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Business Leader -International

Salary: £85,000- £95,000 per annum FTE + Benefits

Status: Permanent /Full-time strongly preferable (requests for part-time/flexible working arrangements are welcome)

Expanding UK innovation onto the global stage

At Energy Systems Catapult, we accelerate innovation and collaborate to open new markets in the energy sector —helping UK innovators test, trial, and scale groundbreaking solutions.  

But Net Zero isn’t just a UK challenge. The energy transition is global, and the UK’s most innovative companies need international routes to scale, unlock world-class learning and investment, to ultimately deliver impact. 

That’s where our International Platform comes in. We work with public and private sector organisations, forge international partnerships, and help shape energy system transformation, innovation and commercialisation worldwide. We are UK-SME-led and principally focus on opportunities that offer a way for UK SMEs to scale or enable routes to market to open.  

We’re looking for an exceptional leader to take this platform to the next level—someone with a truly global outlook, who understands international institutional structures, cultural nuances and thrives on creating opportunities regardless of borders. 

About the role 

As our Business Leader – International, you will build international partnerships, drive commercial growth, and help position UK innovators at the heart of the global Net Zero transition.  

Your work will span three core areas: 

1.  Commercial strategy and business development

• Secure and grow international public and private contracts, leading on strategy, stakeholder mapping, market positioning, and pricing
• Build and expand networks across industry, government, innovators and investors - creating valuable opportunities for UK innovation
• Work with Catapult colleagues to develop compelling propositions, maximising our differentiation and ability to deliver impact
• Position Energy Systems Catapult as a trusted international partner in energy system transformation

      2. Leadership and Management

• Lead, manage, and develop a high-performing team, fostering a culture of ambition and impact
• Oversee the successful delivery of international projects— ensuring that scope, deliverables, timescales, budgets and quality are met; providing quality assurance and escalation management where required
• Collaborate across the organisation to maximise our international impact, working closely with the executive and extended leadership teams.

      3. Operations, Impact, and Reporting

• Define and implement annual revenue targets, cost budgets, and resource planning for the International Platform
• Generate appropriate marketing collateral, and capture and communicate the impact of our work through compelling case studies and performance metrics
• Drive thought leadership initiatives—positioning Energy Systems Catapult as a key partner for energy innovation and accessing UK SMEs working in energy

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for someone who brings: 

• Proven international experience in the energy sector, ideally in consultancy and/or government-funded innovation / innovator programmes, or research organisations
• A track record of winning and delivering commercial contracts—with strong business development and stakeholder engagement skills
• A global mindset—able to navigate different markets, cultures, and regulatory environments to create opportunities
• Exceptional leadership experience—capable of inspiring teams, engaging senior stakeholders, and driving impact
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills—able to prioritise for impact and bring clarity to complex challenges

Why join us?

At Energy Systems Catapult, you’ll be part of a mission-driven, high-performing team working at the forefront of energy innovation. 

• Shape the global energy transition - your work will directly support the UK’s role in Net Zero innovation
• Work internationally - building partnerships and creating opportunities on a global scale
• Join a dynamic, fast-paced environment - where bold ideas and practical action go hand in hand
• Enjoy flexibility - with a hybrid model that supports productivity and work-life balance

If you’re ready to drive UK innovation onto the world stage, we’d love to hear from you. 

Please note , for those applicants shortlisted, initial interviews will take place on Tuesday 8^th April 2025 and Wednesday 9^th April 2025

Second interviews with the EXEC will take place on Tuesday 22^nd  and Wednesday 23^rd April 2025

Would you like to Apply?

The closing date for applications is Friday 28th March 2025 

Please note that at this time we are unable to provide UK visa sponsorship.

We welcome applications from all, including those who may be returning to work, those wishing to work flexibly for any reason, and those who may need additional support.

Energy Systems Catapult undertakes innovative and exciting work that will help shape the future of energy, with this in mind we encourage candidates to submit their applications as early as possible, as we do reserve the right to remove this advert or close it to further applications at any point during the recruitment process.

Employee Benefits:   

Annual leave 28 days plus bank holidays (FTE) + Buy/Sell holidays Buy/sell holiday – maximum 1 week based on contracted hours + Pension 2 for 1 contribution via salary sacrifice scheme up to 10% + Discretionary bonus scheme + Recognition scheme to celebrate “above and beyond”+ EV Scheme Salary sacrifice + Cycle2work Salary sacrifice + Life assurance 4 x salary + Health Cash Back Plan + Retail and gym discounts + Employee Assistance Programme 24/7 phoneline and 6 free counselling sessions + Snacks and drinks + Annual company off-site event.

Flexible working options for eligible employees = (Sabbatical/Compressed/Staggered/Flexible hours) + Working within a hybrid office attendance model with the expectation of being in the office at least 1 day a week + and:  

Maternity Leave = (100% 13 weeks / 50% 13 weeks/SP 13 weeks/Unpaid leave for 13 weeks)

Adoption Leave = (100% 13 weeks/50% 13 weeks/SP 13 weeks/Unpaid leave for 13 weeks)

Paternity Leave = (100% 2 weeks)

Shared Parental Leave = (100% 10 weeks/50% 13 weeks/SP 13 weeks)

(Strictly No Agencies).

"We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of race, sex, disability, religion and belief, sexual orientation, or status regarding gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity."

Privacy Statement

Purpose of the Privacy Statement

The purpose of this Privacy Statement is to make you aware of how and why your personal data will be used during any recruitment process and how long it will usually be retained for.  This statement provides you with certain information that must be provided under the General Data Protection Regulation ((EU) 2016/679) (GDPR).

In the recruitment process we, Energy Systems Catapult Limited, are a “Data Controller”. This means that we are responsible for deciding how we hold and use personal data about you.

The Energy Systems Catapult Limited is located at Cannon House 7th Floor, 18 Priory Queensway, Birmingham, West Midlands, England, B4 6BS and can be contacted by email at: dataprotectionoffice@es.catapult.org.uk. 

Data Protection Principles

We will comply with data protection law and principles, which means that your data will be:

Used lawfully, fairly and in a transparent way;
Collected only for valid purposes that we have clearly explained to you and not used in any way that is incompatible with those purposes;
Relevant to the purposes we have told you about and limited only to those purposes;
Accurate and kept up to date;
Kept only as long as necessary for the purposes we have told you about;
Kept securely. 

The Kind of Personal Data we hold about you

In connection with your application for work with us, we will collect, store and use the following categories of personal information about you:

The information you have provided in our application form;
The information you have provided to us in your curriculum vitae and covering letter;
Any information you provide to us during an interview;
Any other information provided by you as part of the recruitment process. 
We may ask you for information to allow us to monitor our equal opportunities and diversity performance in recruitment. Also, if you inform us that you have a disability we will keep this information on record to allow us to make reasonable adjustments as needed. 

How we will use your Personal Data

We will use the personal data we collect about you to:

Assess your skills, qualifications and suitability for the role;
Carry out background and reference checks, where applicable;
Communicate with you about the recruitment process;
Keep records relating to our hiring processes;
Manage recruitment related activities, which includes setting up and conducting interviews and tests for applicants, evaluating and assessing the results thereto, and as is otherwise needed in the recruitment and hiring processes;
Comply with legal or regulatory requirements.
We will also use information about any disability you may have to consider whether we need to provide appropriate adjustments during the recruitment process.

Such processing is lawful as it is necessary for our legitimate purpose in seeking to attract, evaluate, and select applicants for employment. 

Data Sharing: Greenhouse Software Inc

Your personal data will be shared with Greenhouse Software, Inc., a cloud services provider located in the United States of America and engaged by us to help manage our recruitment and hiring process. Accordingly, if you are located outside of the United States, your personal data will be transferred to the United States once you submit it through this site. This transfer will be subject to appropriate additional safeguards under the Privacy Shield so as to comply with EU law. 

Data Retention

We will retain your personal data for a period of 12 months after we have communicated to you our decision about whether to appoint you to the role. We retain your personal data for that period so that we can show, in the event of a legal claim, that we have not discriminated against candidates on prohibited grounds and that we have conducted the recruitment exercise in a fair and transparent way. After this period, we will securely destroy your personal data in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. 

Your Rights in Connection with Personal Data

Under the GDPR you have the right to request access to your personal data, to request that your personal data be rectified or erased, and to request that processing of your personal data be restricted or transferred.

When you apply for this role, and tick the confirmation box below, you have provided consent for us to process your personal data for the purpose of the recruitment exercise. You have the right to withdraw your consent for processing for that purpose at any time. Withdrawal of consent to process your data may mean that we cannot continue with your application to us.

If you wish to exercise the rights granted to you under GDPR please contact: dataprotectionoffice@es.catapult.org.uk.