Operations Director (National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre, NAPIC)

Location: Leeds - Main Campus

Are you ready to help deliver a dynamic, internationally leading innovation and knowledge centre in alternative protein? Are you an exceptional operational leader with the ability to translate the NAPIC strategy into practical organisation-wide outcomes? Do you have a successful track record in leading, engaging, integrating and developing diverse teams of professional enabling staff and scientists? 

We are looking for a Operations Director to join the National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC). NAPIC is a £38m entity (including a £15m UKRI investment) to lead the UK’s alternative protein knowledge and Innovation ecosystem. NAPIC’s vision is to make alternative proteins mainstream for a sustainable planet. The centre is led by the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield, Imperial College London and the James Hutton Institute, in collaboration with over 100 national and international partners. NAPIC is a cohesive pan-UK centre poised to revolutionise the UK’s agri-food sector by harnessing our world-leading science base through a co-created alternative protein strategy across the Discovery → Innovation → Commercialisation pipeline to support the transition to a sustainable, high growth, blended protein bioeconomy.  NAPIC features four integrated activity streams: research to address innovation challenges; a national alternative protein knowledge base; workforce of the future; and accessible Innovation facilities.

NAPIC is currently undergoing an exciting investment in a number of senior roles across the four leading organisations. As the Operations Director located at the University of Leeds you will lead a highly dynamic Operational Management Team and report to the CEO of NAPIC. Working in close partnership with members of the Executive Management Board and other senior external stakeholders from industry and academia, you will lead a wide range of operational and strategic initiatives. You will be an experienced senior level leader, with a background in a scientific discipline (ideally interdisciplinary with an appreciation of natural, physical and social sciences), who can question, challenge and influence colleagues, lead change and deliver NAPIC objectives aligned with the NAPIC vision. Your approach will be considerate, open, persuasive and engaging, bringing key stakeholders along with you, ensuring strategic alignment and delivering the objectives. The ability to analyse data, distil and communicate relevant information and its context to colleagues and students from a wide range of backgrounds is an important aspect of this role. You will understand the impact of customer relationship management, building relationships and wider engagement are important aspects of the role.

You will actively take the lead role in all operational aspects of the NAPIC consortium to ensure the delivery of its scientific and translational strategy.  You will develop and manage external relationships with academic and commercial partners, overseeing all budgetary aspects, and the delivery of funded projects and produce the consortium’s annual report for NAPIC. You will manage a highly functional operational team of Technology & Innovation Managers, Communication & Outreach Manager, Programme Manager, Skill & EDI Officer, Impact & Engagement Officer located across the four co-lead organisations.

Please note that this post may be suitable for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route but first-time applicants might need to qualify for salary concessions. For more information please visit: www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa

For research and academic posts, we will consider eligibility under the Global Talent visa. For more information please visit: www.gov.uk/global-talent

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact:

Professor Anwesha Sarkar, Professor of Colloids and Surfaces

Email: A.Sarkar@leeds.ac.uk

Dr. Ellen Hewitt, Head of Research and Innovation

Email: e.l.hewitt@leeds.ac.uk