Head of Innovation

We are seeking a supportive and forward-thinking Head of Innovation to lead and grow a high-performing team of innovation specialists. Based in Belfast, this role places a strong emphasis on people leadership—developing talent, driving performance, and fostering a collaborative and ambitious team culture. Alongside this, you will take responsibility for overseeing the design and delivery of our most complex and high-impact innovation programmes, championing the adoption of advanced digital and deep tech solutions across the UK.

Around 50% of your time will be dedicated to our flagship Digital Twin programme, working closely with local and national partners to maximise impact. Reporting to the Innovation Practice Director, you will play a pivotal role in shaping delivery strategies, coordinating strategic projects, and strengthening Digital Catapult’s national reputation as a centre of excellence for innovation.

• Support and develop a team of up to 8 innovation specialists, fostering a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and high performance.
• Champion team growth by identifying development opportunities, providing mentorship, and ensuring everyone is equipped to achieve outstanding results.
• Oversee and guide the delivery of our most strategic innovation and acceleration programmes, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and delivering maximum value for customers and partners.
• Lead the Innovation Practice delivery of a major Digital Twin innovation programme, coordinating internal teams, partners and stakeholders to deliver measurable industry and national impact.
• Embed and advance methodologies such as design thinking, lean startup, and agile to ensure excellence in innovation delivery.
• Provide strategic oversight across a £200M programme portfolio, ensuring effective resource allocation, proactive risk management, and consistently high standards of delivery.
• Work closely with internal and external stakeholders at all levels including government agencies, industry partners, startups, and academia to extend the reach and impact of our innovation activities.
• Ensure compliance with organisational standards, governance, and regulatory requirements across all delivery activities.
• Monitor and report on team performance, resource utilisation, and programme delivery metrics to support informed decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to cross-organisational initiatives and champion Digital Catapult’s values, supporting a positive and inclusive workplace culture.

• Proven leadership skills and experience supporting and developing high-performing teams, with a focus on collaboration, continuous learning, and inclusive team culture.
• Proven ability and track record leading delivery of complex, multi-stakeholder innovation or acceleration programmes e.g. deep tech, digital transformation or ecosystem building initiatives, demonstrating both strategic oversight and hands-on involvement.
• Practical experience applying and embedding innovation methodologies such as Design Thinking, Lean Startup, and Agile within delivery teams to design, test and scale new products, services or business models.
• Skilled in engaging and building influential and collaborative relationships with stakeholders across government, industry, academia, and the startup ecosystem.
• Demonstrated ability to allocate resources effectively, anticipate and mitigate risks, and maintain robust performance tracking in a dynamic delivery environment.
• Confident in ensuring compliance with organisational standards, governance controls, and regulatory requirements across all activities.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to thrive in ambiguous or rapidly changing situations.
• Excellent communication skills, with experience reporting on team performance and programme delivery to inform decision-making.
• Experience working with public or grant-backed innovation programmes (e.g. Innovate UK or similar), including reporting, compliance and impact measurement.
• Some familiarity / understanding or a strong interest in deep tech domains such as AI, Future Networks or Digital Twins is desirable, with…