Deputy Director of Innovation Systems for Science, Research and Innovation Directorate (SRID) London, England
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About the job
Job summary
Do you want to lead a high-performing, diverse team to deliver some of the issues most important to the UK’s economic future? Do you want to drive a cross-government policy debate on the future of the innovation system in the UK economy, and work closely with no 10, who see this area as a top priority? Do you want to be at the heart of an expert and engaged stakeholder community? Then the role of Deputy Director, Innovation Systems will be a great fit for you.
Sitting within Science, Research and Innovation Directorate (SRID), the Innovation Systems team works to make the UK the most innovative economy in the world by helping to deliver on the innovation ambitions in HMG’s Innovation Strategy as one of the three pillars of the Plan for Growth. The team drives the innovation policy discussion both within and outside government so that public and private investment achieves the maximum economic and social impact.
Job description
Deputy Director, Innovation Systems is a crucial leadership role for the new department. An established and credible policy professional, the role-holder will drive a priority area for both the Secretary of State and the Minister for Science, Research and Innovation.
Leading a high-performing and energetic team of approximately 18, Deputy Director, Innovation Strategy is responsible for delivering the actions contained within the Innovation Strategy , while also working closely with teams across DSIT, no 10, UK Research and Innovation, industry and academia to deliver new policy in line with the framework set by the Strategy and high ministerial ambition. The record settlement in support of Research, Development and Innovation at the Spending Review provides a strong platform to go further. Policies should ultimately help increase rates of private investment in R&D, working with teams across government and beyond, moving towards reaching our ambition set in 2017 of total R&D investment reaching 3% of GDP.
The role-holder is responsible for building and maintaining a broad-based network across the academic and business communities, shaping the innovation policy debate by identifying and harnessing emerging trends and new ideas including the commercialisation of the world-class research emerging from our universities. This is the perfect role for an ambitious and experienced Deputy Director looking to develop their leadership credentials in a policy area that is firmly at the top of the national political agenda.
Person specification
Skills, experience and qualifications (Essential)
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
- A proven track record of policy development and delivery.
- Experience of leading and empowering high-performing and diverse teams to drive real change.
- Proven experience of providing strategic advice to senior leaders, demonstrating acute awareness of the political context.
- The ability to build and maintain a broad set of stakeholder relationships while remaining credible across a range of business, academic and stakeholder groups.
- Strategic thinking and the ability to navigate a complex and broad policy environment.
- The ability to collaborate effectively and work across organisational boundaries to achieve mutually desired outcomes.
Skills, experience and qualifications (Desirable)
- Knowledge and experience of innovation policy, economics or industrial policy.
Benefits
A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an average employer contribution of 27%.
A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 40-60% of their time in the office (minimum of 40%) over a month with flex dependent on balancing business and individual need (from September 2021, depending on how the public health guidance evolves).
Things you need to know
Selection process details
To apply for this post please follow the instructions on the CS Jobs website by no later than 23:55 Monday 1st May 2023. As part of the application process you are asked to complete the following:
- A CV setting out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role, relevant achievements in recent posts, together with reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
- A Statement of Suitability (no more than 1000 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification.
- Shortlisted candidates will be invited to undertake a Staff Engagement Exercise as part of the recruiting prior to the final interview. This assessment will not result in a ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ decision. Rather it is designed to support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview.
- Final Interview.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
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Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
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