At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the UK's innovation agenda and drive impactful change across sectors.
- Company: Join Innovate UK, a leader in transforming breakthrough ideas into industry giants.
- Benefits: Attractive salary, performance bonuses, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic role with significant influence and career advancement potential.
- Why this job: Shape the future of innovation and make a real difference in the UK economy.
- Qualifications: Proven executive leadership experience in innovation or research funding.
Salary: £145,000 - £155,000 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. This is the start of the next chapter for Innovate UK. We are recalibrating.
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 £1bn and oversight of an additional £800m 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.
- Influence: External Influence at ‘C’ level and Policy Engagement across multidisciplinary stakeholders. 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 in 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.
If you would like to find out more about the role or to submit an application please click 'apply' to visit our careers site.
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 New Town employer: Innovate UK
Innovate UK is an exceptional employer that champions innovation and economic growth, offering a dynamic work culture where creativity and collaboration thrive. With a commitment to employee development and a strategic focus on impactful projects, team members are empowered to lead initiatives that shape the future of the UK's innovation landscape. The role of Managing Director not only provides a competitive salary and benefits but also positions you at the forefront of national policy engagement and industry leadership, making it a truly rewarding opportunity.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Managing Director, Innovate UK in New Town
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry leaders, attend events, and engage in conversations that matter. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that dream role.
✨Tip Number 2
Be prepared for interviews! Research Innovate UK thoroughly, understand their mission, and think about how your experience aligns with their goals. Practice common interview questions and have your own questions ready to show your interest.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills! In your discussions, highlight your experience in leading teams and driving innovation. Use specific examples to demonstrate how you've made an impact in previous roles.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining Innovate UK and contributing to their vision of turning breakthrough ideas into industry giants.
We think you need these skills to ace Managing Director, Innovate UK in New Town
Some tips for your application 🫡
Read the Job Description Thoroughly:Before you start writing your application, make sure to read through the entire job description. It’s packed with info about what we’re looking for and can help you tailor your application to show us why you’re the perfect fit.
Showcase Your Leadership Experience:As a Managing Director, we want to see your proven track record in senior executive roles. Highlight your experience leading teams and driving innovation initiatives, especially those with national or global impact. Make it clear how your leadership style aligns with our vision.
Be Specific About Your Achievements:When detailing your experience, be specific! Use numbers and examples to illustrate your successes. Whether it’s managing budgets or influencing policy, we want to see concrete evidence of your impact in previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website:Once you’ve polished your application, don’t forget to hit that apply button on our careers site. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us directly, and we can’t wait to see what you bring to the table!
How to prepare for a job interview at Innovate UK
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, dive deep into Innovate UK's mission and recent initiatives. Familiarise yourself with their strategic vision and how it aligns with national industrial strategies. This will not only show your genuine interest but also help you articulate how your experience can contribute to their goals.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Managing Director, you'll need to demonstrate strong leadership capabilities. Prepare examples of how you've successfully led multi-disciplinary teams and driven innovation initiatives in complex environments. Be ready to discuss how you foster a high-performance culture and manage organisational effectiveness.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Since this role involves significant interaction with government ministers and industry leaders, think about how you can showcase your experience in influencing senior stakeholders. Prepare anecdotes that highlight your ability to engage with diverse groups and advocate for policy changes based on programme results.
✨Be Ready for Tough Questions
Expect questions around decision-making in politically complex environments. Reflect on past experiences where you've balanced economic, social, and scientific priorities. Practising your responses to these scenarios will help you convey confidence and clarity during the interview.
