Incubation and Continuous Improvement Officer

**Job Title**: Incubation and Continuous Improvement Officer
**Salary**: £31,931 OR £39,748 gross per annum (dependent on skills and experience).
**Hours**: Full time
**Contract Type**:Fixed Term (6 months)
**Location**: Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Harwell, Oxfordshire OR Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington
**Working Style**: As a flexible employer, we are happy you to predominantly work from home for this role and on occasion work in one of the above office locations

**Overall Purpose**

STFC's Business Incubation Team and in particular, the ESA BIC UK team is looking for a creative and motivated individual to support the continuous improvement activities of the programme.

This is an outstanding opportunity to shape the future of the ESA BIC and contribute to building STFC's broader Incubation capabilities
The role is for 6 months and the location flexible: Daresbury, Harwell or hybrid.

**Responsibilities / Duties**
Reporting to the ESA BIC programme Manager (Harwell) and working closely with STFC's Head of Incubation and Senior Incubation Support Officer (Daresbury), the post holder will lead projects to craft and implement new capabilities and improve effiencies. This will include:

- Create project plans to deliver the ESA BIC programme strategy, including drafting the terms of reference and work-plan and building working teams (with support from the ESA BIC Manager).
- Identify efficiency opportunities in processes across Incubation activities and design / redevelop processes and procedures to meet requirements.
- Lead the project management for select design and implementation activities and coordinate working team activities to meet the project's goals.
- Design new capabilities for Incubation programmes, including researching the best methodologies used by other businesses and shaping realistic solutions that fit our operational constraints.
- Involve the Incubation teams in project design and delivery to ensure they are on-board with proposed changes.
- Collaborate with wider STFC teams to ensure solutions are workable and can be applied to other STFC Business Incubators.
- Develop delivery plans and simple user tools.
- Train working teams on new ways of working and new tools to help embed change in the line.
- Automate and simply back-office procedures.
- A Band D role would initially support project management activities and shape recommendations as part of the team, taking greater ownership and responsibility over time.
- A Band E role would take the lead on project management and developing recommendations and would coordinate the working team to meet project goals.

**Skills and Experience**
- Good digital skills including use of Office 365, SharePoint, Teams and other collaboration and shared working tools (experience with Power Automate or similar tools is desirable)
- Strong organisation and project management
- Good communication skills and an ability to bring in diverse viewpoints, listen actively, and make sound judgements on the best way forward
- Able to think creatively as well as act decisively to implement change

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits including a flexible working scheme, a Career Average Revalued Earnings pension scheme, 30 days annual leave allowance, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme.

**About The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)**

As one of Europe’s largest research organisations, we ask the biggest questions in the universe to find answers that change the world around us. We seek understanding. We’re proud of the impact we make. And we’re committed to helping build a globally competitive, knowledge-based UK economy. Being part of all this means contributing to work that pushes boundaries and creates possibilities. You’ll work with, and learn from, true experts. Whatever your role, you’ll be free to question, and encouraged to share ideas. And, in a positive and supportive culture, you’ll discover just what a difference you can make when you’re equipped and inspired to excel.

We’re a place where curious minds thrive. Not bound by profit, we explore ideas that others don’t, ask questions that others won’t, and discover answers that others are not equipped to find. And, alongside Mars landings and black holes, we also explore diverse, international projects in everything from science and engineering to computing and technology. Whether it’s at the cutting edge or behind the scenes, our work is intellectually challenging. It’s very often ground-breaking. And it’s endlessly, irresistibly fascinating.

**About UK Research Innovation (UKRI)**

UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its wo