Manager (Deeptech Ecosystem Lead)

Manager (Deeptech Ecosystem Lead)

We have an exciting opportunity to be part of a world-class team supporting UK companies to accelerate their growth through innovation, investment and partnership delivering economic impact into the UK economy.

SETsquared has recently partnered on an exciting new accelerator working alongside the Ministry of Defence's Defence and Security Accelerator(DASA) and our partners to strengthen the UK's position within NATO's Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) initiative.

Working alongside consortium partners, the programme will support companies working on pressing defence and security challenges, creating a new generation of innovative suppliers while strengthening the defence industrial base. The programme will be delivering dual use innovations, expert technical support, access to investment opportunities, connections with the pan-NATO ecosystems and tailored business acceleration support at the programmes White City campus in London.

We are looking for a pro-active, hands-on Manager to act as the programmes Deeptech Ecosystem Lead, facilitating early engagement with the UK deeptech ecosystem, providing deep tech commercialisation support and outreach to startups, scaleups and spinouts including from academic and research institutions.

The SETsquared Partnership is a world leading business incubator and innovation partnership comprising six research-intensive universities – Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Southampton, and Surrey. We provided a range of highly acclaimed support programmes to help turn ideas into thriving businesses.

In this role, you will be working as part of a dynamic and friendly team along with a wider team at each of the individual Universities within the SETsquared Partnership.

A pro-active and hands-on individual with motivation and genuine enthusiasm for engaging and facilitating access across the UK's deep tech ecosystem, alongside a proven track record of building and delivering outreach, training and support programmes.

This is a challenging and exciting opportunity for someone who is already well connected in the UK's deep tech ecosystem. You will be responsible for designing and delivering content tailored to the needs of the defence and security sector, which could include:

• outreach programmes targeting spinouts from academic and research institutions
• design and execute hackathons with the research community to inspire new ideas in key technology areas
• coordinate thought leadership events
• design future talent programmes to engage those starting their tech careers and providing a platform for talent discovery
• forge connections with other NATO initiatives across the UK and the Alliance
• and design and deliver other content tailored to the needs of the defence and security sector

You will play a key role in ensuring the programmes innovation hub at White City is vibrant and lively.

You will possess excellent communication skills, together with a positive, professional manner and the ability to deal tactfully and confidently with people at all levels.

A self-starter with energy and enthusiasm, and the ability to work under pressure while maintaining high quality work, attention to detail, and dealing with multiple and varied responsibilities. With a wide ecosystem across SETsquared and the consortium partners, this is a complex and challenging but stimulating and rewarding environment to work within.

This is a full time role for an initial fixed-term period until November 2026 (with possible extension for a further 3 years).

You will be required to undertake duties outside of standard University hours, including evenings or weekends where the business need arises, and you'll be expecting to spend some time every week in London at the innovation hub in White City, or travelling to locations across the Country to deliver the programme.

A Security Clearance check is required for this position.

For an informal discussion about the role please contact Serena Giaminardi at

We consider ourselves to be a university where difference is celebrated, respected and encouraged. We have an excellent international reputation with staff from over 60 different nations and have made a positive commitment towards gender equality and intersectionality receiving a Silver Athena SWAN award. We truly believe that diversity of experience, perspectives, and backgrounds will lead to a better environment for our employees and students and encourage applications from all genders, backgrounds, and communities, particularly from under-represented groups, and value the positive impact that will have on the university. We are committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for our students, staff, and community by reinforcing our Safer Recruitment commitment.

We're very proud to be a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant. an accredited Disability Confident Leader; autism friendly university, committed to building disability confidence and supporting disabled staff.

We're continually expanding our benefits package to better support you and enhance your experience with us and the below is just an example of some of the many great benefits we offer:

• Free counselling services through Health Assured
• Cycle to work scheme
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme
• Staff discount at Team Bath gym
• Staff discounts on postgraduate tuition fees
• Staff discount on language courses
• Generous employer contributory pension schemes
• Generous annual leave allowance with an additional 5 discretionary days so that you can enjoy a positive work life balance
• A wide range of personal and professional development opportunities including Apprenticeships, LinkedIn Learning and more
• Free entry to the Holburne Museum in Bath
• Local discounts and more
• A family-friendly workplace
• An excellent reward package that recognises the talents of our diverse workforce
• Relocation allowance
• Visa reimbursement and Interest-Free Loan to help with the cost of some immigration expenses

Find out more about our benefits and watch the video to hear from our staff about what makes the University of Bath a great place to work as well as following us X and LinkedIn.