HEAD OF RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
CREWE
UP TO £70,000
THE OPPORTUNITY
We are recruiting for a Head of Research & Development to take ownership of all R&D and New Product Development activity for a growing, values‑led organisation. This is a senior, hands‑on leadership role suited to someone who excels in project and programme management, innovation governance, and end‑to‑end delivery. While this role sits at Head of Department level, it is not a large people‑management position, instead it focuses on leading R&D activity through coordination, influence, and cross‑functional collaboration. Reporting directly to the CEO, you will define and deliver the R&D and innovation strategy, manage the full R&D budget, and ensure that new products are taken from concept through to successful market launch in a structured, commercially focused way.
THE ROLE
* Own and manage the full R&D and NPD budget, ensuring effective resource allocation
* Define, implement, and evolve the R&D and innovation strategy aligned to business goals
* Develop and maintain multi‑year product and technology roadmaps
* Establish clear governance, controls, and reporting frameworks for R&D activity
* Track and record R&D hours to a high standard to support tax reclaims
* Oversee intellectual property protection, ensuring NDAs are in place and liaising with legal advisors
* Lead the full product lifecycle from ideation and feasibility through design, validation, launch, and review
* Ensure all developments meet regulatory, safety, quality, and performance standards
* Coordinate closely with engineering, operations, commercial, and supply chain teams to ensure delivery
* Own the R&D portfolio, ensuring projects are delivered on time, on budget, and to specification
* Track progress against KPIs and continuously improve development processes
* Identify, manage, and mitigate technical, commercial, and delivery risks
* Stakeholder & External Engagement
* Build strong relationships with senior internal stakeholders and external partners
* Ensure compliance with all relevant industry standards, regulations, and certifications
* Champion structured innovation, creativity, and emerging technologies
* Drive improvements in sustainability, product performance, and manufacturability
* Embed best‑practice R&D and project management approaches across the organisation
THE PERSON
* Proven experience in a Head of Research & Development, Research & Development Lead, Research & Development Manager or similar role leading R&D, innovation, engineering or technical programmes in a manufacturing or technical environment
* Strong project and programme management capability, with experience owning multiple workstreams
* Background in new product development and commercialisation
* Experience managing budgets and working at a strategic level
* Confident communicator with strong stakeholder management skills
* Comfortable operating in a hands‑on, delivery‑focused Head of Department role
* Highly organised, resilient, and able to execute against deadlines
We are an equal opportunities employer and we never charge candidates a fee for our services.
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