We are a not-for-profit company providing specialist support to help business and the public sector boost business returns by cutting carbon emissions, saving energy and commercialising low carbon technologies.
The Carbon Trust Innovation team works with public and private sector clients to help bring low carbon technologies to market quicker, cheaper and at greater scale.
Research Accelerators are designed to accelerate the commercialisation of emerging technologies by creating new commercial ventures, including special purpose vehicles, equity investments, joint development agreements, as well as grant funding;
The Commercial Manager will lead on the structuring of investments in both existing early stage technology companies and the creation of ventures; support the ongoing management of the portfolio of investments made - including providing strategic support to the investee companies; actively help to define the strategy of the overall Research Acceleration programmes of activity; and play a leading role in engaging with business stakeholders in the value chains of target markets - both facilitating opportunities for the breakthrough technology through direct company/sector level engagement and through ground breaking market research and analysis;
The role also plays an active role in strategic planning and leads specific areas of new business development across Carbon Trust Innovation, with a focus on building new commercial partnerships and investment opportunities to commercialise emerging technologies;
The role will also help structure investment in and management of the broader portfolio of Carbon Trust investments in different companies, supporting Portfolio Directors in line with need.
Main duties and responsibilities:
Structuring and managing commercial investments in the Research Accelerator and leading on end market engagement:
Leading the delivery of commercial aspects of a portfolio of technology commercialisation programmes (Research Accelerators), currently including multi-£m initiatives in biofuels and fuel cells funded by the Department of Energy & Climate Change, and help define the strategy of each initiative. This may include direct portfolio management and Non-Exec directorship role in investee businesses.
Ensuring appropriate governance is in place for each Research Accelerator investment, and best practice is followed in investment management
Actively engaging with major corporates in end target markets to help facilitate market transformation goals of the overall research accelerator initiatives and to support the market entry of the specific ventures invested in and created.
People management:
Role will have access to analyst support and will need to be able to provide suitable guidance and management to deliver commercial investments and market research;
Collaboration with internal and external stakeholders:
Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with key stakeholders in industry and government, in order to leverage new public funding and private investment into the Research Accelerators; and
Extend and enhance the Carbon Trust's reputation as a leader in low carbon technology innovation, raising the profile of our work through conference presentations and media engagements.
Business development:
Identify and develop new opportunities and sources of funding for the Carbon Trust Innovation business, with a focus on creating new commercial ventures and investment opportunities to commercialise emerging low carbon technologies.
Support relevant projects and initiatives in the Carbon Trust's other business areas.
Supporting in line with need investments in and the management of the Carbon Trusts broader investment portfolio, under the guidance of Portfolio Directors.
Key Performance Indicators
Size of projected carbon savings attributed to the technologies developed in the Research Accelerator portfolio;
Direct and indirect private sector leverage brought into the Research Accelerator portfolio;
Delivery of commercial aspects of Accelerators to agreed timescales and outcomes;
Strength of relationships with internal stakeholders;
Strength of relationships with key external stakeholders: government department funders; potential international funders; key players in the technology intervention space, in the UK and internationally; and corporates in the value chains of target markets.
Creation of new business opportunity for Carbon Trust Innovation in line with our mission to accelerate the move to a low carbon economy.
Key skills
Candidates would be expected to demonstrate strong project management, transactional andcommercialisationskills, and intellectual property management strategies, ideally demonstrated in an early stage environment.
This role requires strong persuasion skills and thus client facing communication and negotiating skills are critical in order to engage effectively with senior level staff, customers and key partners and suppliers (e.g. scientists, entrepreneurial management, lawyers, investors, consultants, corporates). Any one venture will require the coordination of multiple parties.
Whilst the candidate must be capable of working independently the role demands collaboration with other members of the team to leverage existing knowledge.
Management: able to manage supporting analysts to achieve successful outcomes.
Problem solving skills and analysis: able to structure and deliver/manage market research and help structure the strategies of research accelerators.
Ability to quickly develop an understanding of the scientific and engineering principles of a range of novel low carbon technologies. Existing knowledge of the low carbon technology sector would be welcome.
The candidate must also be flexible to respond to the emerging needs of Carbon Trust Innovations and the broader Carbon Trust group.
Qualifications and experience:
Required
The candidate is likely to have held a professional role within the corporate, finance or legal sector and have had proven experience in leading a transactions/projects from idea stage through to completion.
Experience would potentially have been gained through hands on management of high growth technology companies, experience in technology transfer and early stage venture capital or corporate venturing. Alternatively comparative experience from Investment Banking or the Corporate sector may be applicable.
Proven experience of leading multi-skilled teams including managing upwards and managing third party individuals from a spread of sectors.
Degree educated (at least 2:1 or equivalent) in a numerate discipline; science/engineering preferred
Desirable
Extensive knowledge of a wide range of low carbon technologies;
