Director of Commercial Innovation

The Director of Commercial Innovation will lead the transformation of the Royal AgriculturalUniversity's innovation ecosystem based at the University's Cirencester campus. This role isresponsible for designing, building, and scaling a high-value innovation cluster that bridges the gapbetween research validation and commercial adoption across land, food, agriculture, sustainability,and rural enterprise.The Director will shape the Alliston Centre as Building 1 of the RAU's Innovation Village by establishingglobal partnerships, commercial programmes, specialist knowledge hubs, and revenue-generatingservices that integrate RAU's academic assets with industry demand.Key Responsibilities1. Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Lead the repositioning of the Alliston Centre into a specialist, RAU-aligned innovation
ecosystem.
• Develop and execute a unified commercial strategy that integrates memberships, CPD,
consultancy, knowledge hubs, and strategic partnerships. 1June 2026
• Establish the Centre as the commercial crucible for the future Innovation Village, testing
new institutes, business models, and impact metrics.2. Revenue Growth & Commercialisation
• Oversee the consolidation of Farm491, Growth Hub, and other legacy brands into a single
membership model.
• Expand high-margin revenue streams including:
o CPD & Lifelong Learning (target: £300k) o Membership & virtual ecosystem (target: £250k) o Specialist Knowledge Hubs (target: £250k) o Consultancy, sprints, challenge prizes, and corporate partnerships
• Implement a 70% gross margin baseline for all new commercial activity.
3. Ecosystem Building & Industry Partnerships
• Recruit and manage Anchor Partners across agriculture, sustainability, food systems, and
rural innovation.
• Build global institutional links and secure strategic partnerships with corporates, investors,
and international research bodies.
• Lead the creation of a £50M external venture fund headquartered at the Alliston Centre
(advisory role, no fund management).
• Position the Centre as a high-growth magnet within the Oxford-Bristol-Golden Valley
innovation arc.4. Operational Excellence & Data-Driven Management
• Implement a unified CRM and data pipeline to track lead generation, conversion, retention,
and ecosystem lifetime value (LTV).
• Oversee spatial optimisation, including redesigning meeting rooms and under-utilised
spaces.5. Academic Integration & RAU Alignment
• Ensure all commercial activity supports RAU's core values: Academic & Student Value |
Industry Value | Innovation Value
• Embed "translation-first" protocols into RAU research bids (KTPs, industrial bids, JV
research).
• Oversee the Student Consultancy Programme to enhance student experience and SME
engagement.
• Undertake any other duties and responsibilities commensurate with the grade of the post,
directed by the line manager. You may also be required to undertake alternative, additional, or ancillary duties from time to time as the University may reasonably direct.General responsibilities:
• The University is committed to equality of opportunity. All staff are required to comply with
current legislation, University policies and good practice guidance.,
• All staff are required to act in a way that safeguards the health and wellbeing of children and
vulnerable adults at all times. The post holder must be familiar with and adhere to appropriate safeguarding policies and guidance and participate in related mandatory/statutory training. Managers have a responsibility to ensure their team members understand their individual responsibilities with regard to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.
• All staff are required to participate in the University appraisal process and should ensure they
are familiar with the process and plan time to prepare for their appraisal. Following the appraisal, staff are expected to undertake in any necessary learning and development and work towards the objectives that have been set.
• The University expects staff to attend any training designated as mandatory and to undertake
learning and development activities to support their role. Managers must facilitate learning and development within their teams.
• It is a condition of employment that staff will not disclose any information obtained in the
course of their duties other than to those entitled to receive it. The post holder must ensure that the confidentiality of personal data remains secure and that restricted information or highly restricted information to which they have access remains confidential during and after their employment at Royal Agricultural University. All staff must undergo appropriate data protection training as required.
• All absence from work must be reported in accordance with the University's absence
procedures and recorded on iTrent.
• The University acknowledges its responsibility to provide a safe, smoke free environment, to
its employees, service users and visitors. It is the policy of the University not to allow smoking on University premises other than in specifically designated areas.University ValuesAs a University we have chosen five values to underpin our learning community. These are the valueswhich we will all work by and for which we want the RAU to be known. We are:
• Collaborative - we believe in the power of working together. We are stronger as a community
of practice - inspiring each other, identifying shared goals, and providing reciprocal support leads to greater success.
• Open-Minded - we are receptive to new ideas and we value the diversity of experiences and
skills. We are committed to listening to everyone across the RAU community.
• Resourceful - we adopt creative approaches to achieve our goals while setting higher
standards, promoting professionalism and sustainability.
• Responsible - individually and collectively we take accountability for our actions working with
integrity to achieve the highest ethical standards.
• Inclusive - we acknowledge the fundamental value and dignity of all individuals and are
committed to maintaining an environment that seeks to eliminate all forms of discrimination and respects diverse traditions, heritages, and experiences.

Higher degree and/or professional qualification E AEvidence of continued professional development E AKnowledge, Experience and Skills:Proven track record of leading innovation hubs or accelerators, E A, B, Cresearch commercialisation units, or sector-specific clusters.Strong knowledge of agriculture, land management, E A, B, Csustainability and rural enterprise sectors.Evidence of delivering significant revenue growth throughservices, partnerships, memberships, or commercial E A, B, Cprogrammes.Experience working with investors, venture funds, or innovation E A, B, Cfinance (not necessarily as a fund manager).Demonstrated success in securing corporate partnerships, E A, B, Canchor clients, or strategic alliances.Demonstrable understanding of university-industry E A, B, Cpartnerships, KTPs, industrial bids, and translational research.Ability to design and execute a coherent commercial strategy E A, Bacross multiple revenue streams.Excellent communication and influencing skills, including public E A, Bspeaking and thought leadership.Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret financial data, E A, Bmargins, and performance metrics.Strong stakeholder management across academia, industry, E A, Bgovernment, and investors.