Director, Advanced Manufacturing and Director, Industrial Strategy in Darlington

The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade sits at the heart of the Government’s ambitions for growth, investment and reindustrialisation. We support businesses to invest, innovate and export, strengthen the UK’s international competitiveness and help ensure that the benefits of growth are felt across every part of the country.

We are recruiting to two influential Director roles within the Business Group:

• Director, Advanced Manufacturing
• Director, Industrial Strategy

These are distinct but connected appointments. One will lead the delivery of the Government’s modern Industrial Strategy across a complex cross-government system. The other will lead its work across advanced manufacturing, including automotive, aerospace and batteries.

Both roles offer the opportunity to shape major economic priorities, work with Ministers and some of the UK’s most important businesses, and turn long-term ambition into tangible results.

We are looking for accomplished senior leaders who can operate across organisational boundaries, build trusted relationships with business and combine pace and high standards with a collaborative and inclusive leadership style.

Director, Advanced Manufacturing

This role will lead the Government’s work across advanced manufacturing, providing strategic leadership for one of the priority sectors within the Industrial Strategy and focusing particularly on automotive, aerospace and batteries and their contribution to UK growth, resilience and competitiveness.

You will lead a directorate of approximately 90 people and oversee major programme budgets and investments. As Senior Responsible Owner for the 4 billion DRIVE35 programme, you will support the transition and growth of the UK automotive industry, while overseeing programmes including the 2.3 billion Aerospace Technology Institute programme, the 450 million Battery Innovation Programme and Made Smarter.

You will lead delivery of the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan, translating its commitments into investment, innovation, productivity and high-quality employment. You will build relationships with major businesses, investors and trade bodies and help attract and retain strategically important international investment.

You will influence wider government policy, including trade, procurement, finance, regulation, innovation, energy and skills, ensuring advanced manufacturing priorities are understood across government.

This high-profile role requires strong commercial judgement, credibility with senior business leaders and the ability to deliver complex programmes under sustained scrutiny.

Director, Industrial Strategy

The modern Industrial Strategy is a 10-year plan to increase investment in sectors with the greatest potential to drive UK growth, while supporting innovation, economic security, net zero and high-value clusters across the country.

This is designed to help the UK respond to major economic and technological shifts, including the clean energy transition, the impact of AI, changing global markets and new geopolitical realities. It also supports the development of high-value sectors, industries and clusters across the UK, strengthening productivity, economic security and resilience.

As Director, Industrial Strategy, you will lead the next phase of this signature economic policy as it moves firmly into delivery, driving implementation of the Strategy and its sector plans in line with Ministerial priorities.

Working across the Cabinet Office, HM Treasury, No.10 and the wider Civil Service, you will align departments, navigate competing interests and drive delivery. You will also work with businesses, trade unions, academia and local leaders to address barriers to investment and growth.

You will lead energy interventions to improve UK competitiveness, including the AI Growth Zones Energy Support Scheme, oversee sponsorship of the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council and chair the cross-government Industrial Strategy Programme Board.

You will lead a multidisciplinary directorate of approximately 80 people, supported by five Senior Civil Servants. The role requires exceptional influencing skills, political awareness and strategic judgement.

What we are looking for

For both appointments, we are seeking visible and empowering leaders who can set clear direction, lead through ambiguity and create inclusive, high-performing cultures.

You will bring:

• A strong record of leading high-performing teams and delivering results in complex and ambiguous environments.
• Credibility with Ministers, senior business leaders and other influential stakeholders.
• Excellent influencing and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build collaboration and offer constructive challenge.
• Experience of working across organisational boundaries or complex systems, using influence rather than direct authority to secure tangible outcomes.
• Experience of developing policy or strategy with government, business, academia or other stakeholders.
• The ability to turn innovative ideas into sustainable improvements and align people, processes and technology behind complex programmes.
• Sound judgement, resilience and effectiveness under sustained scrutiny.

Location and working arrangements

The roles may be based in London, Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh or Salford, with Manchester becoming an option in 2027. Successful candidates will be expected to travel to London, normally twice weekly, to support Ministers, engage with colleagues and fulfil the requirements of the role.