Group R&D Director
This is a unique opportunity to join a company with a strong commitment to UK-based product R&D operations. As Group R&D Director, you will drive engineering and product innovation through an established department with strong technical leadership in place.
The Group R&D Director will take a strategic view towards embedding best practice within the R&D departments and the broader business R&D processes. This role will also facilitate strong links with parent company operations to provide a robust platform for ongoing innovation and investment.
Role Overview:
As the Group R&D Director, you will hold strategic oversight of all R&D activities, deploying world-class methodologies and optimising processes to enhance departmental operations. You will focus on offering strategic guidance, challenging existing processes, driving collaboration, and providing strong technical leadership across the organisation.
You will be responsible for the delivery methodology of all new products, working closely with established and knowledgeable Technology Group leadership teams. By working "on the process, not in it," you will ensure that all projects are delivered on time, in full, and within budget, adhering to specifications and optimising the utilisation of company resources.
Key Responsibilities:
* Challenge and improve existing working practices to enhance efficiency, reduce time to market, maintain traceability, and minimise risk.
* Steer the R&D function to deliver agreed technology programmes on time, within budget, and to specification, in accordance with company policies and industry regulations.
* Build and coordinate collaboration across group R&D functions, leading the delivery of inter-business projects.
* Set and align technical strategies with overall business goals, facilitating group-wide collaboration where necessary.
* Innovate and implement new processes and adopt technologies to maintain a competitive advantage and advance departmental capabilities.
* Utilise stakeholder feedback to identify and drive areas for improvement.
* Develop strong partnerships with suppliers to support collaborative project delivery.
* Develop and implement ongoing training programmes to enhance staff skills and knowledge.
The Ideal Candidate:
* Proven experience in a leadership role driving R&D operations at a strategic level.
* Demonstrated success in driving departmental change through project management methodologies and IT systems that enhance R&D delivery.
* Strong understanding of fast-paced R&D design processes, ongoing engineering changes, and new product introduction (NPI), with a solid grasp of fundamental engineering principles.
* Commercial acumen, with the ability to balance priorities for maximum impact and alignment with broader business needs.
* Strong analytical, critical reasoning, and effective decision-making skills.
* Excellent collaborator with experience managing stakeholders across domestic and international operations.
* Engaging and motivating team player with exceptional communication, networking, and influencing skills.
About Our Client:
Our client is a global leader with enviable market share, benefiting from strong commercial backing and an agile and responsive culture. They value a strong culture and boast high retention rates, making this a rare and exciting opportunity to make a significant impact in a well-funded organisation with a robust product roadmap and strong technical knowledge within their R&D operations.