At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead innovative tech solutions for government and military clients, shaping the future of digital services.
- Company: Join DIGI2AL, a top-rated employee-owned consultancy in defence-focused digital services.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, flexible work options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Be part of a dynamic team that values innovation, ethics, and collaboration.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by translating cutting-edge technology into solutions that matter.
- Qualifications: Proven track record in winning contracts and deep understanding of modern engineering practices.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
Proud to be on The Times 'Best Places to Work 2026'.
DIGI2AL is an employee-owned defence-focused digital services consultancy.
A vendor-agnostic UK Crown Commercial Services accredited supplier, we have delivered over 120 cloud-hosted digital services across the public sector, working in partnership with clients to research and develop outcomes and services spanning artificial intelligence, data science, low code and complex code software engineering, cyber security, cloud engineering, and user-centred design.
At DIGI2AL, our technology values drive everything we do.
We are committed to open, contemporary and secure solutions that put users first.
We embrace cutting-edge technologies while ensuring interoperability, resilience and ethical innovation.
By prioritising transparency, adaptability and security, we enable organisations to build future-proof digital services that deliver real impact.
Role purpose
The Innovation Director is responsible for translating novel technology opportunities into great solutions for our clients.
Your mission is to lead early lifecycle/ pre-sales engagements, architecting the high-level technical strategies that win bids and set our delivery teams up for success.
You will be both proactive and reactive.
Proactive in interpreting government strategy, world events and delivery priority from primes into solutions that Digi2al can deliver to bring pace, precision and productivity.
Reactive in shaping and responding to customer requirements through informal conversations and more substantive solution design for RFPs.
A thorough understanding of the deployment of cutting edge technology into the real world and the pace of change of new technology is essential.
- What you’ll be doing
- Technical Pre-Sales & Bid Architecture
- Solution
Design: Lead the technical architecture for major tenders, ensuring proposals are highly innovative yet rooted in the realities of MOD delivery.
Design architectures supporting hybrid navy frameworks, uncrewed systems command-and-control (C2), multi-sensor data fusion, and tactical edge computing.
Capitalise on major MOD enterprise agreements by designing solutions optimized for Google Cloud Platform's Secret Community Cloud platform, scaling internal Microsoft (M365/Azure/Power Platform) integrations, and developing joint partner propositions within the emerging Palantir ecosystem framework.
- Win
Strategy: Partner with the Sales lead to identify the win strategy that differentiates Digi2al.
You own the technical narrative of the bid, from executive summaries to deep-dive methodology chapters, drawing in experts as required.
- Prototyping & Demos: If needed oversee the creation of proof of concepts (Po Cs) or technical demos that make our vision tangible for clients during the discovery phase.
- Service
- Offering
Design: Work with Practice Leads and the DIGI2AL Labs team to package our technical research, bespoke code, and custom hardware/software developments into repeatable service offerings, blueprints, and playbooks.
Your objective is to productise innovation, establishing scalable pipelines that successfully bridge the gap between low-TRL experimental engineering and formalised programs of record.
- Strategic Client Engagement & Thought Leadership
- Trusted
Advisor: Act as the technical anchor for C-suite government and military stakeholders across Navy Digital, the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA), RAF Digital, Army Digital, DE&S, and Front Line Commands, helping them navigate complex digital roadmaps and evaluate novel tech adoption before formal tenders are released.
- Market
Presence: Represent Digi2al at industry events and in white papers.
You are the face of our technical go to market positioning the firm as a thought leader in high-consequence digital transformation.
- Handover Governance: Ensure a seamless transition from bidding to delivery briefing the Delivery Director and Practice Leads on the technical vision and client expectations.
- The experience you’ll bring
- Experience: A proven track record of winning multi-million pound contracts within the UK Government or Defence sectors.
- Framework
Fluency: Deep familiarity with the Digital, Data and Technology (DDa T) capability framework and public sector commercial procurement models, with specific technical insight into leveraging or partnering via strategic commercial vehicles such as TS4.
- Experience: Background in modern engineering practices but with a clear commercial nose.
A thorough understanding of the deployment of cutting edge technology into the real world and the pace of change of new technology is essential.
- Skill: The ability to spot an opportunity for innovation where others see a routine problem.
You should be able to estimate technical effort accurately, ensuring our innovative solutions are also profitable and deliverable.
- Your personal qualities
- Persuasive Writing: The ability to draft compelling, high-scoring technical responses for formal tenders.
- Outcome-Obsessed: You care more about the client's mission success than the specific tool used to get there.
- Intellectual Curiosity: A natural early adopter who is genuinely excited by solving complex problems with unconventional solutions.
- The Relatable Expert: You can explain high-level technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders without losing the business value in the jargon.
- Entrepreneurial Spirit: You thrive in a smaller, agile environment where you need to be both the strategist and the person who gets the prototype over the line.
- Ethical & Compliant Mindset: You champion Innovation by Design, ensuring all new ventures respect UK GDPR, ethical AI guidelines, and inclusivity standards.
- #J-18808-Ljbffr
Innovation Director in London employer: DIGI2AL
DIGI2AL is an exceptional employer that prioritises employee growth and development within a dynamic and innovative environment. With a strong focus on compliance and information security, employees benefit from a collaborative work culture that encourages initiative and creativity, all while enjoying the flexibility of a hybrid working model in the vibrant Greater London area. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking team dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the defence technology sector.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Innovation Director in London
✨Leverage Innovation Hubs
Tap into local innovation hubs and research centres. These places often host events and workshops where you can meet like-minded people and industry leaders. Plus, they might have job openings that aren't widely advertised, so keep your ears open!
✨Showcase Your Projects
Turn your past innovation projects into compelling stories. Create a portfolio showcasing your creativity and problem-solving skills. This can give hiring managers a real flavour of what you can bring to the table at companies like DIGI2AL.
✨Connect at Industry Conferences
Make it a point to attend industry conferences and seminars focused on R&D and innovation management. These events are fantastic for networking and often have job boards or career fairs where you can connect directly with firms looking for talent.
✨Use Your University’s Resources
If you're fresh out of university, don't forget to tap into your institution's career services. They often have exclusive partnerships with companies seeking new talent in R&D, especially for full-time roles. It's a good shortcut to landing a gig at places like DIGI2AL.
We think you need these skills to ace Innovation Director in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Creative Thinking:In innovation and R&D management, it's all about thinking outside the box. Make sure your CV highlights any projects or experiences that showcase your creative problem-solving skills. Use specific examples to illustrate how you've developed and implemented innovative ideas in previous roles.
Tailor Your Experience to R&D:When you're crafting your CV, focus on your experience in research and development. Highlight any relevant projects you've worked on, including methodologies used and results achieved. This will show us at DIGI2AL that you understand the R&D process and can contribute meaningfully to our projects.
Let Your Passion Shine in the Cover Letter:For a full-time role like this, your cover letter should reflect your genuine passion for innovation and development. Share your excitement about the opportunity to work at DIGI2AL and touch on how your goals align with our mission. This helps us see your motivation for wanting to join our team!
Quantify Your Achievements:Numbers speak volumes in R&D! Whenever possible, quantify your achievements in your CV. Whether it’s a percentage improvement in project outcomes, the budget size you’ve managed, or the number of successful products you've launched, these figures will help paint a clearer picture of your impact and capabilities.
How to prepare for a job interview at DIGI2AL
✨Show Off Your Innovative Thinking
In an Innovation R&D Management role at DIGI2AL, they're going to want to see how you approach problem-solving. Be ready to discuss previous projects where you introduced a new idea or process. Highlight your ability to think outside the box and provide examples where your innovations drove significant results.
✨Familiarity with Tools and Technologies
Make sure you're clued up on the latest tools and technologies related to innovation management, such as project management software and data analysis platforms. Being able to discuss specific tools you’ve used or have experience with will show DIGI2AL that you’re ready to hit the ground running.
✨Demonstrate Collaboration Skills
Since this is a full-time gig, emphasising your teamwork skills will be essential. In innovation, collaboration often sparks the best ideas, so be ready to talk about how you've worked effectively within cross-functional teams in your past roles. Have concrete examples at the ready!
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect some scenario-based questions in your interview that reflect real challenges you might face in the role. £At DIGI2AL, they might want to see how you handle tight deadlines or manage conflicting ideas within a team. Prepare some responses that demonstrate your critical thinking and decisiveness in high-pressure situations.
