Location: RAU Campuses, Cirencester Salary: GBP 76,050 per annum pro rata Vacancy Type: 9 months fixed term, 24.5 hours per week (0.7 FTE) Purpose The Director of Commercial Innovation will lead the transformation of the Royal Agricultural University’s innovation ecosystem based at the Cirencester campus. This role is responsible for designing, building, and scaling a high‑value innovation cluster that bridges the gap between research validation and commercial adoption across land, food, agriculture, sustainability, and rural enterprise. The Director will shape the Alliston Centre as Building 1 of the RAU’s Innovation Village by establishing global partnerships, commercial programmes, specialist knowledge hubs, and revenue‑generating services that integrate RAU’s academic assets with industry demand. Key Responsibilities Strategic Leadership and Vision Lead the repositioning of the Alliston Centre into a specialist, RAU‑aligned innovation ecosystem. Develop and execute a unified commercial strategy that integrates memberships, CPD, consultancy, knowledge hubs, and strategic partnerships. Establish the Centre as the commercial crucible for the future Innovation Village, testing new institutes, business models, and impact metrics. Revenue Growth and Commercialisation Oversee the consolidation of Farm491, Growth Hub, and other legacy brands into a single membership model. Ecosystem Building and Industry Partnerships Recruit and manage Anchor Partners across agriculture, sustainability, food systems, and rural innovation. Build global institutional links and secure strategic partnerships with corporates, investors, and international research bodies. Position the Centre as a high‑growth magnet within the Oxford‑Bristol‑Golden Valley innovation arc. Operational Excellence and Data‑Driven Management Implement a unified CRM and data pipeline to track lead generation, conversion, retention, and ecosystem lifetime value (LTV). Academic Integration and RAU Alignment Ensure all commercial activity supports RAU’s core values: Academic and Student Value, Industry Value, Innovation Value. Person Specification Qualifications Higher degree and/or professional qualification Evidence of continued professional development Knowledge, Experience
