Director of R&D in Rochester

Working for Hochiki, we’re committed to giving our customers the best—both through the quality of our products and the service we provide. We know that our people are the driving force behind our success, and we truly value the impact each employee makes. In return, we offer rewarding careers, competitive benefits, and plenty of opportunities to grow in a supportive, energetic workplace.

Our culture is shaped by Hochiki Corporation’s Core Values: Integrity, Passion, Challenge and Teamwork.

Department: Research and Development

Location: Rochester (with occasional travel to other locations)

Role Purpose: To lead the implementation of the product and technology development across the Hochiki Group international businesses based in the UK (including Kentec Electronics and Hochiki Europe), providing vision and strategic direction for the R&D Centre. To oversee all new product development and product improvements through effective management and planning of Research & Development (R&D) resources for the EMEIA, Asia Pacific (Excluding Japan) and Americas regions. Drive communication, collaboration, knowledge-sharing and teamwork across R&D functions within the business.

Who you’ll report to: International Business Division

What you’ll be doing:

• Overseeing the delivery of Fire Control and Indicating Equipment (CIE), Fire Detection and Alarm (FDA) products and industry related R&D projects while supporting a unified culture, vision and strategy for the R&D Centre.
• Working with relevant stakeholders within the International Business Division to establish a product strategy and prioritize R&D projects. Ensuring these priorities are communicated and understood throughout the R&D Centre.
• Developing a strong relationship and shared vision within the International Business Division to establish a common vision of development plans and priorities that align with the corporate strategy and business needs.
• Establish and oversee project success criteria including resource allocation, key milestones, budget, performance and quality requirements ensuring on-time and on-budget and on-spec delivery of new product development and improvement projects. Identify and resolve complicated issues to schedule, resources, scope and risk assessment.
• Driving and leading a culture of innovation, quality and continuous improvement in R&D processes and procedures, whilst communicating the importance of commercial awareness within the R&D Centre.
• Harmonizing processes, technologies, systems, tools and knowledge bases to support growth through innovation. Sustaining professional development and industry knowledge and seeking for the best current practices.
• Providing leadership for all elements relating to people management; including development and engagement of employees, ensuring that robust and secure succession plans are in place, recruiting high level teams and ensuring that people resource is maintained against budget and project requirements.
• Providing support to a strategic product and system testing strategy to ensure that product releases maintain the reputation of the Hochiki brands.
• Budget planning, execution and control, as well as reporting on budget status for the R&D Centre.
• Presenting R&D project outcomes at conferences/professional meetings.

Who you’ll be working with:

• Internal Departments, up to Director level within Hochiki Corporation
• Managing and Board Directors of Hochiki Group businesses
• External Businesses, including suppliers, consultants and third parties
• R&D colleagues across the Hochiki Group businesses

Person Specification: We are looking for a strategic and inspirational leader who brings a passion for innovation, a collaborative mindset, and the ability to drive technological excellence across a global organisation. You will embody Integrity, Passion, Challenge and Teamwork, and play a key role in shaping the future of R&D within the business.

This position is well suited to an experienced R&D or Engineering Director from a multinational, matrix structured organization who will work collaboratively with colleagues in Japan, the United States, and regional commercial and technical teams, while retaining ownership of development outcomes within the UK R&D Centre.

Qualifications:

• Degree (or equivalent) in Engineering, Electronics, Product Design, or a related technical discipline
• Postgraduate qualification (e.g. MSc, MBA or equivalent desirable)
• Professional accreditation (e.g. Chartered Engineer or similar) desirable
• Evidence of continued professional development in R&D, innovation, or leadership disciplines

Experience:

• Significant leadership experience within Research & Development, ideally in fire safety systems, electronics, or a related technical industry
• Proven experience operating at senior leadership level (e.g. Head of R&D, Engineering Director, or similar)
• Demonstrable track record of delivering complex new product development programmes on time, on budget, and to specification
• Experience managing multi-disciplinary and geographically dispersed R&D teams
• Strong experience in developing and implementing product and technology strategies aligned to business objectives
• Experience of budget ownership, resource planning, and financial control within an R&D function
• Desirable: Experience working within an international or matrix organization

Knowledge:

• Deep understanding of product development lifecycles, including design, testing, validation, and compliance
• Strong knowledge of industry standards and regulatory requirements relevant to fire detection and alarm systems (or similar sectors)
• Understanding of emerging technologies, innovation practices, and continuous improvement methodologies
• Commercial awareness with the ability to align R&D activity to market needs and business strategy
• Knowledge of project management methodologies and governance frameworks

Technical skills:

• Proficiency in project and programme management tools and methodologies (e.g. WBS, milestone management, Gantt chart, CPM (Critical Path Method), RACI chart, Risk register, Design Review process, Systems Engineering, Requirement management, Lessons Learned)
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, particularly in complex technical environments
• Experience with product development systems, engineering tools, and testing frameworks (e.g. CAD, CAE, Microsoft Visual Studio)
• Ability to interpret technical data and translate into strategic decisions
• Competence with standard business software (e.g. Microsoft Office suite) with standard data analytic skills such as Excel Pivot/PowerPivot, PowerPoint presentation for executive progress summaries, Microsoft Word documentation for project planning specification and engineering analysis reporting, and Microsoft Teams platform for remote meetings and collaborations.

Personal Qualities:

• Integrity: Acts with honesty, transparency and professionalism, building trust with stakeholders across global teams and at board level. Effectively manages multiple priorities, ensuring delivery against milestones, budgets, and quality standards.
• Passion & Challenge: Drives innovation and continuous improvement, challenging the status quo to deliver high-quality, market-leading products. Actively seeks opportunities to enhance processes, technologies, and ways of working to support growth and innovation.
• Teamwork: Builds strong, collaborative relationships across functions, regions, and external partners, fostering a unified R&D culture. Confident communicator, able to present complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Leadership & Influence: An inspiring leader who can engage, develop and motivate high-performing teams while influencing senior stakeholders. Able to define and communicate a clear vision for R&D, aligning long-term innovation with business goals.