation or with proven relevant experience (S) Up-to-date and broad-based knowledge of innovation in the aerospace and aviation sectors (I) Appreciation of the wider industrial landscape in the UK, the key businesses and initiatives relevant to aviation and the main challenges and opportunities that exist (I) Knowledge and experience of innovation and a general understanding of the support needed by both SMEs and larger companies to develop and deploy new technologies (S & I) Familiarity with the wider research environment, and how research and innovation programmes move through to deployment and measurable impact (I) Experience in communication, negotiation, and liaison with businesses, government departments, trade bodies, regulators, and research institutes to develop partnerships and influence agendas (S & I) Demonstrated capability in at least one of the following: aerospace vehicles, airspace management, air transport systems/infrastructure, flight operations, aviation safety and regulations, and skills development (S & I) Desirable – Evidence of further qualifications in business or economics-related disciplines. 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 criteria’s 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; 06-01-2025