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- Tasks: Lead the UK's innovation agenda and drive impactful projects across various sectors.
- Company: Join Innovate UK, a leader in fostering innovation and economic growth.
- Benefits: Attractive salary, performance bonuses, and opportunities for professional development.
- Other info: Dynamic role with significant influence on national innovation policy and strategy.
- Why this job: Shape the future of UK innovation and make a real difference in the economy.
- Qualifications: Proven executive leadership experience and strong stakeholder engagement skills.
The predicted salary is between 145000 - 155000 ÂŁ per year.
Innovate UK, Managing Director
Salary: ÂŁ145,000 - ÂŁ155,000 per annum, plus potential discretionary performance related bonus.
Hours: Full Time
Contract Type: Permanent – This role will consider a secondment or fixed term contract for the right candidate
Location: Field based with regular travel to London and Swindon offices, and stakeholder events
Reporting Line: Reports directly to the Executive Chair, Innovate UK
Closing Date: Sunday 31st May 2026 at 23:55.
Proposed Interview Date: w/c Monday 29th June 2026.
About Innovate UK
The UK has one of the strongest research bases in the world. But we do not have as many globally scaled companies as that strength should produce. Why? What is stopping our big ideas from becoming big businesses?
The UK excels at making discoveries, generating intellectual property (IP), spinning out and starting up. Yet when it comes to scaling, too many innovative businesses fail, stall or move overseas. Innovation is in our blood. We must focus on industrialising that innovation, because fast‑growing businesses are built on innovation and are what drive real economic value. That is the gap Innovate UK exists to close.
Our vision is a UK where breakthrough ideas, from research, from labs, from anywhere in this country, can become industry leaders. Industry giants. Where those with potential, realise the potential. We are here to back the UK’s most promising innovators: to give them the support, validation, connections and capital pathways that, together with others, help them to start, scale and stay in the UK.
The world is becoming more uncertain and more competitive. But it is also filled with opportunities. The UK must seize the opportunities of the transformational technologies coming through today, not only using them, but creating and shaping them. Innovation, done right, can be the UK’s real strength. That is what we are here to deliver.
About the Role
As the most senior executive role under the Innovate UK Executive Chair, the Managing Director plays a pivotal role in shaping and delivering the UK’s national innovation agenda. This role partners with the Executive Chair to lead Innovate UK’s strategic direction and funding portfolio, with full accountability for execution and performance across innovation programmes, strategic investments, and organisational leadership.
The Managing Director is a high‑profile representative of Innovate UK, engaging directly with government ministers, business leaders, and national stakeholders to drive UKRI’s innovation mission and the UK’s global competitiveness.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Leadership and Accountability
- Lead business and organisation performance, embedding a cross‑team matrix structure that will deliver the new Innovate UK strategy, effective programme primacy and business‑first prioritisation.
- Partner with the Executive Chair to co‑lead the development and execution of Innovate UK’s strategic vision in alignment with UKRI and national industrial strategy.
- Take direct accountability for the successful delivery of Innovate UK’s multi‑billion‑pound innovation portfolio across sectors including AI, clean energy, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, creative industries and defence.
- Lead Innovate UK’s operational and programme performance frameworks, ensuring targets are met across investment outcomes, economic impact, and policy objectives.
- Collaborate with senior UKRI leaders, providing leadership on business innovation across UKRI strategic priorities.
- People and Organisational Leadership
- Provide executive leadership to the entire Innovate UK organisation, with overarching responsibility for organisational effectiveness. This includes accountability for an organisational wide core budget of ÂŁ1bn and oversight of an additional ÂŁ800m in externally managed programmes, ensuring alignment of resources, people, and operations to strategic priorities.
- Directly manage a senior executive team, including Directors and programme leads, overseeing a talented and multidisciplinary workforce and a wider community of experts totalling more than 1,000 people across the Innovate UK group of companies.
- Champion a high‑performance culture, inclusive leadership practices, and cross functional collaboration.
- Drive organisation‑wide capability development, succession planning, and talent strategy in coordination with UKRI corporate services.
- External Influence and Policy Engagement
- Serve as Innovate UK’s lead representative to ministers, special advisers, select committees, and cross‑departmental groups – shaping the innovation policy landscape.
- Act as a public ambassador for UKRI’s innovation mission, leading strategic engagement with FTSE CEOs, investors, academia, and mission‑driven partners.
- Influence the positioning of Innovate UK within UK‑wide and global innovation ecosystems.
- Advocate for UK national policy and regulatory changes as a consequence of programme results and findings to accelerate UK high potential businesses.
- Decision‑Making and Governance
- Lead strategic decision‑making in politically complex environments, balancing economic, social, and scientific priorities.
- Oversee governance, risk management, and assurance processes for innovation programmes and investment decisions.
- Maintain full accountability for regulatory compliance, financial stewardship, and public value delivery.
Your Skills and Experience
- Essential Criteria
- Proven track record of senior executive leadership within government innovation agencies, major research funders, or within high‑profile industrial, corporate R&D, or innovation‑led organisations.
- Demonstrable authority and credibility in influencing senior stakeholders, including briefing ministers, boards, investors, and regulators, and contributing to innovation strategy and policy development at a national or international level.
- Deep experience leading complex, cross‑sector innovation initiatives with national or global impact, involving significant public and/or private investment.
- Strategic leadership of multi‑disciplinary senior teams, with a strong track record of embedding a culture of delivery, performance, and excellence within complex organisations.
- Recognised as a leader in innovation ecosystems, including innovation funding, public‑private partnerships, corporate venture or R&D investment, and the delivery of industrial or commercial strategy.
- Desirable Experience
- Sector expertise in one or more frontier technologies: AI, engineering biology, quantum, advanced connectivity, cybersecurity, or semiconductors.
- Experience navigating UKRI or similar governance frameworks and participating in cross‑organisational initiatives.
- Postgraduate qualifications or equivalent senior executive leadership training desirable.
Managing Director, Innovate UK in London employer: Innovate UK
Contact Detail:
Innovate UK Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Managing Director, Innovate UK in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry leaders, attend events, and engage in conversations. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that Managing Director role at Innovate UK.
✨Tip Number 2
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✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews like it’s game day! Research Innovate UK thoroughly, understand their mission, and come armed with ideas on how you can contribute to their strategic vision. Confidence is key!
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to engage directly with us. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!
We think you need these skills to ace Managing Director, Innovate UK in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight how your experience aligns with the role of Managing Director at Innovate UK. Use keywords from the job description to show that you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: As a senior executive, it's crucial to demonstrate your leadership capabilities. Share specific examples of how you've led teams or initiatives in the past, especially in innovation or government sectors, to make your application stand out.
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Apply Through Our Website: Don't forget to submit your application through our official website! This ensures that your application is received directly by us and helps streamline the process. Plus, it shows you're serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Innovate UK
✨Know Your Innovation Stuff
Make sure you’re well-versed in the latest trends and challenges in innovation, especially in sectors like AI, clean energy, and life sciences. Brush up on Innovate UK's mission and how it aligns with national strategies. This will show your passion and understanding of the role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare to discuss your experience in leading multi-disciplinary teams and driving performance. Have specific examples ready that demonstrate your ability to embed a high-performance culture and manage complex projects. This is crucial for a senior role like Managing Director.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Think about how you would engage with various stakeholders, from government ministers to FTSE CEOs. Be ready to share your strategies for influencing policy and building partnerships. This will highlight your capability to represent Innovate UK effectively.
✨Demonstrate Strategic Thinking
Be prepared to discuss your approach to strategic decision-making in politically complex environments. Think of examples where you balanced economic, social, and scientific priorities. This will showcase your ability to lead Innovate UK's strategic direction.