We are recruiting for a Programme Director - Technology Frontiers

Challenge Works

Challenge Works is world-leading in the development and implementation of high-impact challenge prizes that attract and enable innovation to solve pressing societal problems. Our model shines a spotlight on specific problems and opportunities, to inspire and guide the most creative and dynamic groups of innovators to deliver impact.

We are owned by the innovation foundation Nesta and have delivered over 90 high-profile challenge prizes worldwide. From combating antimicrobial resistance to tackling plastic pollution, we have worked with more than 12,000 innovator teams and helped  foundations, governments, international NGOs and corporations to direct nearly £250m in prize funding to support the boldest and bravest ideas to become real.

As a team of 40 we believe it has never been more urgent to incentivise innovators to use radical and boundary-pushing technology solutions for societal benefit. We have a new strategy built around four priority areas of Global Health, Cities & Society, Climate and Technology Frontiers. Our new Programme Director will be responsible for overseeing and shaping the continued growth of the Technology Frontiers priority area.

The role

This is a senior leadership role within Challenge Works. You will direct an existing multi-million pound programme of prizes, as well as create new ideas, secure partnerships and unlock funding to take these forward.

Our Technology Frontiers work comprises a  growing portfolio of challenge prizes using impactful funding mechanisms to drive breakthrough technological innovation, applying cutting edge technologies, new sources of data, regulation or policy to solve challenges in a wide range of fields, drive economic growth and create whole new markets. 

We work globally, and our partners in this field currently include UK Government Department of Science Innovation and Technology, ARIA, Department of Business and Trade and UK Space Agency delivering prizes such as : 

• the Manchester Prize, delivering cutting edge AI solutions for public good in the fields of energy, environment and infrastructure; 

• the Aqualunar Challenge, an international collaboration with the UK and Canadian Space Agencies to drive the creation of innovative technologies to make human habitation in space possible; and 

• the Smart Data Discovery Challenge, seeking new ways of mobilising data to empower consumers, unlock innovation and sustainably grow our economy.

Key Responsibilities

Opportunity Development

There is an expectation and considerable scope to expand and shape this portfolio by:

• Developing a strategy for this sector exploring new areas where you identify the opportunity for prizes to have an impact

• Making connections and building partnerships with ambitious and exciting organisations, securing funding to take these ideas forward

Delivering impact

• Oversee the delivery of and growth of our sizeable portfolio of challenge prizes in our Technology Frontiers priority area, providing oversight of the strategic development and delivery of complex multi-stakeholder prizes, exercising judgement, solving problems and creating opportunities at a programme level. Prize pots and delivery budgets are typically several million pounds.

• Lead programme delivery, actively encouraging the implementation of best practice in delivery and contributing to continuous improvement of our methodology and processes. 

• Actively participate in the prize design process bringing system context and client perspective. 

• As the primary expert on technology frontiers within the Challenge Works team, proactively deepen and continually evolve your expertise in this area. Maintain a strong awareness of cutting edge innovation, the barriers to advancement and the potential impact of technology driven solutions, and help to upskill the team in this field. 

Thought leadership

• Contribute to our thought leadership by working with our research and communications teams to: create compelling content, promote our work with external stakeholders, develop and nurture networks of funders and innovators, and build partnerships and programmes to support prize delivery.

• Maintain a strong understanding of the key stakeholders within the Technology Frontiers ecosystem and regularly engage with these stakeholders to maintain a clear view on top priorities, opportunities, and challenges.

• Identify emerging trends and innovation opportunities through the network of stakeholders to identify key opportunities for emerging technologies to have a positive impact.

Leadership

• Contribute to the leadership and management of Challenge Works as a flourishing and groundbreaking social enterprise, proactively working with other members of the senior leadership team to execute the strategy and solve day-to-day challenges.

• Foster and support a collaborative environment and model behaviours that will help transform us into a learning organisation with a culture of continuous improvement and thought leadership, actively supporting other team members to develop the skills needed.

• Be an inspiring, accessible, inclusive and responsible leader, motivating others and ensuring that there is a dynamic and effective culture of trust with staff. 

Person Specification

Given the seniority of this role, we are looking for someone with a passion for and deep understanding of emerging technologies, who can come up with ambitious ideas and build credible partnerships and teams to deliver these.

You will be able to navigate the landscape of emerging technologies confidently but you could have built up this experience and these networks running things in a variety of contexts:

• Entrepreneurship - perhaps you’ve built a deep tech startup

• Investment - maybe you’ve led financing of tech related firms

• Consultancy - you could have held a senior role in a tech focused consultancy 

• Policy - you’ve might have been instrumental in driving innovation policy and innovation funding mechanisms

• Prizes - you may even have led prize programmes elsewhere

• .. or something else we haven’t thought of!

Experience:

The successful candidate will be passionate about innovation and bring a creative mindset to delivering impact through harnessing the power of entrepreneurship and technology.

• A strong track record of leading teams or organisations and of delivering at pace

• Strong track record of coming up with big ideas and scoping new opportunities, and converting these into new projects.

• Experience and contacts in science and technology ‘futures’, academia, industry and government.

• Excellent partner and client relationship management, with experience of collaborating with a diverse range of partners e.g. government, philanthropists, businesses, foundations, including securing significant funding

• Experience securing funding and negotiating complex programme scopes and budgets with ambitious partners and backers to ensure resources and timescales match ambition.

• Natural networker and convener and can manage a multitude of external relationships.

• A skilled communicator and influencer adept at speaking to senior audiences in a range of different organisations.

• Experience and interest in managing and supporting team members to deliver the greatest possible impact through innovation.

What we offer:

Salary: The salary band which includes this position is Band 7 (£86,400 - £106,600) with offers expected to be made at the bottom of the band. We also offer an array of benefits, including private medical insurance, dental insurance, the ability to buy and sell annual leave, eyecare vouchers and more. 

Location: This role is based in London, Blackfriars, hybrid working arrangement with a minimum of two days in the office. These are currently Tuesday and Thursday.

Term: Permanent

Hours: This role is full time but could be reduced to 80% for the right candidate if preferred. We offer a range of flexible working arrangements and encourage our people to take advantage of them. Many do.

Making an application

To apply for this role, please submit your application before 8:00am on Monday 2nd of December 2024.

Interviews will take place w/c 9th December 2024.

At Nesta, we believe that a diverse workforce leads to an organisation that is more innovative, more creative and gets better results.

We want our workforce to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve. We also want our workplace to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop.

This means that when we are recruiting, we actively seek to reach a diverse pool of candidates. It also means that we are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need to in order to be successful.

We recognise the importance of a good balance between work and home life, so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including working from home, compressed or part-time hours, job shares and other arrangements.

Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore.