Commercial Lead

at  Innovate UK

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

This position requires a person with a robust understanding of the energy system, a commercial grasp of network operations, and a good understanding of the price control and incentive mechanisms. As well as being comfortable challenging the norms, the successful candidate will be an expert in visualising the bigger picture when it comes to developing commercially viable innovation in a monopoly environment.
We are looking for someone who is able to make sense of multiple information sources and deliver original thinking on how best to ensure we identify the projects with high-potential, and pull the relevant levers to help those projects realise their potential. The candidate should demonstrate a thorough understanding of innovation development and deployment, at-scale, within and across regulated monopolies.
We have built an ambitious, supportive and knowledgeable team environment. The successful applicant should be a team player, be willing to share their knowledge of economic impact evaluation and to learn from others. We are looking for a motivated self-starter with an excellent ability to communicate to wide audiences in an engaging manner. Someone with the ability to identify and build positive collaborations and strategic partnerships to deliver against Innovate UK’s Net Zero Innovation Strategy.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Degree or post-graduate qualification in a subject relevant to engineering, energy, economics, physical sciences.

EXPERIENCE:

Essential experience of some of the following:

• Robust understanding of the energy sector; energy transmission, distribution, sustainability, renewable energy
• Experience of regulation and monopolies in a regulated sector.
• Significant experience of involvement in the at-scale deployment of innovation or new business process, ideally within a regulated utility
• Knowledge of commercial investment & other mechanisms of funding to support growth companies and project finance requirements
• Commercial contracting and management of technical energy installations

SKILLS:

• An ability to work unsupervised, take personal initiative, and be able to prioritise and multitask.
• Ability to think and act strategically.
• Capable of applying a “client-focused” approach.
• Ability to analyse and make sense of financial and technical information.
• High degree of organisational ability and attention to detail.
• IT competency.
• Engaging written and oral communication skills, able to present to a wide range of audiences with confidence.
• Excellent consultation and influencing skills.
• Ability to take broad concepts and move these through to achievable schemes.
• Excellent social skills and ability to engage with a wide network of partners professionally and with integrity.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

Field-based: There will be a requirement to travel, mostly national, and there is some flexibility in this. Innovate UK staff make extensive use of telepresence tools for meetings to minimise unnecessary travel.
Benefits

Alongside your salary of £54,043, Innovate UK contributes £15,656 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

JOB PURPOSE:

This is an exciting and varied role focused on delivering a transformational package of activities that will enable the successful development, commercialisation and deployment of innovative technology, products and services. The Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) already funds projects with the potential to deliver massive carbon reduction, and consumer value. The role will focus on the existing and growing portfolio of demonstration projects to identify and deliver the right support and incentives to increase the speed of delivery, acceleration of rollout, and the likelihood of project benefits being realised. It will take a leading role in owning and driving forward some of our wider benefits analysis: from our contribution to the Energy Innovation Needs Assessment (EINA), to the forecasts and modelling for our portfolio of activities.
The Programme is also identifying other activities that can support the SIF in finding and funding ambitious, truly transformational innovation, such as: technology foresighting for future SIF applications, collaborative development of pre-SIF ready innovation, the migration of successful innovation from international demonstration into GB Network Licensees, greater collaboration amongst licensees, projects requiring a mix of SIF and private funding and embryonic innovation requiring incubation.
We are keen to hear from applicants who can demonstrate a good technical understanding of energy system innovation and the operating models of Ofgem regulated monopolies. We are looking for someone who can critically evaluate in-flight projects, as well as imagine future projects that can appeal to GB Network Licensees and harness innovation with substantial potential. As an expert in whole system thinking, you will be leading our approach to “doing things differently” and “being the difference”.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Own and manage the commercial relationships with projects and project partners
• Lead the identification of portfolio projects where further intervention can enable commercialisation and innovation deployment
• Support and facilitate projects to give them the best chance of successful commercialisation and roll out beyond SIF funding
• Critically challenge the commercialisation and rollout planning of in-flight demonstration projects
• Analyse and synthesize commercial and economic data for GVA analyses, alongside quantitatively drive market intelligence and insight development
• Find and foster engagement with critical technologies where a future fit with SIF could be encouraged
• Enhance support to ‘pre-SIF’ companies and innovators who have future ambitions to engage with Licensees for innovation funding
• Lead on engagements with international demonstration projects that could transition to GB demonstration via SIF
• Work closely with Innovation squad and Impacts & Insights squad colleagues to design the most efficient approach for engaging and supporting in-flight demonstration projects
• Host/Participate in Innovation & Commercial ‘surgeries’ with innovators
• Provide commercial leadership to the Call for Ideas process, focused on finding and nurturing energy system innovators
  This is not an exhaustive list and you might be encouraged to undertake any other duties across the wider directorate, commensurate with the Band and level of responsibility of this post, for which the post holder has the key experience and/or training.