Head of Innovation Project Management

The Role

Reporting to the Head of R&D Innovation, this is a global role with end to end accountability to oversee the entire innovation value chain from ideation to in-life management. A technical leader and orchestrator for all NGP and Combustible projects.

Principle Accountabilities

• Project Planning and Execution: lead the team who oversees the end-to-end planning, execution, and completion of all R&D / technical activities required to deliver projects, ensuring they align with company objectives and are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget. Ensure robust management of interdependencies between ‘Expert Plans’. Ensure product performance, quality, safety and regulatory, legal requirements are captured.​
• Team Leadership and Coordination: work hand-in-hand with expert leads with the goal of orchestrating requirements and inputs of all technical teams. Build and lead high performing, innovative teams, fostering a culture of a culture of agility, collaboration, continuous improvement and technical excellence. Foster a collaborative environment that encourages innovation and productivity. Assign responsibilities, set deadlines, and coordinate internal and external resources for project execution. ​As a member of the NGP (Next Generation Product) leadership R&D team, contribute to the R&D strategic & capability agenda.
• Stakeholder Communication: provide regular progress updates to key stakeholders on technical project status, risks and decisions required to ensure issues are promptly dealt with. Ensure comprehensive input from expert leads for Stage Gate documents. Ensure correct outputs from technical gate forums. ​
• Risk and Issue Management: Identify potential risks (especially associated with fast-tracking), develop mitigation strategies with key relevant SMEs, and resolve issues promptly to keep projects on track.​
• Budget and Resource Management: monitor project resources, including personnel, equipment, and budgets, to maximize efficiency and effectiveness or build business cases to secure additional budget & resources.​
• Documentation and Compliance: ensure comprehensive project documentation is maintained, including accountability for the technical project plans, requirements, and technical documents. ​
• Operating Model continuous improvement: track project performance using appropriate metrics, incorporate feedback / lessons learned in order to continuously improve R&D operating model, tools and documents.​

Skills and Experience Required

• Significant R&D leadership experience, preferably in FMCG, healthcare, or related sectors
• Strong track record in product innovation, team leadership, and cross-functional collaboration
• Strategic vision
• People leadership & change management
• Demonstrable experience of project management co-ordinating both R&D experts with broader business regulatory, safety, legal and finance teams
• Adept at utilising project management tools, techniques & methodologies
• Effectively planning, managing and reporting on complex innovation projects
• Driving growth through innovation
• Building strong collaborative and influential relationships with a range of stakeholders
• Monitoring and managing a portfolio of R&D projects
• Effectively managing and escalating risks in R&D projects

What We Offer

In return for playing your part in building our future, you will receive a comprehensive compensation package with salary, bonus scheme and further benefits as well inspiring places to work and collaborate with purpose. Here at Imperial we will give you the opportunity to grow and learn, innovate at pace and be a part of our purpose to forge a path to a healthier future for moments of relaxation and pleasure for our consumers.

Everyone Belongs

Everyone belongs in Imperial. We are proud of being a truly inclusive organisation. We encourage and welcome applications from people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, nationalities, disabilities, sexual orientation, religions or beliefs and of neuro divergence. We give fair and equal consideration to all our applicants. Please contact us at recruitment@impbrands.com to let us know if we can provide support in helping you complete an application and/or attend an interview.

About Us

We're a truly international company, fourth largest in our industry and operating across 120 markets. An inclusive, innovative global FMCG business supported by 25,000 employees. As we embrace a new era of growth, we are transforming. Our ways of working and culture are driven by a challenger mindset, constantly questioning the status quo where people can bring their best selves to work. Our agility and collaboration are driving our ambitions, innovation and success all supported by our award-winning development programmes that creates exciting and rewarding career opportunities for all.  Encouraging inclusion at local levels and supporting a developing and robust diversity agenda globally, we’re fully committed to creating and maintaining an environment that celebrates and respects difference.

As a matter of policy, Imperial Tobacco or its subsidiaries never requests or requires payment as part of any recruitment process.