Head of Industry Engagement

**Description**:
Led by Digital Catapult and funded by Belfast Region City Deal and Innovate UK, the UK Digital Twin Centre will actively enable industry and innovators to safely embrace, explore and realise the dynamic power of digital twins. Operating from the heart of Northern Ireland, the Centre will accelerate the adoption of digital twins to drive global competitive advantage for UK businesses. By creating the conditions for digital twins to be better understood, more easily developed and more meaningfully applied, the Centre will give businesses real-time capabilities to make smarter decisions and achieve better outcomes, enabling the potential of digital twins to be realised, not theorised. Through partnerships with industry pioneers, the Centre will demonstrate how digital twins can responsibly revolutionise critical industries in maritime, aerospace and defence, and advance the products, services, and systems of the future.

The Head of Industry Engagement will be focused on bringing industry partners from a variety of sectors including Aerospace, Defence & Maritime to the UK Digital Twin Centre. The role is a high impact role enabling the Centre to develop as a UK asset by attracting new commercial and CR&D revenue streams. You will interface with the Business Development Team in Digital Catapult and work closely with the Leadership team. The post will be based in the UK Digital Twin Centre in Northern Ireland but with regular travel required to Digital Catapult London and across the UK in support of use case and commercial opportunity development.

**WHAT YOU’LL DO (Duties)**

With a Business Development focus you will lead activities across Digital Catapult to the benefits of digital twins into our industry portfolio, leading with Aerospace Defence and Maritime sector, and then explore additional industry priorities including Transport & Infrastructure, Energy & Utilities and Digital Supply Chains. The Head of Industry Engagement will not only interact with a broad range of customers, but will also have a focus on developing new propositions and capabilities around digital twins that we can be taken to market by:

- Developing and retaining an intimate knowledge of the UK Digital Twin Centre technical capabilities (products, assets, people), the services the Centre can deliver and the impact that they create for the UK ecosystem and industrial end-users.
- Lead the development of the commercial and CR&D pipeline that will enable the long term sustainability of the centre, with an initial focus on Aerospace, Defence & Maritime, expanding into other industries where appropriate
- Develop, test and launch business models in the Aerospace, Defence & Maritime sectors for digital twins to create significant impact.
- Lead the development of tech partnerships where industry adopters are involved
- Working collaboratively with the technologists specialists within the centre and across catapult teams.
- Manage and track a portfolio of digital twin focussed initiatives across the Digital Catapult
- Be the voice of the industry partners during delivery of partners use cases.
- Gather market intelligence for dissemination across the relevant catapult technology teams, supporting the development of market insight reports and analysis.
- Be an ambassador for the UK Digital Twin Centre and the Digital Catapult at UK and NI levels.

**Requirements**:
With a proven track record of developing and closing new, digital twin focussed commercial relationships within at least one of our target sectors, with experience of closing commercial partnerships over £500.

You should have the knowledge and experience to demonstrate digital twins know-how and understanding of the technology/business landscape, ecosystem, value chain and future trends. With a proven track record in delivering revenue from industrial clients. Ability to independently organise, prioritise and manage their own pipeline and familiar with CRM systems

A background in technology with a focus on digital technology within organisations of all sizes is key partnered with up to date knowledge on current UK and regional strategies on net zero and cyber physical systems.
- Clear communicator, confident at all levels and with strong presentation skills
- Strategic thinker who can match existing Digital Catapult capabilities with the needs of industry.
- Ability to undertake research and write clear positional papers that outline our vision for digital twins
- A background in (fast paced, ideally technology related, businesses would be ideal for this role.)
- Analytical and inquisitive, you will be methodical in your approach with an eye for detail.