Industrial Transformation Lead

Contract:
Fixed term contract to March 2028 – with option to extend by mutual agreement

WM5G is looking for a driven Industrial Transformation Lead to lead our 5G Assured Integration for Manufacturing (AIM) project & to build our Industrial Transformation business to accelerate the transformation of advanced manufacturers through Industrial IoT, data, AI & advanced connectivity.

The West Midlands was at the heart of the Industrial Revolution and today it’s at the forefront of the advanced manufacturing sector in the UK – a vital sector in the Industrial Strategy with accounting for £24 billion GVA and 280k jobs in the region.

WM5G is an independent non-for-profit company working in partnership with private & public sector organisations to prove, deliver & embed the benefits from innovative connected solutions and digital transformation. Over the last seven years we’ve worked in partnership with manufacturers in the aerospace & automotive sectors to pioneer Industry 4.0 use cases, benefits evidence & adoption. This culminated in the launch of the UK’s first large-scale retrofit private 5G network and IoT solution at JLR’s plant in Solihull last year – delivered in partnership with Ericsson & others.

Now WM5G has secured funding to accelerate the adoption of private networks within UK manufacturers by supporting the integration testing and introduction of additional vendors into the ecosystem & thereby support large & medium-sized manufacturers to adopt private networks as part of their AI & industrial IoT transformations. The project will establish a repeatable assurance-led approach that reduces barriers to deployment & provides organisations with confidence in multi-vendor private 5G solutions.

The initial focus of this role will be to lead the successful delivery & commercial development of the AIM project. The role will play a key part in ensuring project outputs are translated into market-ready services that support wider adoption of private network solutions across UK industry. The successful candidate will also lead the development of the business plan, market testing and development for WM5G’s Industrial Transformation businesses and offer – with potential to grow a new business line for WM5G.

The purpose of this exciting role is twofold:
First to lead the successful delivery of the AIM project against its contractual objectives – working closely with vendors, manufacturers, delivery partners, Government, regional stakeholders and others – to deliver the target outcomes & deliverables, on-time, to quality & on budget. A key measure of success will be the creation of a validated route to market & sustainable operating model that enables WM5G to generate post-project impact, customer adoption & future revenue opportunities.

Secondly to lead the development of the business plan, market testing & development for WM5G’s Industrial Transformation businesses & offer – with potential to grow a new business for WM5G if successful. The postholder will work closely with partners, funders, industry stakeholders & the WM5G leadership team to translate innovation activity into scalable and commercially viable products, services & future opportunities.

Lead the successful delivery of strategic WM5G programmes and projects, initially focused on the AIM project. Ensure all contracted outputs, outcomes and benefits are delivered on time, within budget and to the required quality standards, working collaboratively with delivery partners, stakeholders and funders.

Key responsibilities include:

• Project Planning & Governance:
  Develop & maintain robust project plans, delivery schedules, budgets, risk registers & governance processes to ensure…