Lead – Innovation Partnerships and Delivery

This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of one of London’s most dynamic innovation ecosystems at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (QEOP).  QEOP is flagged as one of London’s three leading Innovation Districts in the London Growth Plan, playing a strategic role in London’s productivity and potential for inclusive growth.  

 As Lead – Innovation Partnerships & Delivery, you will play a pivotal role in driving forward the Park’s Innovation District—home to world-leading institutions including a growing cluster of universities, startups, corporates and public sector partners. The District is a testbed for how place-based innovation can tackle major societal challenges, from climate and urban systems to health and public service transformation. 

 At the heart of this role is the creation of the QEOP Adoption Lab—a new, high-profile initiative designed to accelerate the adoption of innovative solutions in real-world public service and urban environments. The Lab will bring together government, academia and industry to test, evaluate and scale new approaches, turning innovation into practical, deployable outcomes for Londoners. 

 Alongside this, you will establish and convene the QEOP Innovation Board, a senior cross-sector forum to guide the strategic direction of the District and unlock new collaborative opportunities. 

 This is a unique role that blends strategy, partnership development and hands-on delivery—shaping new initiatives from concept through to implementation, and ensuring they generate tangible impact aligned to LLDC’s Inclusive Growth Framework.  

• Leading the design and delivery of the QEOP Adoption Lab, from strategic case through to implementation.
• Building and managing high-value partnerships across public, private and academic sectors.
• Securing funding and investment to support innovation initiatives and long-term sustainability.
• Convening and shaping the QEOP Innovation Board, driving a shared agenda for the District.
• Coordinating complex, multi-organisation programmes and aligning stakeholders around common goals.
• Translating ambitious ideas into structured, deliverable programmes with clear outcomes and impact.
• Supporting senior leadership with strategic insight, briefings and engagement.

CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS

Skills

• Strategic thinking – The ability to understand the bigger picture, anticipate future opportunities or challenges, and shape actions and partnerships that align with long-term organisational goals.
• Partnership building – The ability to establish, develop and sustain collaborative relationships with organisations and individuals to achieve shared objectives and deliver mutual value.
• Political acumen – The ability to navigate organisational and stakeholder dynamics, understanding differing interests and priorities in order to build alignment and make progress in complex environments.
• Commercially astute – A strong understanding of value creation, funding, investment and organisational drivers, enabling decisions and partnerships that are financially and strategically sustainable.
• Matrix team management – The ability to coordinate and influence colleagues across different teams or organisations, guiding collaborative work and delivery without direct line management authority.
• Senior stakeholder engagement – The ability to build credibility and productive relationships with senior leaders across sectors, ensuring effective collaboration, alignment and decision making.
• Policy and ecosystem awareness – A strong understanding of the broader policy landscape and innovation ecosystem, enabling opportunities, partnerships and programmes to align with wider sector priorities and developments. Specific understanding of UK Industrial Strategy, Blueprint for Modern Digital Government, NHS Fit for the Future Strategy and other relevant policy agendas, with associated delivery is important.
• Placemaking, economic development & regional growth – The ability to develop and deliver place-based initiatives that drive economic growth, support innovation ecosystems and enhance the social and economic value of places through strategic partnerships and programmes.
• Clear and concise communication – The ability to convey complex ideas in a structured and accessible way, both verbally and in writing, tailored to different audiences including senior decision-makers.

Experience

• Significant experience conceiving, developing and setting up of public-private-academic partnerships (and the triple or quadruple helix of innovation partnerships).
• Track record of developing and managing strategic partnerships with universities, corporates, startups and public sector organisations, translating collaboration into tangible initiatives and outcomes.
• Experience working within complex public sector or place-based environments, navigating governance structures and aligning initiatives with wider economic development or regeneration objectives.
• Experience building and convening innovation ecosystems, connecting organisations across sectors to stimulate collaboration, experimentation and growth.
• Experience using data and evidence to inform public service transformation, including the application of data-driven insights to shape decision-making, improve outcomes and support the adoption of innovative solutions.
• Experience applying design methodologies (e.g. service design, user-centred design or systems thinking) to develop, test and refine solutions in complex public sector or place-based contexts.
• Experience leading or facilitating structured design processes, such as co-design, prototyping and iterative testing, to support the development and delivery of innovative programmes or services.
• Experience coordinating cross-organisational programmes or projects, working through matrix teams and influencing stakeholders without direct line management authority.
• Experience developing initiatives that support innovation in areas such as climate technology, the built environment, urban systems, health or public service innovation.
• Demonstrable experience leading or contributing to successful bids for national or international innovation funding programmes, including collaborative and multi-organisation consortia. Fundraising track record for proposals above £1m+.
• Demonstrated understanding and familiarity with national, international, public, private and philanthropic funding regimes.
• Demonstrable experience developing new commercial and revenue models.
• Demonstrated understanding and mastery of public policy areas affecting regional areas across the UK, public services, public services transformation.

To view the full job description, please click here – > LLDC – Lead – Innovation Partnerships and Delivery Role Profile

Location: Hybrid, with at least 60% of working time on site, Stratford, London.

Interviews: Interviews will be taking place the week commencing 25th May 2026 and week commencing 1st June 2026 in person. The details of this process will be advised should you be invited to an interview.