Operations Director, (National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre, NAPIC)

Operations Director, (National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre, NAPIC)

Are you ready to help deliver a dynamic, internationally leading innovation and knowledge centre in alternative protein? Are you an exceptional operational leader with the ability to translate the NAPIC strategy into practical organisation-wide outcomes? Do you have a successful track record in leading, engaging, integrating and developing diverse teams of professional enabling staff and scientists?

We are looking for an Operations Director to join the National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC). NAPIC is a £38m entity (including a £15m UKRI investment) to lead the UK’s alternative protein knowledge and innovation ecosystem. NAPIC’s vision is to make alternative proteins mainstream for a sustainable planet. The centre is led by the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield, Imperial College London, and the James Hutton Institute, in collaboration with over 100 national and international partners. NAPIC is poised to revolutionise the UK’s agri-food sector by harnessing our world-leading science base through a co-created alternative protein strategy across the Discovery → Innovation → Commercialisation pipeline to support the transition to a sustainable, high growth, blended protein bioeconomy.

As the Operations Director located at the University of Leeds, you will lead a highly dynamic Operational Management Team and report to the CEO of NAPIC. Working in close partnership with members of the Executive Management Board and other senior external stakeholders from industry and academia, you will lead a wide range of operational and strategic initiatives. You will be an experienced senior-level leader, with a background in a scientific discipline (ideally interdisciplinary with an appreciation of natural, physical, and social sciences), who can question, challenge, and influence colleagues, lead change, and deliver NAPIC objectives aligned with the NAPIC vision. Your approach will be considerate, open, persuasive, and engaging, bringing key stakeholders along with you, ensuring strategic alignment and delivering the objectives.

You will actively take the lead role in all operational aspects of the NAPIC consortium to ensure the delivery of its scientific and translational strategy. You will develop and manage external relationships with academic and commercial partners, oversee all budgetary aspects, and the delivery of funded projects, and produce the consortium’s annual report for NAPIC. You will manage a highly functional operational team of Technology & Innovation Managers, Communication & Outreach Manager, Programme Manager, Skill & EDI Officer, and Impact & Engagement Officer located across the four co-lead organisations.

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact:

Professor Anwesha Sarkar, Professor of Colloids and Surfaces

Dr. Ellen Hewitt, Head of Research and Innovation