Innovation and Enterprise Executive

Role:Innovation and Enterprise Executive

Grade and Salary:Grade7 (37694 - 47389)

FTE and working pattern:Full-time (35 hours a week)

HolidayEntitlement:33days annual leaveplus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday)

Business and Enterpriseat Heriot-Watt

Fascinated by the future and captivated by technology and innovation

Want to work with a diverse range of organisations and help them explore the art of the possible

Business & Enterprise (B&E) at Heriot-Watt has many place for learning a way of thinking and a catalyst for collaboration.B&E brings together globalexpertiseto tackle current industry challenges whilst pioneeringnew innovationto drive our future economies and companies of scale.

However it is people that matter and we are creating great spaces where creative and brilliant minds are encouraged to share ideas and explore new concepts tapping intoworld classacademic resource to stay at the forefront of rapidly changing technology trends.

Through theB&Eteam HWU is revolutionising the means of learning. Innovationdiscoveryand entrepreneurship are being placed at the core of &Eteamconnects our leading academics high growth technologycompaniesand our research partners to build better products and services for future global markets.

Purpose of Role

As a key member of the Enterprise Team theInnovationandEnterpriseExecutive has a broad remit which includes growing our entrepreneurial culture; nurturing buddinginnovators andentrepreneurssupporting thepromotionof entrepreneurshipand ideasinstart-up/spinout companies and contributing to the development and delivery of newinnovation andenterprise activities for the university.

The Enterprise team supports the Universitys strategies through delivery of a wide range of Knowledge Exchange and Entrepreneurship activities that create real impact and value to industry and University has a strongtrack recordwithininnovation andenterprise and is originator and host of the leading pan-Scotland enterprise programme the Converge Challenge.

As a student academic researcher collaborator or knowledge transfer partner the Enterprise team provides professional advice andassistanceon:

• Spinout/start-up creation and enterprise
• Commercialisation and working with industry
• Knowledge exchange and technology licensing
• Research commercialisation and IP management

Key Duties & Responsibilities

The post-holder will:

• Identifycommercialisation opportunities across Heriot-Watt University and develop them into successful commercial outcomes
• Promote enterprise opportunities for staff & students across the five campuses of the university and interact with key stakeholders including investors corporatepartnersand government/economic development agencies.
• Support development of an enterprise network across the university linking academic schools professionalservicesand external stakeholders as appropriate
• Support new industry-led innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives e.g. accelerators and innovation challenges
• Provide hands-on businesssupporttostaff and students of HWU including:

• Lead/support the delivery of enterprise creation workshops and training
• Participate in networks of enterprise support activities in ScotlandDubaiand Malaysia
• Nurture a community ofinnovatorsentrepreneursmentorsand support agencies
• Developing contentfor internal and externalaudiences
• Support the University inleveragingappropriate fundingto support company creation & enterprise activity (e.g. SE High GrowthRSERAEngICUReConverge etc.)
• Support colleagues in collating KPI data that exemplifies the University delivery ofinnovation andenterprise activities
• Assist theB&Eleadership teamto deliver strategic initiatives to furtherinnovation andenterprise developments across the university
• Connect and collaborate with the external enterprise ecosystemand signpostingentrepreneurs to relevant external opportunities
• Other dutiestosupport enterprise delivery and wider commercial objectives

Essential & Desirable Criteria

Essential Experience

• Proventrack recordof working within a start-upor industryenvironment
• Commercial experienceoperatingin an innovation-centred environment
• Evidence of prior workshop deliveryor event managementexperience
• Financial management businessplanningand writing funding proposals
• Ability to work in partnership across public and private sector organisations
• Good first degree in a Technology Engineering orBusiness-relatedsubject

Essential Skills

• Outstanding communication skills both written and verbal
• Strong public speaker with experience of delivering training and workshops
• Co-ordinating activities across large organisations
• Strong attention to detailand ability to plan workload and prioritise effectively
• A good understanding of and the ability to use a range of software applications and services (CRM word-processing spreadsheets databases email PowerPoint).
• Ability to understand complex ideas and help articulate them into a coherent value proposition

Desirable

• Understanding of available business start-up support across UKMalaysiaand Dubai
• The ability to provide clear reports and advice for the different senior stakeholders within an entrepreneurial and academic ecosystem
• Ability to negotiate and sell opportunities
• Line management or team leader experience beneficial but not essential
• Ability to secure funding in an early-stage innovation environment

How to Apply

Applications can besubmittedup to23:55(UK time)onSunday 9th of August2026.

Pleasesubmityour CV and covering lettervia the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment.

We welcome and will consider flexible working -time working and job share options.

Heriot-WattUniversity is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected trained promoted appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities.Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot-WattUniversity values diversity across our university community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information please see our website alsoour award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers our total rewards calculator: see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.

About Heriot-Watt University

At Heriot-Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.

Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps youlive your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.