Head of the Composites Centre in Catcliffe

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university. We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more.

Overview

The Head of the Composite Centre at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre is responsible for leading a team of highly-skilled manufacturing engineers and researchers in the technical field of the development of composite materials and process development. The core focus of this prestigious leadership role will be to provide leadership and inspiration to the team, ensuring the on-time and to-cost delivery of the highest quality research outputs that provide business transformation to the AMRC's industrial partners.

Reporting directly to the AMRC Executive Board, you will provide strategic direction for AMRC Composites Centre, ensuring its objectives are fully aligned with the broader strategy of the AMRC and University of Sheffield. You will be an integral part of the leadership community of the AMRC, collectively responsible for the success of the AMRC and to this end will collaborate and work as a team across this community to drive best practice, operational excellence and reputational enhancement of our professional network and global profile.

To be successful in this position, candidates must possess a relevant good honours degree or demonstrate a robust, proven background within the Advanced Manufacturing research environment. Significant experience in successfully securing and executing high-profile projects for partners and customers is essential. Furthermore, effective communication and the ability to inspire and motivate staff are required to ensure the successful delivery of all group projects.

Main Duties And Responsibilities

• Be an active, collaborative and open contributor to the leadership of the AMRC, working closely with the AMRC board, counterparts in other AMRC Groups and the wider University.
• To contribute your insights, relationships and experience to deliver on the vision, mission and values.
• Drive reputational gain for the AMRC.
• Be an ambassador for the AMRC and University externally, representing AMRC at conferences, events and across the HVMC network.
• Build strong and trusted relationships with industry, especially across the AMRC industrial partnership.
• Hold overall accountability for the AMRC Composites Centre, which comprises approximately 50 research and professional staff and manages an active order book exceeding £5M.
• Provide regular reports on AMRC Composites Centre performance to the AMRC Executive Board, the wider AMRC leadership and other relevant University groups.
• Be accountable for group expenditure against budgets for both project activity and cost centre ensuring financial stability of the group.
• Ultimately accountable for the management and development of AMRC Composites Centre's income pipeline and business mix.
• Lead and empower the senior leadership team within AMRC Composites Centre, providing guidance, mentorship, and support to enable them to thrive and deliver on the goals and priorities within their respective areas.
• Direct line management of the senior team within AMRC Composites Centre.
• Ensure the provision of clear roles within the AMRC Composites Centre leadership group that have delegated authority and responsibility for the research and operational delivery functions of AMRC Composites Centre.
• Oversee the strategic development and application of new technologies, informed by, and aligned to the needs of industry partners, funding bodies, and wider stakeholder strategies.
• Plan and control change initiatives that enable the AMRC Composites Centre to consistently increase research turnover, strengthen its reputation, and demonstrate high industrial impact and relevance.
• Accountable for AMRC Composites Centre’s high-quality grant applications submissions to funding councils.
• Engage with industry to enhance the group's technical reputation, secure industry-funded research projects, and deliver high impact, relevant research to the AMRC's industrial partners.
• Implement the AMRC and University’s Intellectual Property (IP) strategy, ensuring the effective capture and commercial exploitation of research outcomes, IP and knowledge assets.
• Accountability for driving safety standards and environmental responsibility.
• Ensure all operations and facilities strictly adhere to University policies and align with the AMRC’s integrated management systems.
• Champion a high-performance HSE culture across the group.
• Support One University approach across the organisation and promote the group and the AMRC positively throughout the wider University.
• Provide leadership and management for the group, cultivating an inclusive culture that champions excellence through diversity.
• Ensure a customer centric approach to business activities, driving a culture of delivery excellence and always seeking to provide maximum return on investment and value to the AMRC's research funding stakeholders.

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and are respected. Even if your past experience doesn’t match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply.

Criteria

• Essential: Possess a good honours degree or equivalent experience, demonstrating a strong technical foundation.
• Essential: Have a strong background in the advanced manufacturing research environment.
• Essential: Proven track record of securing relevant project work and providing Partners with confidence and value from their engagements.
• Essential: Proven delivery of high profile, high value, complex projects, working with multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Essential: Proven ability to manage and develop an income pipeline to ensure financial sustainability and growth.
• Essential: Experience of successfully leading a diverse range of staff, ensuring communication is transparent and motivating.
• Essential: Experience of building and developing a team and aligning the day-to-day work and goals of the team with the organisation’s strategic vision.
• Essential: Ability to motivate high performance in others.
• Essential: Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, including strong report writing skills.

Further Information

Grade: Professorial Equivalent Band 1

Salary: £71,566 - £90,603

Work arrangement: Full-time Hybrid / Flexible on request

Duration: Permanent

Line manager: AMRC Executive Board

Direct reports: Head of Operations (AMRC Composites Centre), Head of Research (AMRC Composites Centre), Head of Innovation (AMRC Composites Centre)

For informal enquiries about this job contact Matt Farnsworth, AMRC Commercial Director: on hradvisersamrc@sheffield.ac.uk.

Next steps in the recruitment process: The selection process will consist of an Interview and pre-prepared presentation. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage two weeks after the closing date.

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

Possession of a criminal record is not an automatic bar to employment at the University of Sheffield.

Our University Vision outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.