Lead of Strategy Execution & Insight

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Automotive and Industrial is one of Ricardo Plc’s three operating business units and is a trusted global engineering services partner for clean and efficient integrated propulsion and energy systems. Our experience and history over more than 100 years at the forefront of transport & energy innovation enables us to deliver solutions to the most complex challenges, allowing our customers across all global transport & energy sectors to achieve a sustainable zero-carbon future.

Delivering technology and engineering services across transport, energy, and industrial sectors to support clients in developing new technology and products. This includes a wide range of propulsion and energy system technologies that address key market challenges such as decarbonization, electrification and hydrogen transition. When combined with the industrialization and manufacturing capability within the Ricardo Performance Products (PP) team, this creates a unique end-to-end capability to help clients bring new solutions to market.

To build on this end-to-end capability we are seeking a strategic and entrepreneurial leader to incubate and grow a new internal capability within the A&I group focused on strategy-driven engineering consulting. This role will lead the development and delivery of strategic services that enhance A&I’s technical offerings by supporting clients in developing their product and business strategies. In doing so this will strengthen our position to deliver downstream engineering and industrialization support aligned to the specific client strategy and needs.

As the Automotive and Industrial (A&Is) landscape undergoes rapid transformation, A&I’s ability to provide forward-looking, insight-driven guidance is critical. This role will lead that effort, building the internal capability to deliver strategic value at scale, supporting business growth, and positioning A&I at the forefront of technical consulting.

Initial focus will be within the Electrification & Fuel Cell (ELE/FC) Growth Solution (GS) team, where there is strong demand for Product Strategy, including but not limited to; decision support, market positioning, and front-end strategy. The role may expand to support additional Growth Solutions in alignment with business needs and market opportunities.

• Strategic Capability Building
  • Establish and lead an internal strategic services team, starting within ELE/FC and scaling across A&I based on demand and opportunity.
  • Define the function’s roadmap, service offerings, operating model, and success metrics.
  • Align strategic services with A&I’s growth priorities and the end-to-end capability across A&I and PP, working closely with GS and technical leaders.
• Strategic Services Development & Delivery – Supporting Clients’ Product Strategy
  • Develop a portfolio of high-value technology and product focused strategic services, including:
    • Should-Cost Analysis & Relative Cost Analysis
    • Product Benchmarking
    • Technology Road mapping
    • Market Entry and Positioning Strategy
    • Supply Chain, Cost Optimization and Operations Optimization
  • Create reusable internal tools, frameworks, and playbooks to scale delivery across teams.
  • Pilot and refine offerings within live projects, ensuring value delivery and alignment with client and business needs.
  • Integrate strategic thinking into engineering workflows, proposals, and project scoping efforts.
• Team & Talent Growth
  • Lead and mentor a cross-functional team, balancing delivery, business development, and IP creation.
  • Proactively identify talent needs, justify resourcing, and drive recruitment aligned with growth.
  • Foster a collaborative, entrepreneurial culture within the strategy team and across A&I.
• Business Development & Market Support
  • Support internal and external strategic initiatives, acting as a key partner to GS leadership.
  • Assist in proposal development and client engagement to unlock new markets and opportunities.
  • Guide clients through high-uncertainty decision-making in areas like electrification, hydrogen, and regulatory shifts.

• 10+ years in…