Nuclear Waste Services is looking for a Product Technology Innovation Lead to join our busy team across the UK.
The Performance Improvement Capability supports Nuclear Waste Services to “make nuclear waste permanently safer, sooner” by helping the organisation to improve how it delivers work (to “make doing work easy”). The Performance Improvement Capability has three teams – performance improvement, product development and performance data – which work with colleagues across Nuclear Waste Services to ensure that the organisation works in a slick, quick, easy and efficient manner.
This role of Product and Innovation Lead works across the Capability and the business to:
- Lead the vision, strategic plan, working arrangements and programme of activities of the Product Development capability for Nuclear Waste Services.
- Lead the development and growth of the Product Development capability for Nuclear Waste Services.
- Lead the coordination and management of Technology & Innovation (T&I) activities for Nuclear Waste Services.
- Act as part of the management team for the Performance Improvement Capability.
- Lead development and delivery of a strategic plan for establishing and growing the product development and T&I management capability for Nuclear Waste Services; to ensure that the business gets the benefits of these tools / approaches / activities.
- Engage with stakeholders across Nuclear Waste Services to establish product development requirements. Own the development and delivery of a schedule of product development activities for Nuclear Waste Services across the business; to ensure that the right product development activities are delivered at the right time for the business.
- Lead development and deployment of working arrangements for delivery of product development and T&I management in Nuclear Waste Services; to ensure that these activities reflect good practice and are appropriately deployed in the organisation.
- Lead delivery of a communications plan to increase visibility of product development and T&I, and the role of the capability within the business; to help the business better understand when and how it can deploy these activities.
- Lead development and delivery of training on performance product development methodologies and tools to Nuclear Waste Services personnel, including coaching of other personnel within the Performance Improvement Team; to ensure that the organisation use these activities as effectively as possible.
- Coach and develop the Product Manager(s); to help maximise the capacity and capability of the team.
- Oversee delivery of product development activities for allocated products, to ensure that they are delivered effectively and appropriately for the business:
- Take overall responsibility for the success of allocated product(s) – owning them from scoping to deployment.
- Undertake research to understand the market (where the product will be used), your customer and the problem they have that you are helping to solve. This involves information gathering, stakeholder engagement, problem definition and information analysis to produce a product vision.
- Design and build an actionable plan to deliver the vision for each product – identify the stakeholders that need to be involved, develop a stakeholder engagement plan, identify the internal / external personnel who will be producing the product, identify the steps and actions required, document this in a product roadmap.
- Work closely with development teams (internal or supply chain) to maintain progress, define and iterate the product as needed, act as the voice of the customer in the development cycle, and solve problems as they arise.
- Develop and deploy a proportionate communication plan for each product, working with the customer, development team and communications specialists in the business.
- Liaising and engaging with the Business Change team to develop and deploy business change activities to support product deployment.
- Oversee delivery of T&I management activities for Nuclear Waste Services including (but not limited to): managing the T&I Working Group, overseeing T&I reporting, overseeing T&I Submissions, liaison between NDA and Nuclear Waste Services on T&I activities; to ensure that T&I activities are managed successfully by Nuclear Waste Services.
- Own the product development element of the performance improvement library. This may include: planning and prioritising aspects for development; reviewing and approving developed materials; undertaking research through targeted web searches and document reviews; and producing output documents. Development of the compendium activities or tasks may be self-performed or delivered using contractor resource; and so, work may involve supporting appropriate procurement of sub-contractor resource and the management of supply chain contractors engaged to support delivery; to help the capability of the organisation improve.
- Deputise for the Head of Performance Improvement as required; to ensure that the Performance Improvement capability is adequately represented at meetings and events.
Other responsibilities
- Own the Management System arrangements for product development and T&I management as Process Owner.
- Supervises a team of one Product Manager.
- Act as part of the management team for the Performance Improvement Capability.
Essential
- Proven high level of competence and experience in product development methodologies, tools and approaches and / or in Technology & Innovation.
- Relevant degree level professional qualification or proven track record showing relevant experience. Suitable work experience in lieu of qualifications or alternative qualification pathways may be considered where appropriate.
- Proven leadership skills and capability, personal resilience, the ability to work under pressure on a range of competing challenges, self-motivation, and ability to work on own initiative.
- Confidence and professionalism with good interpersonal skills, high standards and attention to detail.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a proven ability to communicate to people at different levels of the business.
- Excellent planning, organisational and problem-solving skills.
- Good IT proficiency, including use of Excel, Visio, and PowerPoint.
Desirable
- Experience in workshop facilitation and delivery.
- High level understanding of radioactive waste management practice in the UK and the NDA estate.
Aside from the huge professional scope at Nuclear Waste Services, the personal benefits are excellent, these include:
- Very competitive salary
- Generous bonus scheme
- Holiday allowances
- Attractive pension schemes
- Cycle to work scheme
- Sick pay
- Group life assurance scheme
We value the unique differences that each of our colleagues bring to work every day and are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels respected, included and able to perform at their best. At Nuclear Waste Service we are committed to creating a workplace that is diverse and inclusive. We value the diversity of our people and actively seek to have a workforce that represents the rich diversity of the communities we support. Currently we are underrepresented in some areas, and would particularly welcome applicants from Women, Black, Asian and Ethnic Minorities, LGBTQ+ and candidates who have a disability.
In promoting equal opportunities, Nuclear Waste Service welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We select people according to their abilities and our needs. As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet all of the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of disabled candidates who meet all of the essential criteria, Nuclear Waste Service will interview the best candidates from within that group.