Director of Innovation

The role

The University of Bristol is looking for a strategic leader to join us as Director of Innovation, to realise the impact of our world-leading research, attracting new or larger revenue streams and by fostering partnerships with industry and government.

You will work across faculties and professional services to enhance collaborative and contract research activity, grow academic entrepreneurship and drive the development of commercial pathways such as licensing, spinouts and novel partnerships. The role also provides strategic oversight of research commercialisation and advises on how best to structure partnerships, funding models, or new business vehicles to support scalable innovation.

You will work closely with senior academic and professional leaders, including the Executive Director for Research, Enterprise and Innovation, the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation) and their team, the Faculty Leadership teams and University subsidiaries. You will engage with external partners across business, government and investment communities. Your focus will be on building sustainable, high-value relationships that strengthen Bristol’s reputation as a trusted partner for research and innovation.

What will you be doing?

Reporting to the Executive Director of Research, Enterprise and Innovation, you will:

• Translate institutional priorities into actionable strategies for innovation and enterprise, aligned to the University’s strategic ambitions for innovation.
• Build and maintain productive relationships across the University to support and grow academic engagement in commercialisation and enterprise.
• Drive growth in industry collaboration and contract research, with a focus on larger-scale partnerships and sustainable cost recovery.
• Provide strategic oversight of research commercialisation activities, including spinouts, licensing and translational funding support.
• Identify and develop new mechanisms (e.g. joint ventures, investment vehicles) to realise the impact of the University’s research.
• Work closely with internal stakeholders and University subsidiaries to deliver innovation space and infrastructure that meets strategic needs.
• Ensure innovation services and operational delivery are compliant, efficient, and aligned to institutional KPIs, working closely with the Research Office and other Professional Services.

You should apply if

You have:

• Strong leadership experience at a senior level in research, innovation and commercialisation.
• A strong track record in developing impactful partnerships with industry and government, and a strong network with other universities, government agencies, investors, and businesses.
• Extensive experience and success in securing funding for innovation, with a thorough understanding of the innovation landscape and UK higher education policy environment.
• Proven experience in identifying and developing new routes to achieve commercial impact from research, including novel business models.
• Skilled experience in building academic and professional services collaboration across complex institutions.
• The desire to lead a bold innovation agenda at a leading global civic university.

Additional information

This advert will close at 23:59 UK time on Sunday 26th October.

For informal queries about the role, please contact Keith Leung on keith.leung@bristol.ac.uk.

Our strategy and mission

We recently launched our strategy to 2030 tying together our mission, vision and values.

The University of Bristol aims to be a place where everyone feels able to be themselves and do their best in an inclusive working environment where all colleagues can thrive and reach their full potential. We want to attract, develop, and retain individuals with different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives – particularly people of colour, LGBT+ and disabled people - because diversity of people and ideas remains integral to our excellence as a global civic institution.

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