Technology and Innovation Manager (National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre, NAPIC)

Are you ready to help deliver an internationally leading innovation and knowledge centre in alternative protein? Are you an exceptional innovation manager with the ability to translate the scientific solutions into commercial products and services? Do you have a successful track record in brokering academic/industry partnerships to drive pre-competitive research for multi-industrial benefits? 

We are looking for a Technology & Innovation Manager 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 innovation-facing roles across the four leading organisations. As the Technology & Innovation Manager located at the University of Leeds you will be a part of an Operational Management Team and report directly to the Operational Director and functionally to the CEO of NAPIC. Working in close partnership with members of the Operational Management Team and other external stakeholders from industry and academia, you will drive a wide range of innovation-facing initiatives. You will be an excellent team player with a proven ability to work proactively. You will be well organised and adaptable taking a positive approach to managing a busy and complex workload. You will have excellent communication, organisational and interpersonal skills to lead the brokering of academic and industry partnerships on behalf of NAPIC across the focus area of valorisng natural kingdom (e.g. plant, algae, insects), fermentation (biomass, precision), cultivated meat and other emerging areas from food to feed to allied sectors.

You ideally would have knowledge of alternative protein research with a solid track record of working across academic and industry partners.  You will have proven ability to plan multiple stakeholder programmes across diverse industry sectors. You will be able to communicate new and complex information effectively, both verbally and in writing.  

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: https://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 

Andy Duley, Director of Commercialisation 

Email: a.j.m.duley@leeds.ac.uk

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Candidate Brief (PDF)

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