Head of Investment

Job Description

Head of Investment
Business Unit Built Environment and Local Growth
Contract type/Duration Permanent
Directorate/Team Enterprise Innovation
Band 4.3
Salary £80,920 - £89,472
Reports to Enterprise Innovation Director
Location London or Milton Keynes - Hybrid working two days per week in the office. You can do more if you prefer.
Closing date 27/04/2026 - 12pm


The Role

The Head of Investment (Technical) is the primary architect and authorised lead for Connected Places Catapult’s (CPC) investment strategy. This role is responsible for the technical structuring, regulatory compliance, and operational execution of innovation investment activities that bridge the gap between UK high potential businesses and institutional capital.

We're looking for a dynamic and strategic Head of Investment (Technical) to lead CPC's investment function and maximise the investable capital in transport and construction innovation. Reporting to the Enterprise Innovation Director, you'll empower the next generation of high-potential scaleups to secure capital, accelerate commercial success and contribute to national innovation priorities. If you're motivated by driving impact, building powerful investor networks and backing the most exciting innovators, this is a rare opportunity to make a national-level contribution.

• Lead CPC’s investment strategy, overseeing investment readiness activities and the development of new investment models and partnerships.
• Drive investor engagement, strengthening a high-quality network across VC, angels, family offices, CVCs and specialist providers.
• Deliver investment readiness support through programmes, workshops and advisory interventions that help startups secure capital and scale effectively.
• Oversee due diligence and support deal execution for innovating high-potential businesses, including financial, technical and commercial assessments.
• Provide portfolio leadership, supporting companies through Board roles, governance oversight, and value-creation activities.

Aligning investment, high-potential business engagement, and programme design with UKRI/Innovate UK's High Potential Business Strategy.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive others to meet revenue targets by providing specialist and technical knowledge, and coaching to help qualify ideas and proposals with thought leadership.
• Ensure the development and presentation of client proposals is technically accurate.
• Lead the development of thought leadership collateral to support ‘go to market’ solutions and service offerings.
• Work with account leads and teams to support opportunity identification, qualification and contracting from a technical point of view.
• Identify opportunities from a technical point of view to ensure pipeline is future proofed.
• Solve complex problems, identify new solutions using a broad technical perspective and understanding.
• Lead innovative solution design activity.
• Lead on significant and high-profile projects from a technical perspective.
• Assure quality of technical standards.
• Act as SRO on technical aspects of programmes and projects.
• Provide end to end technical project leadership and accountability.
• Lead technical aspects of stakeholder engagement to build confidence in CPC.
• Develop senior client buy in across a range of stakeholders.
• Hold face off accountability at senior management levels.
• Update CRM system with contact and client information.
• Be a recognised thought leader.
• Support the development of professions member's technical skills to ensure high standard of solutions delivery and expertise.
• Actively coach and mentor colleagues.
• Drive high attendance at Profession Communities activities.
• Maintain own professional development.
• Ensure an ethos of equity, inclusivity and diversity underpin your work activity, contribute to inclusive innovation across all Catapult activities.
• You may be required to undertake any other reasonable duties to support the Catapult in achieving its strategic outcomes and ensure effective business operations.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Drive identification of innovative solutions.
• View the problem from multiple perspectives and ensures a connected response.
• Tap into expert internal and external networks.
• Powerful influencing across internal and external stakeholders.
• Has trusted adviser status with customers and able to represent the needs of customers internally.
• Communicate complex ideas clearly across a variety of audiences and channels and represent CPC as an expert at a variety of events and organisations.
• Use insight and experience to ensure effective allocation of work, based on expertise and requirements.
• Create an environment that ensure teams can respond to changing needs and to move beyond constraints.
• Apply inclusion and sustainability thinking across projects, activity, teams, events, and supplier activities.

Benefits

• 9 day fortnight for everyone, every other Friday.
• 23.5 holiday entitlement for everyone, with pro-rata calculations for part-time employees, along with a Christmas shutdown period for additional days off.
• Competitive pension, up to 10% company contribution to help you save for your future.
• Two paid days of volunteering leave per year (pro-rata for part-time employees) to support charitable activities.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) providing 24/7 confidential work/life support services to you and your immediate family members.
• Cycle to Work Scheme encouraging a healthy and sustainable commute.
• Cash Health Plan, offering reimbursement for a wide range of essential and everyday healthcare expenses, promoting your well-being.
• Payroll Giving scheme, allowing regular charitable contributions from pre-tax income, maximizing the impact of your donations.
• Discounts and offers from a wide variety of retailers, enhancing your purchasing power and providing savings opportunities.
• Mortgage Advice benefit, delivered in partnership with Charles Cameron & Associates – provides employees with free, expert mortgage advice and end-to-end mortgage support from the application process through to completion.

Employment here is based solely upon individual merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. We strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, colour, religion, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, mental or physical disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected by law. We also make all reasonable accommodations to meet our obligations under laws protecting the rights of the disabled.