UK jobs. Bigger possibilities.

hire.moi

Head of Innovation

Hybrid in Birmingham·Full-time·Added yesterday (last checked 8 Nov)

Department for Transport (DfT)

12 open roles

Apply

Our summary

Salary
£59,816 a year

About £3,770 a month after tax.

Work mode
Hybrid, Birmingham
Contract
Full-time
Experience
Senior level
Closing date
Apply by Sunday 22 November
Holiday
25 days holiday
Pension
28.97% employer pension

Skills

Requirements

What we're looking for

You will be required to provide evidence that you hold any essential qualifications at some point during the recruitment process. If you cannot provide evidence, your application will be withdrawn.

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

  1. Relevant experience of either technology development, delivering science programmes, and/or Innovation.
  2. Experience with engaging and managing senior stakeholders.
  3. Experience of change management
  4. Experience of contract and/or grant management.

Education & certifications

Degree or equivalent: Relevant academic subjects include Physics, Engineering, Applied Mathematics or another related STEM subject.

Pay & benefits

What you'll get

£59,816

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

  • Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
  • 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King's birthday
  • Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Alongside your salary of £59,816, Department for Transport contributes £17,328 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:

  • 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
  • 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King's birthday.
  • Access to the staff discount portal.
  • Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
  • Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
  • 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.

Find out more about the benefits of working at DfT and its agencies (opens in a new window).

Visa & relocation

Sponsorship is not offered for this role. Successful applicants must ensure they have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the United Kingdom.

The role

Are you curious about how technology & innovation could transform the way we travel?

Would you like to utilise science and engineering to tackle some of the UK's biggest transport challenges?

Do you want to join a fast-paced team helping to shape safe, secure and reliable transport for everyone?

If so, we'd love to hear from you!

In the Department for Transport's Science, Innovation and Technology (ScITech) directorate, we explore how scientific and technological advances can improve transport across the UK. Led by the Chief Scientific Adviser, our team of just over 20 sits within the Decarbonisation, Technology and Strategy group, helping ensure science, engineering and technology play a central role in meeting transport's biggest challenges.

As Head of Innovation, you will champion science and technology to address transport challenges and support the Department for Transport's strategic priorities. Working with policy teams and external partners, you will accelerate innovation, share best practice and advise on innovation portfolios. You will lead collaboration with Connected Places Catapult, oversee the £2m Transport Research and Innovation Grants programme, manage grant agreements and build partnerships across government, industry and academia to drive the adoption of innovation.

What you'll do

Your responsibilities will include, but aren't limited to:

  • Manage the activities of a small team including one SEO and one science and engineering fast streamer.
  • Oversee the management of the CPC Limited Grant Agreements, including evaluation of the projects delivered to date - and implement new ways of working
  • Oversee the delivery of the annual TRIG proof-of-concept innovation scheme and drive its continuous improvement.
  • Provide advice to teams across the Department on innovation.
  • Develop and maintain central Innovation resources, guidance, and training.
  • Champion innovation within the DfT and wider community. Develop and maintain a network of key innovation stakeholders, within government and wider industry.
  • Lead the Transport Research and Innovation Board, Innovation Community of Practice.

Colleagues are expected to work with a degree of flexibility, meaning responsibilities may change to support priority delivery.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

How you'll work

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 30 hours per week.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

Some travel to other offices will be required, which may involve overnight stays.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

Apply before

Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 22nd November 2026

Reference number

488535

Job grade

Grade 7

Contract type

Permanent

Type of role

Engineering
Science
Strategy

Number of jobs available

1

Location

Birmingham, Leeds

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

  • Leadership
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Seeing the Big Picture
  • Working Together

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

Job contact

  • Name : Mike Pittman
  • Email : mike.pittman@dft.gov.uk

Recruitment team

  • Email : dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Share this page

Hiring process

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's qualifications, skills, and potential fit within our organisation.

The selection process for this role will be:

Stage 1: Sift of CV, personal statement and behaviour statement

Stage 2: Interview

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.

Stage 1: Sift

At sift, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

  • Behaviours - you will be asked to provide a 250-word statement on the following Behaviour: Communicating and Influencing
  • Experience - you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and personal statement (1000-word count). Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following:
    1. Relevant experience of either technology development, delivering science programmes, and/or Innovation.
    2. Experience with engaging and managing senior stakeholders.
    3. Experience of change management
    4. Experience of contract and/or grant management.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Communicating and Influencing. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The sift will take place week commencing 23/11/2026

Stage 2: Interview

At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

  • Behaviours - (Leadership, Communicating and Influencing, Seeing the Big Picture, Working Together)
  • Experience

You will also be required to create and deliver a presentation to assess Success Profile element: Experience. Guidance will be provided if you are invited to interview.

The interviews will take place week commencing 14/12/2026

This interview will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site (opens in a new window).

Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change

We will also hold a 12-month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

About Department for Transport (DfT)

Industry
Government Administration

In their own words

About the company & team

DFT - Decarbonisation, Technology & Strategy Group (DTS)

Find out more about what it's like working at DfTc: DFT Central - Home, Civil Service Careers

Additional information

You will be required to complete the Foundation e-learning module and either the Practitioner or Expert accreditation of the Contract Management Capability Programme (dependent on tier of contract(s) managed) once in role, unless this accreditation is already held.

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the "Assistance required" section in the "Additional requirements" page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you're deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert or the information on our website, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

If your application is successful but you have been dismissed from the Civil Service, your application could be removed at the pre-employment checking stage depending on the nature of the dismissal.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

All external applicants and current employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will be required to undergo a Social Media Check. A Social Media Check is a review of your publicly available online activity, typically across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and others. The purpose is to identify any public posts or content that could raise concerns for employers, such as:

  • Hate speech or discriminatory behaviour
  • Threats or acts of violence
  • Illegal activity or substance misuse
  • Sexually explicit material
  • Extremist views or affiliations

Importantly, this check does not involve hacking into your accounts or accessing private messages. It only considers content you have chosen to make public. Employers use this kind of screening to help ensure their workplace remains safe, inclusive, and aligned with company values. It's not about judging your personality or lifestyle - it's about checking for potential red flags that might affect the role or company culture. If you have questions or concerns about the social media check, we would be happy to explain in more detail what's being looked at and how your data is handled securely and fairly.

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

  • UK nationals
  • nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  • nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
  • Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website Here

All open roles at Department for Transport (DfT)

More jobs like this

or browse Birmingham·Operations·Senior·Hybrid·Civil Service & Government·Government Administration

WhatsApp

More jobs from Department for Transport (DfT)

See all 12 jobs

Similar jobs