Innovation & Engagement Senior Manager

Select how often (in days) to receive an alert:

Salary: £48,337 to £51,258 with progression to £57,666 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits . We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 18 November 2026

We are seeking an experienced innovation and engagement leader to join Newcastle Innovations and play a pivotal role in turning our innovation ambitions into action. Working across academic and professional services teams, you will be a senior specialist adviser and delivery partner, helping colleagues connect ideas, capabilities and external needs to create meaningful economic and societal impact.

Working closely with the Head of Innovation Ecosystem, Business and Innovation Senior Partners and colleagues across the University, you will build connections between academia, industry, government and communities; translate ecosystem priorities into high‑quality programmes and partnerships; and embed open, mission‑led innovation practice across Newcastle University.

• Connect and catalise relationships across academia, industry, government and communities, building vibrant communities of practice and innovation networks and brokering strategic partnerships.
• Develop innovation‑led growth programmes, using insight, co‑design and design‑thinking approaches to develop solutions that respond to stakeholder needs.
• Build a strong pipeline of high‑quality innovation projects and investible propositions, bringing together cross‑functional and trans‑disciplinary teams and aligning opportunities with University and external funding priorities.
• Develop innovation roadmaps, horizon scanning and funding intelligence, identifying opportunities from sources including UKRI, ARIA, Innovate UK, Horizon Europe and industry‑led open innovation calls.
• Lead or support business cases, major proposals and complex bids, ensuring initiatives are impactful and financially sustainable.
• Embed collaborative innovation and engagement skills and practice across the University through programmes, events and direct delivery.
• Strengthen systems and processes that enable the University to respond quickly to innovation demand, including contract research, facilities, LLP and CPD opportunities, and ensure outcomes and impact are effectively captured and communicated.
• Provide leadership and line management for Innovation Managers, Engagement Project Managers and the Community Engagement Manager, creating a collaborative, high‑performing team.

You will bring strategic perspective alongside a strong delivery mindset, with the confidence to work across organisational boundaries and influence senior stakeholders. You will be able to move from insight and opportunity to practical programmes, partnerships and propositions, while building trust across academic, industry and public‑sector communities.

• A strong background in innovation management, strategic planning and stakeholder engagement, with experience of business development, innovation leadership or knowledge exchange in higher education or a related sector.
• A proven track record of developing complex innovation activities, projects or proposals by matching external opportunities and needs with organisational capabilities.
• Deep theoretical and practical knowledge of open innovation approaches, including design thinking, and experience of leading complex, agile projects.
• A strong understanding of UK innovation policy and funding, university‑industry collaboration, the higher…