Director of Technology Transfer and Venture Building (Hiring Immediately)

Director of Technology Transfer and Venture Building Grade 6 About Us We are a health innovation company powered by a world-class ecosystem of founders, clinical innovators, leading healthcare organisations and universities. We work across London and beyond, helping innovations move from promise to real-world impact. Our work spans the full innovation journey: we forecast emerging healthcare challenges and opportunities, develop and prove breakthrough solutions, adopt what works in real clinical settings, and scale innovations so they improve and transform care. By combining deep clinical insight with the ability to test, adopt and scale through our world-class ecosystem, we make health innovations work in practice, not just in theory. This is how we achieve our vision: a world where innovation creates better health for all. Please visit our website to find out more about us, our values and how we work. The Role The Director of Technology Transfer and Venture Building (TT&VB) sits in the new TT&VB team, which is part of UCLP’s Invention Unit. It is a foundational, senior leadership role, requiring strategic insight as well as demonstrated operational credibility. The role holder is responsible for co-developing, operationalising and delivering the commercialisation and venture-building strategy for innovations emerging from the UCLPartners partnership. Working closely with the Senior Director, TT&VB and with Trust senior stakeholders, the postholder will develop and integrate an operating model to support technology transfer within the Trust(s) under their remit, maintaining consistency with centralised core principles while optimising as required for individual Trust structures and governance. Once established, the Director will lead a portfolio of NHS-originated technologies, from opportunity assessment and intellectual property strategy through licensing, strategic partnerships, spin-out formation and venture growth. Working across a diverse stakeholder group including NHS providers, universities, industry, investors and funders, the Director will establish clear entry and prioritisation criteria, alongside robust investment and progression criteria. They will make evidence-based portfolio decisions and secure the resources, partnerships and commercial agreements required to translate high-potential innovations into sustainable products, services and ventures. The role is responsible for portfolio performance and measurable outcomes within their area of remit, including patient and system impact, deal completion, income and investment secured, venture creation and pipeline progression; it requires strategic clarity, entrepreneurial judgement, operational discipline and credibility with senior stakeholders across health, academia and industry. Key Responsibilities Line manage the Principals, TT&VB, setting clear and measurable objectives and supporting them to grow their independence while providing strong support and a clear escalation point. Demonstrate leadership and mentorship within a high-performing team and across internal and external matrices, setting clear expectations, supporting professional development and fostering an inclusive, values-led culture. Build effective relationships at all levels of seniority across the external ecosystem and set the tone for the TT&VB function; be approachable for all stakeholders, from those in strategic leadership roles through to colleagues delivering day-to-day operations and earlier career innovators. G row UCLP’s reputation as a tech transfer and venture building leader externally and strengthen collaboration across NHS, academic, industry, investor and funding communities. Working closely with the Senior Director, TT&VB, contribute materially to the positioning, development , communication and rollout of the TT&VB strategy across the UCLP partnership. Lead the development and effective integration of the TT&VB operating model across one or more Trusts, maintaining consistency with the core principles; tak e ownership of senior stakeholder relationships within their Trust(s) . Be responsible for setting objectives and KPIs for the capability within the Trust(s) under your leadership, that support the TT&VB function’s overarching strategy and KPIs. Working closely with the Principal, TT&VB, ensure that KPIs are consistently met or exceeded on time, within budget and with measurable value and impact and/or optimised as the capability evolves. Model excellence in execution, as evidenced through strong stakeholder feedback alongside tangible results. Ensure robust portfolio, programme and project governance is developed and adhered to; manage risk, monitor progress and demonstrate sound judgement wrt escalation when delivery is off track. Working closely with the Senior Director, TT&VB, ensure accurate and timely reporting to the Executive Leadership Team, Board, partners, Trust leadership and investors/funders as appropriate. Work closely with other UCLPartners Directors and teams to align priorities, share capability and provide a consistent end-to-end offer to innovators and partners. Serve on the UCLP Senior Leadership Team/ Leadership Forum. Exercise sound judgement, high levels of professional maturity and emotional intelligence in complex and ambiguous situations involving multiple stakeholders, dependencies and competing priorities. Role-Specific Responsibilities Develop , deliver and/ or support others in the delivery of impactful technology transfer and venture-building strategies for a portfolio of NHS-originated innovations, prioritising opportunities by patient benefit, commercial potential, feasibility and strategic fit. Working closely with the Senior Director, TT&VB and other senior colleagues , contribute to the definition of clear portfolio entry, stage-gate, investment and exit criteria, ensuring resources are concentrated on opportunities with the strongest potential for impact and value creation. L ead , or support others to lead, commercial, market and competitive assessment and determine the optimal route to impact, including licensing, collaboration, strategic partnership, spin-out formation or other venture models. Own intellectual property strategy across patents, software, data assets, designs, trademarks and know-how in your area of remit , overseeing protection, freedom-to-operate analysis and risk management with specialist advisers. Lead and/ or support others to lead the development, structuring and negotiation of commercial agreements, including licences, options, assignments, collaboration agreements and strategic partnerships. Lead venture-creation activities, developing propositions, business models, founding teams, governance, financing strategies and investment-readiness plans for suitable opportunities. Work with Innovation Unit, Invention Hubs and partner organisations to identify promising innovations early, shape evidence and development plans, and resolve barriers to commercial progression. Develop trusted relationships with industry partners, entrepreneurs, investors, funders, professional advisers and the wider innovation ecosystem to create routes to market, expertise and capital. Ensure commercialisation is responsible, transparent and aligned with patient benefit, NHS obligations, partner interests and appropriate approaches to benefit sharing. Deliver and report measurable portfolio outcomes, including deals completed, revenue and investment secured, ventures formed, pipeline conversion, partner value and patient or system impact. Person Specification Qualifications and Background Bachelor’s degree (preferably in a health-related subject) and postgraduate qualification or equivalent senior professional experience. Substantial applied knowledge and leadership capability gained through senior roles in technology transfer, life sciences commercialisation, venture building, investment, innovation funding or a related field. Evidence of continuing professional development. Experience A strong track record of delivering impact and commercial outcomes from early-stage health, life sciences, digital or data-enabled innovations. Significant experience of intellectual property identification, protection, commercialisation, licensing, strategic partnerships and/or venture creation. Experience assessing technologies, markets, business models, development risk and routes to market, and making robust portfolio-prioritisation decisions. Successful negotiation of complex collaboration and commercial agreements with industry, academic, NHS, investor or funding partners. Experience building investment cases, securing external funding or investment, and supporting ventures through formation and early growth and/or equivalent experience from the funder/investor side. Experience leading multidisciplinary teams, either through direct line-management or matrix leadership, and developing professional capability. Experience operating credibly with senior stakeholders across NHS providers, universities, industry, investors and funders. Strong financial management capability, including budget oversight, forecasting, resource planning and commercial performance management. A record of representing an organisation externally and building productive networks within an innovation ecosystem. Designing and implementing end-to-end innovation funding or investment processes is desirable. Skills and Knowledge Deep understanding of intellectual property strategy, technology transfer, venture building and the commercialisation pathways relevant to healthcare innovation. Strong understanding of the development path(s) and regulatory landscape for early healthcare innovation development. Knowledge of, and networks in, the innovation investor/ funder ecosystem in the UK. Strong knowledge of the ecosystems our innovators and partners are working in; understanding the different drivers, priorities and chal