The Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) has a unique opportunity for a creative and experienced product and team leader. We are recruiting a new Head of Ventures to lead our BI Ventures team. The successful candidate will lead the existing team of entrepreneurial, commercial and technically skilled specialists in creating, developing and commercialising products and services at the cutting edge of behavioural science, as well as connecting into the rest of the wider BIT team. The role will be based in BIT’s head office in Westminster, London.

About the Behavioural Insights Team

BIT is a global leader in the application of behavioural science to inform public policy and tackle societal challenges. The then Prime Minister created BIT in 2010 and in February 2014 we became a social purpose company, jointly owned by the Cabinet Office, Nesta (an innovation charity) and our employees.

BIT works with governments around the world in almost every area of policy. Whilst the subject and output of our projects varies considerably, there are common threads: we try to understand the contexts in which people make decisions; we notice small details; we find out what has and hasn’t worked before; we come up with innovative ideas for solving policy problems and we test and measure everything we do as robustly as we can.

As well as displaying professional excellence, BIT selects staff on the basis of our company values: always prioritising social impact; empiricism and humility; fresh thinking, collaboration; and public service.

As well as applying behavioural science to public policy, we are at the forefront of a revolution in evidence based policy. With a body of nearly 500 randomised controlled trials (the gold standard of evidence), as well as quasi-experimental evaluations, we have significant knowledge of what works – and what doesn’t – in a wide variety of fields, ranging from health to community safety, education, employment, consumers and the economy.

About the BI Ventures team

BI Ventures uses behavioural insights to design and build scalable products and services that have social impact. We build products using ideas that have been generated within the Behavioural Insights Team. Our products build on the results from large-scale trials that we have previously run, or key insights and gaps identified by our policy work. We then go through a process of prototyping and piloting before we scale a product.

BI Ventures has a unique set of technologies and commercial relationships that put it in an exciting position to innovate and deliver commercial success. Over 2 years, BIT has produced one venture spin out and is incubating 5 other products with opportunities for significant further growth. We can also partner with others to co-produce products or services with a social impact.

Role and responsibilities

Based in London, you will manage a growing product team based in London (currently 6) and keep in regular contact with our offices in Singapore, Sydney, New York, Manchester and Wellington to coordinate our global approach to BI Ventures. The role involves shaping and delivering plans and programmes of work to deliver social impact; secure financial sustainability; ensure work is of high quality and cutting edge; and support staff wellbeing, engagement and development.

Innovation and cutting edge

• Creative and entrepreneurial approach, with a track record of creating new ideas and products either in a start-up or corporate environment

• Ability to spot and nurture new opportunities, taking initial ideas through an assessment process, prioritising based on social and financial impact and creating successful and sustainable products

• High standards within a fast-moving environment, ensuring we maintain the behavioural science and intellectual rigour behind our products whilst moving quickly to deliver products in a start-up-like environment

Social impact

• Work with leadership team within BIT and BIV to achieve its mission and to ensure that BIT remains among the world-leaders in applied behavioural science

• Be motivated by social impact, and focused on how BI Ventures products can deliver overall social impact alongside financial success

Financial sustainability

• Strong financial and commercial skills, with a proven track record of budget setting, sales, resource and spend management.

• Experience of winning new projects, responding to competitive tenders, preparing proposals to secure new work packages and negotiating contractual terms of business

• Build commercial and social partnerships in order to maximise the potential of products, with experience in how to structure equity or other partnership arrangements

Staff development and engagement

• Shape, support and develop a high performing team, and ensure that all in BIV have the right skills, capabilities and behaviours to support a sustainable business where employees thrive.

Skills and experience

• Experience of owning the product roadmap for technology products from concept through to delivery;

• Leading, coaching and mentoring multiple product teams - including demonstrated ability to lead and support team members, build a cohesive team, and tackle management issues constructively when they arise;

• Experience in fast-paced commercial & entrepreneurial environments, e.g. working for/with startups, investors, clients and suppliers;

• Prior experience of working in a company experiencing rapid growth and diversification with the ability to manage and implement multiple business initiatives;

• Strong commercial and financial skills including business development responsibility and profit and loss accountability;

• Strong negotiation and influencing skills, ability to manage and engage with a wide variety of partners & clients and focus on understanding their needs;

• Proven track record of spotting the right ideas, judging commercial opportunities and writing or evaluating business plans;

• Energetic, highly entrepreneurial, and able to independently source opportunities.

• Ability to combine intellectual curiosity with pragmatic focus on delivery;

• Strong networks in some of: product development/tech startup/investor spaces, and

• A background in digital technology although desirable, is not essential.