NAPIC Technology and Innovation Manager

Are you ready to help deliver a dynamic, 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 was established as a £38m entity (including a £16m UKRI investment) to lead the UK’s alternative protein knowledge and Innovation ecosystem, with a vision 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 220 national and international partners. This cohesive pan-UK centre is accelerating its journey 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 is delivering this vision through four integrated activity streams: foundational and translational research to address innovation challenges; the development of a national alternative protein knowledge base; the development of a workforce of the future; and the democratising of accessible Innovation facilities. 

The Technology and Innovation Manager is the primary commercial interface for NAPIC, responsible for building a strategic partnerships ecosystem across industry, third sector, and academia. This role plays a critical hand in guiding the development of a long-term sustainable business model for NAPIC, leveraging deep ecosystem insight to drive the creation of viable revenue streams. They are crucial for translating NAPIC's research into economic impact by commercialising the NAPIC influenced IP portfolio, facilitating business development opportunities, and leading engagement with policy makers.

Located at the University of Leeds this role will be a part of a dynamic Operational Management Team and reports directly to the Operations Director of NAPIC. To be successful in this role you will be an excellent team player with a proven ability to work proactively in a fast-paced and agile start-up environment. 

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 a wide range of academic-industry, and industry-industry partnerships in support of NAPIC’s growing ecosystem. 

You will have a proven ability to plan multiple stakeholder programmes across diverse industry sectors, and you will be able to communicate new and complex information effectively, both verbally and in writing to a range of audiences. You ideally would have knowledge of alternative protein research, including across the focus area of valorising the natural kingdom (e.g. plant, algae, insects), fermentation (biomass, precision), cultivated meat and other emerging areas from food to feed to allied sectors.

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: 

Dr Andrew Lee, NAPIC Operations Director

Email: a.lee@leeds.ac.uk

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