Knowledge Exchange Manager: 12 Month Fixed Term Maternity Cover
Would you like to be at the heart of developing innovative and transformative ideas? Are you interested in being part of a team that identifies how space technology can address UK and global societal challenges? Do you want a position which will make a real difference? If so, you may be who we’re looking for!
The Satellite Applications Catapult (the Catapult) works across academia, government and industry as a neutral entity. The Catapult aims to grow the UK space sector, by unlocking the UK’s potential to innovate and drive economic growth through the development and adoption of space data and technologies. We are currently seeking a maternity cover for our Knowledge Exchange (KE) Manager, joining the high-performing National Space Capabilities and Clusters team.
Leveraging your outstanding stakeholder engagement and organisational skills, you will drive our interactions and foster collaborations among academic and research organisations, the Catapult, and industry, both within the UK and internationally.
Drawing on your experience and expertise, you will strategically implement various knowledge exchange and research coordination mechanisms to facilitate these connections. In doing so, you will identify opportunities to promote the application of technical expertise from stakeholders working outside the space sector to those within it.
You will develop your knowledge of leading-edge research, cultivate strong relationships with the research base, and scope out potential for exciting and innovative collaborative bids and projects, subsequently working collaboratively with colleagues and external stakeholders to drive them.
At any one time, you will be managing multiple KE activities and be responsible for reporting on these to internal and external stakeholders.
You will take responsibility for, and lead on, operational activities aligned with KE activities within the Catapult, including its process around offering stakeholders project support, thought Leadership activities, and team-level risk management and mitigation.
This role is a hybrid position based in our Harwell office. Travel across the UK will be required on occasion and we are ideally looking for someone to start late August/early September.
Skills & Experience required:
An understanding of space engineering and satellite applications.
Experience of delivering a wide range of knowledge exchange activities.
Experience of building and managing relationships with the research base.
Knowledge, insight and experience of building and shaping an environment where academia and industry work effectively together delivering innovation.
A good understanding of the relationship between innovation, development and economic growth, as well as the UK research ecosystem and its associated challenges and opportunities.
Capability to foster an innovative culture, encouraging non-standard thinking, promoting learning and avoiding short-termism.
A high level of individual drive and ambition, self-stater attitude, and an ability to build long term relationships on behalf of the Catapult.
Excellent stakeholder engagement skills, including proven ability to analyse and clearly present complex information both orally and written to different audiences.
Experience of successful delivery of ‘open innovation’ programmes.
Experience in designing and delivering (facilitation) workshops and sandpits and their output reports. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
A high level of individual drive, capability and ambition and an ability to work independently as well as with others.
Effective project manager with an ability to track and report activity with a proactive approach to managing multiple, competing priorities.
An ability to consider the big picture, and think strategically, advocating for the ongoing, dynamic work of the organisation.
Desirable:
Knowledge of relevant UK and European government departments and agencies (e.g. DSIT, UKSA, ESA, Innovate UK, UKRI).
Postgraduate degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience of working within an academic environment.
Existing relationships with the research/science base.
Understanding of risk management.
You know you have been successful when…
You have engaged, and developed strong relationships, with key Universities and Research Organisations specialising in space sector research.
You have effectively delivered against the KE strategy for the Catapult.
You have engaged with and developed strong working relationships with other Catapult Network Knowledge Exchange teams and UKRI.
You have effectively delivered KE activities aligned to the Catapults missions.
You have contributed to the generation of case studies and blogs to showcase the Catapults work across the sector.
You have organised and delivered workshops with stakeholders exploring new technology/capabilities and delivered post-event summary reports.
You have worked collaboratively to define and translate the skills and technology needs of businesses to the research base.
You are effectively leading on and taking responsibility for KE-aligned activities in the organisation, including Thought Leadership and governance associated with support offerings to the research base.
The purpose of your new team:
The National Capabilities and Clusters Team has a vision to create a thriving and connected space ecosystem.
We aim to grow productive space clusters and a vibrant space community, working collaboratively to build national capabilities, delivering UK strategic priorities, and growing the economy.
We do this in three ways:
1.Supporting local leadership teams to develop sustainable growth strategies and become part of a productive cluster network recognised internationally.
2.Connect stakeholder communities and build bridges between industry, government, and academia, enhancing knowledge exchange and collaborative opportunities.
3.Stimulate the growth of national capabilities through improved innovation services, infrastructure interventions, and business scale-up support programmes.
How we work….
We strive to create a high trust, high performance and inclusive environment that enables team members to bring their whole selves to work – this helps to create the foundations of an innovation culture. Our shared values are critical to this:
We care - for our people, our partners, and our planet
We connect - and engage with people and ideas
We learn - and grow, as people and as an industry
Underpinning this is our belief in great teams, our combined efforts will always deliver outcomes beyond that of anyone providing we are honest through debate, experiment and reflect, and create shared resolutions in support of our purpose. Live these values, work to our principles, take ownership to deliver, and we are certain you will thrive with us.
This job description set outs the skills and experience we think are needed to be able to perform in this job. However, if you believe you can deliver in this role then we want to hear from you.
Please note, that unfortunately this role is not eligible for sponsorship.
Important notice for applicants: We use tools to detect plagiarism and the use of AI or chatbots for applicant answers. If plagiarism, AI use (such as ChatGPT) or similar software are found to have been used in your application you will not be considered for this or future roles within the Satellite Applications Catapult. If you need any additional support during the application process, please do reach out and connect. We also invite you to share feedback via Applied.
