Innovation Lead - Agriculture & Food
| Posting date: | 22 May 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £58,589 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 07 June 2026 |
| Location: | UK |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Innovate UK |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | JR4534 |
Summary
Context:
The UK Agriculture sector is a broad and highly dispersed industry, spanning horticulture, aquaculture, livestock, food and crops. Agriculture is the bedrock of the UK’s largest manufacturing sector, food and drink, which contributes over £120 billion to the country’s economy. Collaboration and strong relationships across the breadth of the UK’s agricultural industries, research, UKRI and government are critical to driving the much-needed innovations to ensure this industry continues to thrive.
The Agri-food team is responsible for significant innovation funding that includes a substantial managed programme in partnership with DEFRA. Regardless of the funding origin, the Agrifood programmes are focused on driving economic performance and the environmental sustainability of the sector. Developing new funding programmes as well as delivering impact from our current portfolio are key outcomes.
We particularly welcome female applicants as women are under-represented within Innovate UK in this type of role.
Job Purpose:
As an Innovation Lead you will be responsible for developing and delivering a vital range of interventions to support agri-food businesses to innovate and to help grow the UK economy, response to industrial challenges and commercial opportunities
Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:
Collaborating in the development and promotion of our strategy in Agri-Food based on a good understanding of relevant industries and technologies and wider innovation infrastructure
Designing, developing, and delivering funding competitions and other business support interventions for the agriculture sector, working effectively with the internal and external stakeholders to achieve a successful outcome, with specific focus on the continuous delivery of the Defra Farming Innovation Programme ADOPT competition pipeline
Maintaining technical oversight for a portfolio of projects, tracking progress to ensure desired outcomes are achieved and ensuring that project challenges and successes are understood, captured and escalated as necessary
Supporting funded projects to maximise the impact of our investment
Developing relationships with business and innovators to create a deep understanding of opportunities from, and barriers to innovation in the sector
Ensuring that UK activity is set in an international context and recognises regional strengths across the UK
Working with Innovate UK and UKRI colleagues and networks on decisions made in your specialist area, to ensure they make sense in the context of the broader organisation, strategically and operationally
Representing Innovate UK at leading industry events, raising awareness of innovation opportunities and successes
This is not an exhaustive list and you might be encouraged to undertake any other duties across the wider directorate, commensurate with the Band and level of responsibility of this post, for which the post holder has the key experience and/or training.
Shortlisting criteria
(S) – Assessed at shortlisting
(I) – Assessed at interview
(S&I) – Assessed at both shortlisting and interview
Person Specification:
We are looking for someone with commercial awareness who can manage contending priorities and a sophisticated partner environment. You will be able to make sense of multiple data sources, to establish underlying patterns and articulate a clear and compelling vision of what needs to be done. A great teammate, a 'can do' attitude, willing to share knowledge and to learn from others.
Experience & Qualifications:
Essential –
Degree level in a science engineering or technical field relevant to agriculture or equivalent experience (S)
In depth technical and/or business knowledge of the agricultural sector, both here in the UK and internationally and up-to-date understanding of developments (S&I)
First-hand experience of innovation and/or product development in agricultural sectors from working either in or closely with businesses (S&I)
Breadth of knowledge of the challenges and opportunities for innovations that can positively impact agricultural production and for their widespread adoption (I)
Excellent stakeholder management experience, including building links while working with senior-level individuals with conflicting demands and priorities (I)
Ability to strategically assess business and innovation gaps and opportunities – both at the domestic and international level (I)
Experience of communicating and presenting, conveying clear messages to a range of audiences (S)
Up-to-date and broad-based knowledge of innovation in a commercial environment (S&I)
Competencies:
All team members demonstrate compatibility with and capability against our Core Competencies such as:
Thinking and Problem Solving – Stakeholder management – Communication skills – Influencing – Self-awareness/self-management – Strategic awareness – Working with others– Project management
Some of the above competencies will be assessed at interview stage, in addition to the criteria’s listed in the person specification.
Travel Requirements:
Field-based: There will a requirement to travel, mostly national, and there is some flexibility in this. Innovate UK staff make extensive use of telepresence tools for meetings to minimise unnecessary travel.
The UK Agriculture sector is a broad and highly dispersed industry, spanning horticulture, aquaculture, livestock, food and crops. Agriculture is the bedrock of the UK’s largest manufacturing sector, food and drink, which contributes over £120 billion to the country’s economy. Collaboration and strong relationships across the breadth of the UK’s agricultural industries, research, UKRI and government are critical to driving the much-needed innovations to ensure this industry continues to thrive.
The Agri-food team is responsible for significant innovation funding that includes a substantial managed programme in partnership with DEFRA. Regardless of the funding origin, the Agrifood programmes are focused on driving economic performance and the environmental sustainability of the sector. Developing new funding programmes as well as delivering impact from our current portfolio are key outcomes.
We particularly welcome female applicants as women are under-represented within Innovate UK in this type of role.
Job Purpose:
As an Innovation Lead you will be responsible for developing and delivering a vital range of interventions to support agri-food businesses to innovate and to help grow the UK economy, response to industrial challenges and commercial opportunities
Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:
Collaborating in the development and promotion of our strategy in Agri-Food based on a good understanding of relevant industries and technologies and wider innovation infrastructure
Designing, developing, and delivering funding competitions and other business support interventions for the agriculture sector, working effectively with the internal and external stakeholders to achieve a successful outcome, with specific focus on the continuous delivery of the Defra Farming Innovation Programme ADOPT competition pipeline
Maintaining technical oversight for a portfolio of projects, tracking progress to ensure desired outcomes are achieved and ensuring that project challenges and successes are understood, captured and escalated as necessary
Supporting funded projects to maximise the impact of our investment
Developing relationships with business and innovators to create a deep understanding of opportunities from, and barriers to innovation in the sector
Ensuring that UK activity is set in an international context and recognises regional strengths across the UK
Working with Innovate UK and UKRI colleagues and networks on decisions made in your specialist area, to ensure they make sense in the context of the broader organisation, strategically and operationally
Representing Innovate UK at leading industry events, raising awareness of innovation opportunities and successes
This is not an exhaustive list and you might be encouraged to undertake any other duties across the wider directorate, commensurate with the Band and level of responsibility of this post, for which the post holder has the key experience and/or training.
Shortlisting criteria
(S) – Assessed at shortlisting
(I) – Assessed at interview
(S&I) – Assessed at both shortlisting and interview
Person Specification:
We are looking for someone with commercial awareness who can manage contending priorities and a sophisticated partner environment. You will be able to make sense of multiple data sources, to establish underlying patterns and articulate a clear and compelling vision of what needs to be done. A great teammate, a 'can do' attitude, willing to share knowledge and to learn from others.
Experience & Qualifications:
Essential –
Degree level in a science engineering or technical field relevant to agriculture or equivalent experience (S)
In depth technical and/or business knowledge of the agricultural sector, both here in the UK and internationally and up-to-date understanding of developments (S&I)
First-hand experience of innovation and/or product development in agricultural sectors from working either in or closely with businesses (S&I)
Breadth of knowledge of the challenges and opportunities for innovations that can positively impact agricultural production and for their widespread adoption (I)
Excellent stakeholder management experience, including building links while working with senior-level individuals with conflicting demands and priorities (I)
Ability to strategically assess business and innovation gaps and opportunities – both at the domestic and international level (I)
Experience of communicating and presenting, conveying clear messages to a range of audiences (S)
Up-to-date and broad-based knowledge of innovation in a commercial environment (S&I)
Competencies:
All team members demonstrate compatibility with and capability against our Core Competencies such as:
Thinking and Problem Solving – Stakeholder management – Communication skills – Influencing – Self-awareness/self-management – Strategic awareness – Working with others– Project management
Some of the above competencies will be assessed at interview stage, in addition to the criteria’s listed in the person specification.
Travel Requirements:
Field-based: There will a requirement to travel, mostly national, and there is some flexibility in this. Innovate UK staff make extensive use of telepresence tools for meetings to minimise unnecessary travel.