Job Description:

Head of R&D - Contronics UK

Contronics is a leading provider of laboratory monitoring systems calibration and temperature mapping services to NHS healthcare and life science organisations. For over 30 years we have continued to deliver outstanding system reliability and unrivalled service standards.

The Head of R&D and Product Owner is a dynamic and hands-on leadership role pivotal to our future growth and innovation. Reporting directly to the General Manager and forming part of the senior management team this dual-role leads the research and development of both hardware and software products while ensuring our solutions continue to meet the evolving needs of our customers.

This role is offered on a hybrid basis with 3 days per week at our office in Congleton.

Job Responsibilities:

Head of R&D

• Lead the R&D Function
  Manage and mentor a cross-functional R&D team spanning software firmware and hardware disciplines.

• Develop and Execute the Technology Strategy
  Define and deliver an R&D roadmap aligned with the companys commercial and operational goals.

• Oversee Product Development
  Drive end-to-end development from concept through prototyping validation and release ensuring timely and high-quality outputs.

• Promote Cross-Departmental Collaboration
  Work closely with Sales and Operations to deliver solutions that are technically sound customer-centric and commercially viable.

• Ensure Regulatory Compliance and Quality Standards
  Maintain robust processes and documentation to meet applicable standards in regulated environments.

• Manage Technical Risk
  Identify assess and mitigate technical risks early in the development process across both hardware and software.

• Implement Modern Engineering Practices
  Drive adoption of best practices including Agile development iterative prototyping and test-driven development.

• Oversee R&D Budgets and Resources
  Plan and manage budgets tools and team capacity to support efficient and effective R&D delivery.

• Stay Ahead of Technological Trends
  Monitor emerging technologies and standards relevant to IoT embedded systems cloud platforms and healthcare tech.

• Drive AI Readiness and Innovation
  Evaluate and incorporate emerging AI and machine learning technologies where they can enhance product capabilities operational efficiency or customer outcomes. Lead the development of AI-based features responsibly ensuring ethical use and compliance with healthcare standards.

• Represent R&D at Leadership Level
  Act as the technical voice on the senior management team supporting routine business reporting strategic planning and external engagement.

Product Owner

• Own and Manage the Product Backlog
  Maintain a well-defined prioritised backlog across software and hardware features based on customer needs and business priorities.

• Gather and Translate Stakeholder Requirements
  Work with internal teams and external customers (healthcare and life science stakeholders) to define clear actionable user stories and product specifications.

• Define and Communicate the Product Vision
  Develop a compelling product vision that aligns with company objectives and guides R&D and commercial teams.

• Bridge Technical and Commercial Functions
  Act as the central point of contact between R&D sales operations and support teams to ensure alignment.

• Drive the Product Roadmap
  Prioritise features and improvements based on impact feasibility and strategic fit delivering value iteratively.

• Lead Product Validation and Testing
  Undertake user acceptance testing pilot programmes and early-access feedback to ensure product-market fit and regulatory readiness.

• Support Regulatory and Quality Documentation
  Ensure product specifications and documentation support compliance.

• Monitor Progress and Communicate Effectively
  Track delivery against the roadmap report progress to stakeholders and address blockers proactively.

• Champion Customer-Centric Design
  Incorporate ongoing user feedback and data insights into product decisions continuously refining the solution.

• Promote a Culture of Continuous Improvement
  Drive iterative development learning and innovation across the product lifecycle.

Job Qualifications Skills and Experience:

• Education: Degree in Electronic Engineering Computer Science Biomedical Engineering or similar.

• R&D Leadership: Proven experience leading multidisciplinary R&D teams (software firmware hardware) and delivering integrated products.

• Product Ownership: Hands-on experience managing product backlogs defining features and prioritising development based on customer and business value.

• Regulatory Knowledge: Familiarity with regulated environments ideally within healthcare or life sciences.

• Development Practices: Strong grasp of Agile software development and iterative hardware engineering.

• Team Management: Skilled in building mentoring and motivating high-performing technical teams.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Effective communicator across technical and commercial teams; confident engaging with external customers and regulators.

• Personal Qualities: Strategic thinker with a pragmatic hands-on approach; adaptable commercially aware and customer-focused.

Personal Characteristics and Company Values:

• Positive and Proactive (Be Positive) - Approaches challenges with optimism resilience and a solutions-focused mindset motivating others and staying composed under pressure.

• Driven by High Standards (Excellence)- Holds themselves and others to exceptional standards in technical quality delivery and continuous improvement.

• Customer-Oriented (Service)- Deeply understands the needs of end users and stakeholders consistently delivering solutions that create measurable value in healthcare and life sciences settings.

• Efficient and Resourceful (Work Smarter)- Prioritises effectively makes smart use of available resources and finds practical solutions without over-engineering.

• Collaborative Leader (Were a Team)- Builds strong trust-based relationships across departments. Leads by example listens well and helps create a supportive and high-performing team culture.

• Innovative and Curious (Innovation)- Always exploring new ideas technologies and methods to improve products processes and team capability while balancing risk and feasibility.

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More About Jonas Software:

Jonas Software is the leading provider of enterprise management software solutions to the Country and Golf Clubs Foodservice Construction Fitness & Sports Attractions Salon & Spa Education Radiology/Laboratory Information Systems and Product Licensing industries. Within these vertical markets Jonas is made up of over 65 distinct brands which are respected and leaders within their own domain.

Jonas vision is to be the branded global leader across the aforementioned vertical markets and to be recognized by customers and respective industry stakeholders as the trusted provider of Software for Life and as an ambassador for technology product innovation quality and customer service.

Jonas Software is the valued technology partner of over 60000 customers worldwide in more than 30 countries. Jonas employs over 2000 skilled individuals consisting of a cross-section of industry experts and technology professionals. Jonas is headquartered in Canada and also operates offices throughout North America the United Kingdom Europe Australia New Zealand and Africa. Jonas is a 100% owned subsidiary of Constellation Software Inc. headquartered in Toronto and traded on the S&P/TSX 60.

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