DESCRIPTION

Chemicals are integral to our lives and bring major benefits to society. They are found in almost everything that we buy, use, eat and drink, and are a vital part of the manufacturing base, with more than 96% of all manufactured products in the UK containing inputs from the chemicals industry.
The Chemistry & Industrial Biotechnology Team are a team of technical experts helping the innovator community in two ways:
1. we use our deep sector expertise, knowledge and network to connect innovators in chemistry & industrial biotech. to funding and partners that exist today; and
2. we use that same knowledge, network and trusted position in the ecosystem to help inform where Government and industry should invest tomorrow and into the future.
Our mission in the Chemistry & Industrial Biotechnology Team is to accelerate innovation for a healthy and sustainable future growing the UK economy through the delivery of high-quality activities that leverage our team’s deep-sector expertise and Innovate UK BC’s unique cross-sector position.

We split our time across projects and activities that support these two broad Objectives:

• Supporting the UK Sustainable Carbon Ambition for the UK Chemical Industry: “The UK chemicals industry will double economic output and will source 80% of its carbon requirements from non-virgin fossil, sustainable carbon sources. This urgent once-in-a-generation opportunity will create hundreds of thousands of highly skilled, well-paid and productive jobs in regions of the UK most targeted for growth”. Key technical thematic areas of focus include: The scale-up of new more efficient processes (e.g. batch to flow) and through the switch to sustainable non-virgin fossil feedstocks (biomass, recycled carbon or carbon dioxide). Supporting the scale-up and adoption of Engineering biology, Industrial Biotechnology and Digital Technologies as key enablers for this transition.
• Accelerating Cross-Sector Diffusion & Adoption: Scoping out new innovation opportunities and delivering activities in priority areas where our Chemistry & Industrial Biotech innovator community has the ability to make an impact on solving challenges in downstream sectors related to their transition to a Net Zero and Circular Future. Key technical thematic areas of focus include: Creating circular Critical Materials supply chains; Scaling supply chains around SAF, Batteries & Hydrogen.

We are seeking a Knowledge Transfer Manager (Grade 5) who can support the delivery of activities and projects that align to these technical thematic areas.

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE

• A broad technical background in applied chemistry and/ or industrial biotechnology, or a related discipline (e.g. chemical engineering, sustainable processing).
• Experience working inside the chemicals industry or with the industry (e.g. as a consultant or with a Research and Training Organisation or industry association).
• Demonstrable experience of strategic stakeholder engagement/ management.
• Familiarity with the UK innovation ecosystem and a strong network across Gov, industry, research.

DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE

• Demonstrable experience of working within a multi-stakeholder environment.
• Demonstrable experience of project management within a team.

SKILLS

• Highly motivated, self-starting and results oriented individual.
• Team player with good relationship building skills; enjoys working in a collaborative manner in an open and diverse environment.
• Strong communicator with good written and verbal skills, able to translate complex topics for a broad audience.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to interact with and understand the needs and capabilities with stakeholders across a range of technical and/or industrial disciplines.
• Knowledgeable about the challenges and opportunities in technical areas that align with the Team Objectives.
• High level of IT literacy and organisational skills.

• Responsible for the successful delivery of priority activities that align to the Business Plan, Team Goals and Objectives, working alongside colleagues at IUK BC, our partners at Innovate UK, and other key stakeholders deliver these activities on time and to a high standard.
• Lead/manage events and workshops to share knowledge, create new collaborations and outcomes across the innovation community.
• Deliver thought leadership outputs (e.g. articles, podcasts, videos) to help share knowledge around innovation challenges and opportunities.
• Keep track of KPIs and case studies that help to articulate the outcomes and impact of our activities.
• Stakeholder engagement including with business, research base and Government to gather new knowledge and insights into innovation challenge and opportunities.
• Use your knowledge and skills to support colleagues on delivery in other projects as needed.