Head of R&D

Contronics is a leading provider of laboratory monitoring systems, calibration and temperature mapping services to NHS, healthcare, and life science organisations. For over 30 years we have continued to deliver outstanding system reliability and unrivalled service standards. The Head of R&D and Product Owner is a dynamic and hands-on leadership role, pivotal to our future growth and innovation. Reporting directly to the General Manager and forming part of the senior management team, this dual-role leads the research and development of both hardware and software products while ensuring our solutions continue to meet the evolving needs of our customers. This role is offered on a hybrid basis, with 3 days per week at our office in Congleton.

Job Responsibilities:

• Lead the R&D Function: Manage and mentor a cross-functional R&D team spanning software, firmware, and hardware disciplines.
• Develop and Execute the Technology Strategy: Define and deliver an R&D roadmap aligned with the company’s commercial and operational goals.
• Oversee Product Development: Drive end-to-end development from concept through prototyping, validation, and release, ensuring timely and high-quality outputs.
• Promote Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Work closely with Sales and Operations to deliver solutions that are technically sound, customer-centric, and commercially viable.
• Ensure Regulatory Compliance and Quality Standards: Maintain robust processes and documentation to meet applicable standards in regulated environments.
• Manage Technical Risk: Identify, assess, and mitigate technical risks early in the development process across both hardware and software.
• Implement Modern Engineering Practices: Drive adoption of best practices including Agile development, iterative prototyping, and test-driven development.
• Oversee R&D Budgets and Resources: Plan and manage budgets, tools, and team capacity to support efficient and effective R&D delivery.
• Stay Ahead of Technological Trends: Monitor emerging technologies and standards relevant to IoT, embedded systems, cloud platforms, and healthcare tech.
• Drive AI Readiness and Innovation: Evaluate and incorporate emerging AI and machine learning technologies where they can enhance product capabilities, operational efficiency, or customer outcomes.
• Represent R&D at Leadership Level: Act as the technical voice on the senior management team, supporting routine business reporting, strategic planning and external engagement.
• Own and Manage the Product Backlog: Maintain a well-defined, prioritised backlog across software and hardware features based on customer needs and business priorities.
• Gather and Translate Stakeholder Requirements: Work with internal teams and external customers (healthcare and life science stakeholders) to define clear, actionable user stories and product specifications.
• Define and Communicate the Product Vision: Develop a compelling product vision that aligns with company objectives and guides R&D and commercial teams.
• Bridge Technical and Commercial Functions: Act as the central point of contact between R&D, sales, operations, and support teams to ensure alignment.
• Drive the Product Roadmap: Prioritise features and improvements based on impact, feasibility, and strategic fit, delivering value iteratively.
• Lead Product Validation and Testing: Undertake user acceptance testing, pilot programmes, and early-access feedback to ensure product-market fit and regulatory readiness.
• Support Regulatory and Quality Documentation: Ensure product specifications and documentation support compliance.
• Monitor Progress and Communicate Effectively: Track delivery against the roadmap, report progress to stakeholders, and address blockers proactively.
• Champion Customer-Centric Design: Incorporate ongoing user feedback and data insights into product decisions, continuously refining the solution.
• Promote a Culture of Continuous Improvement: Drive iterative development, learning, and innovation across the product lifecycle.

Job Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• Education: Degree in Electronic Engineering, Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, or similar.
• R&D Leadership: Proven experience leading multidisciplinary R&D teams (software, firmware, hardware) and delivering integrated products.
• Product Ownership: Hands-on experience managing product backlogs, defining features, and prioritising development based on customer and business value.
• Regulatory Knowledge: Familiarity with regulated environments ideally within healthcare or life sciences.
• Development Practices: Strong grasp of Agile software development and iterative hardware engineering.
• Team Management: Skilled in building, mentoring, and motivating high-performing technical teams.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Effective communicator across technical and commercial teams; confident engaging with external customers and regulators.
• Personal Qualities: Strategic thinker with a pragmatic, hands-on approach; adaptable, commercially aware, and customer-focused.

Personal Characteristics and Company Values:

• Positive and Proactive: Approaches challenges with optimism, resilience, and a solutions-focused mindset, motivating others and staying composed under pressure.
• Driven by High Standards: Holds themselves and others to exceptional standards in technical quality, delivery, and continuous improvement.
• Customer-Oriented: Deeply understands the needs of end users and stakeholders, consistently delivering solutions that create measurable value in healthcare and life sciences settings.
• Efficient and Resourceful: Prioritises effectively, makes smart use of available resources, and finds practical solutions without over-engineering.
• Collaborative Leader: Builds strong, trust-based relationships across departments. Leads by example, listens well, and helps create a supportive and high-performing team culture.
• Innovative and Curious: Always exploring new ideas, technologies, and methods to improve products, processes, and team capability — while balancing risk and feasibility.