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Non -Executive Board Member

Non-Executive Board Member

About Us

Energy Systems Catapult is an independent research and technology organisation set up by Innovate UK to accelerate clean energy innovation.

It sits at the heart of the agenda to support UK energy innovators scale up to become industry giants. It empowers government, industry, communities and customers to drive the energy systems transformation – securely and cost-effectively.

Energy Systems Catapult is one of a network of elite technology and innovation centres set up by Innovate UK. The Catapult works with companies that are focused on seizing the opportunities created by the need to transform global energy systems; not only playing a part in accelerating technology-based solutions but also engaging with government to address the market mechanisms and business models required to enable such solutions.

Energy Systems Catapult has created a critical mass for business and research innovation, focusing on electricity, heat and combustible gases. The centre is an important part of the UK’s innovation system, making a major long term contribution to UK economic growth.

The Catapult’s energy expertise combined with its whole systems approach to innovation helps identify and remove barriers to innovation and innovators to create solutions that work for people, place and planet.

The Catapult works directly with energy system innovators to test, trial, and scale innovative products and services. It works with some of the UK’s most exciting clean energy innovators including GridEdge, myenergi, Urban Chain and Voltempo.

It helps energy companies and corporates to drive innovation at scale. Its partners include: Octopus Energy, OVO, E.ON, BP, HSBC, Rolls Royce, National Grid and UK Power Networks.

The Catapult assists government departments and services including the Ministry of Defence and the NHS, and local authorities to accelerate towards a clean energy future.

Mission and strategic objectives

Energy Systems Catapult’s mission statement is: to accelerate clean energy innovation. It has a number of goals:

1. UK companies supported by the Catapult scale up to become global leaders in energy innovation.
2. That it becomes easy and desirable for people to decarbonise their homes.
3. That businesses and the public sector have the tools to quickly and easily decarbonise the energy used in their buildings and sites.
4. Every local area in the UK is investing in new, clean energy energy infrastructure, based on robust whole system plans.
5. A new flexible, digitalised clean energy system is being rapidly rolled-out, which is more resilient and better for all consumers.

The Challenge

The UK has ambitious targets to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Achieving those targets while improving consumer experiences will require a significant increase in the amount of innovation in the energy sector.

The Opportunity

The government’s Clean Power mission and Industrial Strategies set out the importance of clean growth to the future economic success of the UK.

It estimates that growing our clean energy system will see record levels of investment worth around £40 billion a year to 2030.

The transformation of energy systems is expected to bolster domestic energy security, protect households and businesses from price shocks, and create whole new industries.

Our latest Innovating to Net Zero report shows UK innovators have a major opportunity to develop the flexibility technologies that will underpin a clean energy system, enabling growth in cleaner transport, power and heating while saving billions in energy systems costs.

Reflecting these opportunities, Innovate UK supported by the Catapult Network is focused on helping breakthrough technologies become industry giants. It provides world-class infrastructure for testing, demonstrating and scaling innovative solutions, backing them all the way to deliver lasting national benefit.

The Requirement

The Non-Executive Board Member will bring experience of high level business sector activity and expertise, including a general knowledge of the Catapult business sectors, providing strategic vision, and understanding of commercialising vision into tangible outcomes. You will be an advocate and champion of Energy Systems Catapult on the national and international stage.

• Oversee, with Board colleagues, the performance of the Catapult in delivering impact in line with its mission through the review of strategy, business plans, and financial reports.
• Contribute constructively to the review of major risks and opportunities, and to the oversight of mitigation plans.
• Contribute to setting, monitoring, and challenging the strategic direction of the Catapult assisting in developing key strategic objectives, overseeing the achievement of those objectives, and challenging their ongoing appropriateness.
• Develop and display an active interest in the success of the Catapult, and appreciation of the wider business opportunities. 

• Work effectively as member of the Board, support the overall effectiveness of the Board, and exhibit the highest standards of corporate governance.
• Establish close and effective working relationships with the executive team of the Catapult, providing support and advice as necessary.
• Support the ongoing oversight of, and engagement in, the executive succession plan, talent development, and culture at the Catapult.
• Act as an ambassador of the Catapult when appropriate, particularly in relation to engaging with key stakeholders.
• Attend Board meetings, review board papers and provide guidance and input as required.
• Give appropriate attention to organisational governance and statutory duties as a Director of the Catapult.
• When required, be a confident and efficient Chair or member of relevant Board Committees

Skills, experience, qualifications and personal attributes General capabilities and experience

General Capabilities and Experience

• A respected individual with a track record of delivery.
• Board level or senior experience in the leadership of an organisation working in a complex operating and stakeholder environment.
• The ability to work effectively as part of a leadership team and take the lead in the corporate or organisational decision- making process.
• Able to translate broad objectives into delivering real outcomes.
• Have the depth required to win credibility and engage with industry and stakeholders and represent the Catapult at the highest level.

Behavioural competencies

• Demonstrable willingness to develop an active interest in the Catapult in collaboration with the general Catapult Programme.
• A credible, communicative and collaborative Board member able to challenge the Executive team both on governance and wider business issues.
• Articulate, dynamic, energetic and delivery focused.
• Self-motivation, commitment and enthusiasm, relentless in the pursuit of delivering results.
• Able to lead by example, inclusive rather than exclusive, innovative, and prepared to share expertise, know-how and skills across a low-ego, high achieving organisation.
• A highly presentable and persuasive communicator, able to communicate across all levels within the organisation and the ability to act as an advocate and champion of the Catapult on the national and international stage.
• Demonstrable commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• Highest ethical standards

Technical capabilities and experience

• Strong experience related to senior public service through roles in the Civil Service, arms-length bodies, public affairs, as Special Advisor, MP, or candidate, for example.
• Experience of funding mechanisms in and from the public sector.
• Clear understanding of energy policy, or the demonstrable ability and appetite to develop it.
• Clear understanding of the UK start-up / scale-up environment, or the demonstrable ability and appetite to develop it.
• Excellent knowledge of, and credibility with, a diverse range of key stakeholders in politics and central and regional government.

Time commitment, location and remuneration

It is expected that an average of 15 days per year will need to be considered along with additional time in advance of meetings to ensure adequate preparation time, reading papers etc. The fee payable to a Non-Executive Director is £15,255.84.

Key dates for 2026-27 are:

• 9 June 2026 - Strategy deep dive
• 13 July 2026 - Board committees
• 14 July 2026 - Board meeting
• 22 September 2026 – Strategy Day – part one
• 23 September 2026 Strategy Day – part two
• 13 October 2026 - Board committees
• 14 October 2026 -Board meeting
• 14 December 2026 – Board Dinner
• 15 December 2026 -Strategy deep dive
• 19 January 2027 – Board committees
• 20 January 2027 - Board meeting
• 13 April 2027 - Board committees
• 14 April 2027 - Board meeting

Would you like to Apply?

The closing date for applications is Friday 5th June 2026.

Please note: Interviews with shortlisted candidates will take place on the afternoon of Monday 15 June 2026 at the Catapult’s offices in Birmingham

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.

(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 7th Floor, Multistory, 18 The Priory Queensway, Birmingham 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.