Job title: Innovation Manager

Salary range: £54,000 - £57,000

Contract Terms: Permanent on KSS AHSN Ltd Terms (trading as Health Innovation KSS)

Base: KSS AHSNs primary place of business is The Beehive, located in Gatwick/Crawley, West Sussex. We have further satellite / hot-desking arrangements at sites located in Guildford and Brighton. Contractually, your normal place of work will be Health Innovation KSS’s primary place of business.

Location: The role is predominately remote, although Health Innovation KSS work on a hybrid basis. The successful candidate is expected to be based in, or be able to attend meetings in the Kent, Surrey, Sussex geography.

Reports to: Senior Innovation/Programme Manager or Associate Director

Direct reports: Project delivery resource and access to a pool of team members if required.

Job Purpose

Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex is commissioned by the Office for Life Sciences (OLS) and NHS England to deliver programmes of support to accelerate the creation and adoption of health innovations, delivering improved outcomes for the population and generating economic growth, regionally and nationally with supporting companies/innovators to scale and create new jobs and investment. Our focused Innovation Managers lead on Health Innovation KSS’s engagement with health technology companies (and other types of innovators including clinical and academic) and their networks across all technology sectors (digital, medical technology, diagnostics and pharmaceutical).

The enterprise and industry team lead on Health Innovation KSS’s engagement with health technology companies and their networks across all technology sectors (digital, medical technology, diagnostics and pharmaceutical) and with local health and care system partners to identify their priorities and find solutions to their problems.

The team works across our commissioned programmes to identify opportunities to build partnerships with the commercial sector and work within the NHS England and OLS Commission: Innovation Exchange framework, working in collaboration with our wider team to provide advice on commercialisation, market access and real-world validation.

The team partners with Health Innovation KSS’s wider programme delivery function to provide a focus on building partnerships between the NHS and commercial sector to accelerate the adoption and spread of solutions that improve the health and economy of our region.

The purpose of this role includes:

• Working as part of the delivery resource team within Health Innovation KSS, taking a leadership role for a portfolio of products/innovation needs areas.
• Managing a portfolio of products and initiatives which may include some with other colleagues direct or indirect involvement.
• Supporting delivery of tailored support packages of support to industry and innovators in line with the Health Innovation Network Universal, Enhanced and Distinctive offers to innovators including 1;1 and 1: many offerings.
• Making contributions to income and the income generation pipeline to generate income for Health Innovation Network to ensure long-term sustainability by:
• contributing to bids or grant applications for funding to support services offered by Health Innovation KSS
• supporting the identification and securing of contracts of tailored packages of support to industry
• delivering tailored packages of support to industry according to the agreed contract and reporting via ‘consultancy timesheet approach’
• supporting the development of new service offerings with clear customer focus
• supporting the cultivation of existing customer demand through marketing of existing service provision
• supporting the cultivation of new customers through service development opportunities.
• Supporting links between innovators and a range of health and care organisations to deliver the spread and adoption of innovation into practice, developing the innovation eco-system and innovation pipeline.
• Supporting innovators to grow and generate economic growth.

The specific area of responsibility for the role (at appointment) is outlined at Appendix A. Please note that this specific area of responsibility is subject to change, according to future programme delivery requirements.

Key duties and responsibilities

• To support the Associate Director(s) and Senior Programme Manager with the management and delivery of industry and innovator support across Kent Surrey and Sussex and the wider Health Innovation Network Commercial network.
• To make a contribution to income and the income generation pipeline through projects and programmes to generate income for Health Innovation KSS to ensure long-term sustainability.
• Working with a wide range of stakeholders, particularly between innovator partners, the health and care system, business support organisations and academic institutions.
• To improve health and generate economic growth through the adoption and spread of innovation.
• Working across the whole Kent, Surrey, Sussex geography a requirement of the role is to travel to satellite offices across the region, as required.
• Directly supporting innovators to access health and social care, providing support, advice and guidance to generate jobs and leverage funding (private and public) for the companies we support as well as leading to innovation adoption.
• Providing support to a pipeline of innovations with the potential to help respond to the challenges in our regional health and care system.
• Providing support to innovators to further develop solutions to unmet needs by providing advice on commercialisation, market access and real-world validation.
• Reviewing companies and triaging them for support which Health Innovation KSS can provide including, but not limited to, engagement with the national process for company review and engaging with individual HIN’s and other KSS colleagues.
• To design, plan and implement additional programmes of activity to address desired business support outcomes (jobs created, investment leveraged and exports) within the region.
• To provide ongoing innovator support in helping companies to navigate health and social care.
• Supporting with the sharing of case studies, lessons learnt, marketing and communication of successful innovation implementations.
• Identifying and working with sub-contractors as may be appropriate to fulfil the demands of the OLS and NHSE commission (s)
• To be responsible for contributing to the production of and input to monthly informal and quarterly formal reports; working alongside the Enterprise and Industry and wider delivery team (s).
• To support the horizon scan for examples of innovation within the project areas that can be spread and adopted or for co-design or spread support with KSS system partners.
• To signpost innovators to other support bodies and other companies and agencies relevant to their business and product needs.
• To continue to develop the existing signposting directory with new and relevant support for innovators coming through the HIN.
• To ensure that any risks relating to the delivery of programmes of work (including risks to the programme delivering within budget) are managed wherever possible and proactively alerted to the appropriate Senior Innovation/Programme Manager, Associate Director and/or Chief Operating Officer.
• To prepare and deliver reports, information seminars and workshops as required and present at meetings and conferences both in person and virtually to a range of stakeholders including innovators.
• To interpret relevant national policy with regard to advice and guidance to innovators on the development and market approach for their products and their relevance to health and care.
• To represent Health Innovation KSS at meetings with other HIN’s and any other meetings as requested by Associate Director(s) or Senior Programme Manager
• To work closely with commissioners to support the implementation of HIN objectives with specific focus on the Office of Life Science Commission and the NHSE National Innovator Service.

The job description is not intended to be exhaustive and it is likely that duties may be altered from time to time in the light of changing circumstances and after consultation with the postholder.

General responsibilities

• To act as part of 'one team'.
• To promote the values of Health Innovation KSS
• To ensure effective communications within and between project teams, be involved in and participate in meetings, team briefings, development days, corporate events etc.
• To engage with line manager in regular performance and development reviews against agreed objectives. To be responsible for actively identifying own development needs and committing to a personal development plan based on continuous learning.

Person Specification: Innovation Manager

Education, qualifications & training

Essential:

• Educated to degree standard or equivalent in a relevant discipline.
• Project or portfolio management qualification or equivalent experience.
• Evidence of continuous professional development; record of CPD shows strong self-development ethos and learning.
• Experience of supporting industry either within a company of through business support and accelerators with emphasis on business growth

Desirable:

• Experience supporting or working within health-tech company/innovation landscape.
• Health and care experience either clinical or managerial.

Knowledge & experience

Essential:

• Significant recent management experience in the NHS, in industry/supporting innovators or another organisation in a relevant sector.
• Evidence of effective partnership working.
• Proven experience of managing a range of projects or companies, concurrently.
• Managing resources to support the delivery of projects / programmes.
• Financial and performance management experience.
• Experience of working with a range of staff at all levels.
• Knowledge of the health and/or social care sectors.

Desirable:

• Experience of providing business case advise to health-tech companies.
• Experience of providing advice to senior managers and consultants.
• Experience of clinical transformation projects and working with health and care in the UK.

Skills & Abilities

Essential:

• Ability to think strategically and analytically.
• Ability to develop strong working relationships.
• Analysis and synthesis of complex information.
• Ablility to make a contribution to the Health Innovation KSS income generation pipeline through innovation programmes.
• Ability to self-motivate and seek opportunities for both the innovators being supported and Health Innovation KSS.
• Excellent communication, influencing and negotiating skills.
• Advanced IT Skills including collaborative working tools and good understanding of Microsoft Office
• Drive, energy, enthusiasm and determination.
• Creative and lateral thinker.
• Facilitation skills to direct and support teams to achieve change through measurable outcomes.

Desirable:

• Raising private finance.
• Sound knowledge of the NHS, social care, current government policies and change / innovation programmes
• Bid writing skills

Personal Style & Behaviours

Essential:

• Constructively challenges current practice.
• Takes a visible lead.
• Has a flexible and adaptable approach to work.
• Helps others to develop themselves.
• Values diversity and looks for opportunities to improve equality.
• Acts with integrity and presents themselves as a good role model.
• Smart, professional appearance and outlook.

Other requirements

Essential:

• Reliable work record.
• Travel, as required, within the KSS patch.

Desirable:

• Possesses a driving licence.
  

Appendix A

Specific responsibilities of this role

In addition to the main Innovation Manager Job Description, outlined below are specific responsibilities and key skills required that are related to the focus of the role within our Enterprise and Industry focused innovation management team.

As outlined in the generic Innovation Manager Job Description, these are initial specific responsibilities of the role (i.e. upon appointment) and are subject to change, according to business delivery requirements.

Job purpose

Our industry focused Innovation Managers lead on Health Innovation KSS’s engagement with health technology companies (and other types of innovators including clinical and academic) and their networks across all technology sectors (digital, medical technology, diagnostics and pharmaceutical).

As part of the enterprise and industry team within Health Innovation KSS, our industry focused Innovation Managers work across our commissioned programmes to identify opportunities to build partnerships with the commercial sector and work within the HIN’s NHS England commissions areas on innovator support programmes, and the Office of Life Sciences Commission: Innovation Exchange framework, working in collaboration with our wider team to provide advice on commercialisation, market access and real-world validation.

The team partners with Health Innovation KSS’s wider programme delivery function to provide a focus on building partnerships between the NHS and commercial sector to accelerate the adoption and spread of solutions that improve the health and economy of our region.

Key responsibilities

• Working with a wide range of stakeholders, particularly between industry partners and the health and care system, commercial funding bodies or academic institutions.
• Demonstrates a passion to improve health and generate economic growth through the adoption and spread of innovation from the commercial sector.
• Working across the whole Kent, Surrey, Sussex geography a requirement of the role is to travel to satellite offices across the region, as required.
• Directly supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) innovators and other types of companies to access the NHS, providing support, advice and guidance on their
• development, market access, commercialisation and growth, relevance to your local system needs, value proposition and alike to generate jobs and leverage funding for the companies we support.
• Providing support to a pipeline of commercial sector innovations with the potential to help respond to the challenges in our regional health and care system.
• Interpreting and applying relevant national policy with regard to digital health, medtech, life sciences industry, regulation and innovation.
• Providing support to commercial sector companies to develop solutions to unmet needs by providing advice on commercialisation, regulation, business planning market access and real-world validation which can generate jobs and leverage funding for businesses.
• Reviewing companies and triaging them for support which Health Innovation KSS can provide including, but not limited to, engagement with the national process for company review and engaging with individual HINs and other KSS colleagues.
• To design, plan and implement additional programmes of activity to address desired business support outcomes (jobs created, investment leveraged and exports) within the region.
• Preparing reports, briefings and presentations as required and present at meetings and conferences.
• To provide ongoing commercial support in parallel to other colleagues’ support in helping companies to navigate health and social care.
• To be the front door companies and innovators seeking guidance from Health Innovation KSS and triaging companies accordingly.
• Developing and delivering virtual and face to face workshops for innovators/industry on topics relevant to their growth and development
• Working with sub-contractors as may be appropriate to build robust plans for how we will understand the impact of our support for commercial sector organisations.
• To be responsible for contributing to the production of and input to monthly informal and quarterly formal reports; working alongside the Associate Director(s), Senior Innovation/Programme Manager(s), other Innovation/Programme Manager(s), and Innovation/Programme Co-ordinator(s).
• Contributing to trackers and reporting stages of innovation adoption per each technology, or company.

Key skills, experience and personal style

• A background which includes commercial experience ideally with experience in support to SME’s.
• It would be highly desirable if your experience extends to interaction with clinicians, innovators and health & social care systems, due to the specific focus on clinical innovations and clinical engagement.
• Ideally experience, or some understanding of, the investment landscape from; public body grants to angel and VC investment within innovation.
• An understanding of the barriers and challenges faced by SME’s as they scale their business, including and not limited to; research and development, strategy development, recruitment and finance management.
• An existing network of industry beneficial stakeholders, for signposting and guidance, is also desirable.
• Effective partnership working and stakeholder management.
• Experience in presenting to senior stakeholders and senior colleagues, with a track record of influencing stakeholders and an ability to change their perspectives.
• Ability to use own initiative in managing a project or pipeline of innovations.
• Willingness and openness to working in a team, sharing and receiving best practice support.
• Ability to work seamlessly with a team of colleagues and wider stakeholders to support technology adoption. This would extend to experience of project planning in this area.
• Adaptable and able to find workarounds to problems and blockages to innovation.
• Key personality attributes of the successful post holder will be that they possess charisma and dynamism and a can-do approach to problem solving

Values and Behaviours

Health Innovation KSS has developed a clear vision for the direction of the company. A set of values and behaviours have also been developed and agreed to underpin this vision. Our values and behaviours framework can be found below. Applicants and employees will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to these values and behaviours, which will be assessed through the recruitment, selection and appraisal processes.

Diversity and Equal Opportunities

It is the desire of Health Innovation KSS to broaden diversity within its workforce.

Health Innovation KSS is an equal opportunities employer and ensures that all new, existing and prospective employees are treated fairly through the principles of equal treatment and promotion of diversity.

This includes:

• ensuring that all individuals who come into contact with Health Innovation KSS, whether as employees, stakeholders or in any other capacity are treated with dignity and respect;

• ensuring that the opportunities Health Innovation KSS provides for learning, personal development and employment are made available on a non-discriminatory basis and;

• providing a safe, supportive and welcoming environment for employees, stakeholders, visitors and others.

Along with all other Health Innovation networks (HINs), we are committed to a series of pledges to further support the diversity and innovation agenda.

Next Steps

To apply for this role, you must do so by following the application process, below.

You will answer some eligibility questions as well as some which are related to your job. After the job closes, our selection panel will review your application answers and CV. It is our aim to manage our recruitment processes in a fair, consistent and unbiased way. Please be assured that your application and CV will be entirely anonymised, at this stage of the selection process.

The closing date for applications is 23:59 on 10^th August 2025.

If you are shortlisted, we’ll invite you to the next step, which will be a first formal interview. Initial interviews are expected to be conducted remotely, via Teams, W/C 18^th August 2025.

We love giving feedback, so if you do attend for interview, we will share how well you performed at the end of the selection process.

No Agencies, thank you.