King's College London

THIS VACANCY IS OPEN TO INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY

About us

The Interim Director of King’s Innovation Catalyst will be responsible for driving strategic initiatives, cultivating and expanding partnerships, and scaling the Department's operations. This role works in close collaboration with the Assistant Principal (Innovation) and the Executive Director of Research Management & Innovation on the direction and prioritisation of innovation at King’s.

The incumbent will report to the Executive Director of Research Management & Innovation and will be a member of the Research Management & Innovation Directorate Executive team. They will work closely with the Assistant Principal (Innovation) and the Executive Director of Research Management & Innovation on the direction and prioritisation of innovation at King’s. They will also work closely with the Head of IP & Licensing, Director of Industry Partnerships and Director of Translational Research, the Entrepreneurship Institute, Vice Deans of Impact, and senior management as needed.

About the role

This role involves leading engagement efforts with industry and government organisations to identify and secure commercial opportunities, which requires building strong relationships with government, industry, and investors, managing complex contractual negotiations and arrangements, and addressing commercial, legal, and intellectual property risks, while also fostering collaborative relationships with key researchers and senior management and cultivating a culture of best practices in innovation across King’s.

Effective leadership in this role requires excellent communication skills, the ability to inspire and motivate diverse teams, and a commitment to continuous improvement and excellence in innovation-related activities. The Department comprises of three specialised teams that offer comprehensive support and management throughout the innovation pipeline:

• Translational Research Office provides information and strategic planning for translational grant applications to develop early discoveries in the lab into opportunities for industry collaboration, IP protection, licensing, and new venture formation.
• Industry Research Partnerships Office identifies and engages with industry partners to develop wider impact for research at King’s through funding, access to unique resources, or collaboration with industry researchers
•  Intellectual Property & Licensing Team works with innovators to maximise the impact of their discoveries by managing and protecting IP, negotiating licensing deals with industry, and supporting founders to spin out companies with private equity investments.

The Interim Director will empower researchers to unlock commercial opportunities and create impactful innovations, connecting King's research with industry and funders to support societal impact and commercial success. This role is pivotal in accelerating innovation through translation, partnerships, licensing, and spinouts. They will enjoy collaborating both within King’s and with external partners, thriving in a dynamic and rapidly evolving environment.

This is a part time post at 0.6FTE and you will be offered a fixed term contract until 31/12/25.

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1. Possess a comprehensive network of contacts and understand the complexities of large organisations in the innovation sector.
2. Exceptional management and leadership skills; including proven ability to make informed decisions, foster teamwork, adapt to change, hold yourself and our team accountable, and show empathy and support for team members.
3. Significant experience of successful technology transfer from an academic environment and the protection and commercialisation of early-stage intellectual property.
4. Exceptional analytical and conceptual skills, including the ability to quickly assimilate new concepts and information and deliver positive, innovative solutions.
5. Demonstrated excellence in planning and organisational skills, with a proven track record of establishing priorities, allocating resources, and meeting deadlines in high-pressure environments within large, complex organisations.
6. Excellent commercial awareness, strong budgeting acumen and the agility to thrive in evolving settings.  Proven experience of identifying and delivering new commercial projects, establishing funding sources and set, monitor and maintain budgets, KPI’s and service level agreements.
7. Excellent communication, negotiation, and persuasion skills, with the ability to build key internal and external relationships with stakeholders, including government, industry, and relevant professions.
8. Demonstrated extensive and broad experience in leading, motivating, and developing a team to deliver high-quality output, service excellence, and continuous improvements.

Desirable criteria

1. Postgraduate qualifications and or equivalent mix of education and significant relevant experience including large portfolio management experience
2. Excellent change management skills and a track record of review and improvement in service design and delivery.
3. Ability to influence and lead change beyond one’s own Department.

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the next page after you click “Apply Now”. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Further information

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community. We are committed to working with our staff and unions, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King's. As part of this commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and through this appointment process, it is our aim to develop candidate pools that include applicants from all backgrounds and communities.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘How we Recruit’ pages.