Director of the National Centre for Marine Autonomy in Plymouth

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work_outline Basis FT Temporary Fulltime All Year

Director of the National Centre for Marine Autonomy

location_on Plymouth 25/10/2026 Director of the National Centre for Marine Autonomy Apply online The job details are shown below. For further information click on the link for the job description.

Job details

Salary Senior Manager Contractual hours 37 Basis FT Temporary Fulltime All Year Interview date Week commencing Monday 2 November 2026 Job category/type Professional/Support Services Date posted 07/10/2026 Job reference B1423 Attachments attachment B1423 Job Description.pdf

Description

We are seeking an exceptional senior-level individual to provide strategic leadership to establish the NCMA and Plymouth as the UK’s nationally recognised centre of excellence for marine autonomy.

About the role

In June 2025, Plymouth was announced as the National Centre for Marine Autonomy (NCMA), a reflection of the significant investment by partners in capabilities and capacity to support the development, testing and deployment of autonomous marine technologies. Reflecting this and the government’s priority to support the development of autonomy as a fundamental pillar of its Defence Investment Plan, the NCMA is a cornerstone of the city’s Defence Growth Deal, through which significant MoD investment will be made in the NCMA’s capabilities to support both defence and civilian applications of autonomous systems. You will lead through a “team of teams” model, bringing together Defence, industry, academia, regulators, local government, investors and national partners into a coherent ecosystem that can accelerate research, experimentation, assurance, testing, trials and operational adoption at pace.

A key requirement is to develop and deliver a nationally and internationally significant programme of trials, testing and innovation exercises, including a major dual-use autonomous maritime exercise in 2028. This will support SME’s access to world class facilities and demonstrate Plymouth’s ability to rival leading international experimentation environments. By providing a permissive, safe and operationally relevant environment that enables Defence, industry and academia to develop, assure and scale autonomous capabilities in support of national security, economic growth and the Royal Navy’s aspiration for a Hybrid Navy.

The role will be employed by the University of Plymouth but will work within a partnership governance framework, providing visible leadership across the NCMA, in support of the Team Plymouth and Defence Growth Deal delivery structures. You will be expected to maintain confidence across partners by providing clear direction, transparent reporting, effective risk management and a relentless focus on delivery outcomes.

• Lead the establishment and ongoing development of the NCMA as a safe, agile and reliable ecosystem for marine autonomy, using a coherent “team of teams” approach across Defence, industry, academia, regulators, local and national government and partners.
• Work with Partners to provide the vision, leadership and delivery discipline required to design and deliver a nationally significant programme of trials, testing and experimentation for uncrewed and autonomous maritime systems in and around Plymouth.
• Create a visible and investable national ecosystem for autonomous maritime capability by connecting Plymouth’s research base, testing facilities, operational expertise, waterfront assets, commercial partners and innovation strengths.
• Establish effective governance, accountability and delivery mechanisms for the NCMA and the 2028 exercise, including clear partner roles, transparent decision-making, risk management, safety assurance, regulatory coordination and alignment with national

Defence priorities:

• Provide senior national and international advocacy for the NCMA, ensuring it aligns with and influences Defence innovation, the Defence Industrial Strategy, maritime autonomy assurance, regulatory reform and the Royal Navy’s Hybrid Navy ambition.

For this role, you will need to be on site 2 days a week. Although we can accommodate working from home for this role, flexibility to be on-site will be expected due to business needs.

For an informal discussion to find out more about the role then please contact Adrian Dawson: by email at adrian.dawson@plymouth.ac.uk

What we’re looking for

• Senior-level strategic leadership experience in a complex, multi-partner environment, with a proven ability to set direction, build trust and align diverse organisations behind shared outcomes.
• Track record of leading complex, time-critical programmes through ambiguity, including management of risk, dependency, stakeholder expectation, financial control and delivery confidence.
• Demonstrable experience of building and sustaining senior partnerships across public, private, academic or operational organisations, including collaborative governance, transparency and shared accountability.
• Experience of working within a Defence, defence-aligned, national security, emergency response or operationally regulated environment.
• Experience of planning, coordinating or delivering complex military, maritime, multi-agency or live experimentation exercises, including scenario development, stakeholder coordination, permissions, safety management, lessons capture and evaluation

For more information about the job and the person specification, please refer to the job description.

Application Process

Please apply online, demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the knowledge, qualifications, training, skills and experience elements of the job description in your supporting statement.

Following the closing date of the vacancy, you will be notified on the outcome of your application in due course.

Our Offer

A successful external candidate for this position would be employed by the University of Plymouth Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Plymouth. Employees of the University of Plymouth Services Limited work alongside the University of Plymouth colleagues in delivery of Plymouth’s strategic vision, and will adopt the University of Plymouth’s HR policies and procedures in full unless otherwise stated.

We have a wide range of staff benefits available to employees, depending on eligibility:

• Generous annual leave: 35 Days Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays & Closure Days
• Generous pension scheme
• Cycle to Work & Electric Car Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Development opportunities
• Enhanced family leave
• Flexible working
• Retailer discounts
• On-site nursery

A summary of our comprehensive benefits can be viewed here .

Additional Information

The University of Plymouth is building an inclusive and equitable university where everyone feels represented, supported, and empowered to thrive. Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion is guided by the Inclusive Institutions Framework, a strategic and externally validated approach that embeds these principles across the entire institution. To find out more please visit our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion webpages

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