UK

United Kingdom · Research and development · Director/VP (16-20 years)

Director, Emerging Technologies

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  • Experience bandDirector/VP (16-20 years)
  • Direct reports25-100+ reports
  • Reports toChief Technology & Innovation Officer (CTIO)
  • UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as VP of R&D Strategy · Head of Innovation & Foresight · Director of Technology Incubation

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in what real qualifications cover

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

Open Awards Level 2 Diploma in Skills for Health and Care Professions (RQF) Open Awards · Level 2 · covers 1 of 1 standard
OCNLR Level 3 Award in Progression OCN London · Level 3 · covers 1 of 1 standard

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Research skills for health and social care NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care
Research Skills Open Awards Level 2 Diploma in Skills for Further Learning and Employment (RQF)

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
Foresight Fluency seeing round the corner
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Director, Emerging Technologies

2 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Research skills for health and social care NCFE · covers 1 of 1 standards Level 3
  2. Research Skills Open Awards · covers 1 of 1 standards Level 2
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Director, Emerging Technologies?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skill this role is being asked for

  • AI-Augmented Strategic Decision Making
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Director, Emerging Technologies plan as you set up, starting with the free Automation Fluency module. No card.

Your first Future Fluency module is free. After that, your AI tutor is £70 a month.

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3What this role really is

This job means judging which new technologies will matter in five to ten years, then preparing a business to build them. It sits between pure science and commercial reality, setting the long-term R&D agenda for a significant part of a business.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

NVIDIA Omniverse / Ansys (or similar simulation platforms) Strategic: Makes platform decisions (e.g., 'Do we invest in a digital twin platform like Omniverse?'), evaluates new modeling paradigms, and understands the strategic implications of advanced simulation for R&D.

Evaluating proposals for new simulation infrastructure, understanding the capabilities of digital twin technologies for future product development, and approving significant investments in modeling software licences.

Python (PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn) & Databricks Architect: Defines the enterprise AI/ML strategy for R&D, governs data usage policies, approves investment in platforms like Databricks, and understands the capabilities and limitations of advanced ML for research.

Reviewing strategic proposals for AI-driven research initiatives, making decisions on MLOps infrastructure, and understanding the implications of new AI models for our R&D roadmap.

PatSnap, PitchBook, CB Insights (or similar tech scouting platforms) Strategic: Uses platform insights to inform M&A strategy, directs IP portfolio development, negotiates with data providers, and understands the strategic value of competitive intelligence.

Directing the tech scouting team to identify specific market white spaces, reviewing strategic reports on competitor IP, and making recommendations for potential acquisitions based on platform data.

Jira, Confluence, Miro (integrated collaboration suite) Strategic: Integrates these tools across the R&D function to provide a unified view of portfolio velocity and resource allocation, uses aggregated data for executive reporting, and drives adoption of best practices.

Reviewing high-level dashboards on R&D programme progress, approving new workflow configurations for major initiatives, and ensuring our knowledge management strategy in Confluence supports long-term research.

Tableau Server, Anaplan, Diligent Boards (Executive Reporting & Planning) Expert/Strategic: Designs executive dashboards in Tableau, builds multi-year R&D budget scenarios in Anaplan, and prepares and presents technology strategy decks using Diligent for Board meetings.

Presenting quarterly R&D portfolio performance to the Board, developing multi-year budget forecasts for new technology investments, and preparing strategic updates for the C-Suite.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Strategic R&D Portfolio Investment (e.g., new £5M programme) N/A - would provide data for others to decide. N/A - would provide initial analysis and recommendations to senior leadership. N/A - would lead the technical evaluation and propose specific investment areas to Director.
External Technology Partnership (e.g., joint research with a university) N/A - would research potential partners. N/A - would evaluate technical fit and draft initial proposals. N/A - would lead technical discussions and define scope of work.
Organisational Design & Key Hires N/A - would be a candidate for hire. N/A - would be interviewed by. N/A - would provide input on team structure and interview candidates.
Project Go/No-Go Decision (e.g., killing a 'Science Project') N/A - would provide data on project performance. N/A - would present data and recommend continuation or termination to senior leadership. N/A - would lead the technical review and make a recommendation to Director.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

R&D Portfolio Value & ROI
The projected commercial value and return on investment of the emerging technology portfolio you oversee.
Target · Demonstrate a projected 5-10x potential ROI on the managed R&D portfolio within a 5-year horizon.

Your portfolio review shows a £10M investment in 'Advanced Materials for Energy Storage' is projected to enable £75M in new product revenue over the next 7 years, based on market models and TRL advancement.

New Product Revenue Contribution
The percentage of total company revenue that comes from products launched in the last three years, directly enabled by technologies matured under your direction.
Target · Contribute to a portfolio where >25% of company revenue comes from products launched in the last 3 years.

Our Q4 2026 revenue report shows that new products, like the 'Smart Sensor Array' (which started in your incubation programme), now account for £35M of our £120M annual revenue.

Strategic Alignment Score
How well your emerging technology portfolio aligns with the top 3-5 corporate strategic initiatives defined by the Board.
Target · Maintain >90% of the R&D project portfolio directly aligned with the top 3 corporate strategic initiatives.

Following the annual strategic review, 18 out of 20 active emerging tech programmes are clearly mapped to 'Sustainable Energy Solutions' or 'AI-Driven Personalisation', our top two company priorities.

Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Advancement Rate
The average rate at which projects within your portfolio progress through the TRL stages, especially 'Crossing the Valley of Death' (TRL 3-6).
Target · Achieve an average TRL advancement of 1.5 levels per project per year for projects in TRL 1-6.

A 'Quantum Sensing' project moved from TRL 2 to TRL 4 in 18 months, indicating a healthy progression rate and effective de-risking.

Executive & Board Confidence
The level of trust and confidence the C-Suite and Board have in your strategic recommendations and the future direction of our technology investments.
  • You'll be regularly invited to present at Board meetings on technology strategy. Your input will be actively sought on major M&A decisions related to technology. The CEO or CTIO will often defer to your judgment on emerging tech matters in public forums. Frankly, they'll believe you when you say something is possible – or not.
Cross-Business Unit Adoption & Buy-in
How successfully you build consensus and secure commitment from other business units to adopt and commercialise technologies matured by your team.
  • Business unit VPs will proactively approach your team for technology solutions to their future problems. You'll see successful 'handoffs' of TRL 6+ technologies into product roadmaps with clear funding and ownership. There'll be fewer 'Not Invented Here' arguments, and more collaborative planning sessions.
Talent Development & Retention
Your ability to attract, develop, and retain top-tier research and innovation talent within your organisation.
  • Your team will have a high internal promotion rate and a lower-than-average regrettable attrition rate for senior technical roles. You'll be a magnet for top PhD graduates and experienced innovators. People will actively seek to work in your organisation because of the challenging, impactful work and your leadership style.
External Thought Leadership & Reputation
Your standing as a recognised expert and thought leader in emerging technologies within our industry and the broader innovation ecosystem.
  • You'll be invited to speak at major industry conferences, contribute to white papers, and perhaps even sit on advisory boards. Our company's reputation for innovation will be directly linked to your public profile and the work your organisation is doing. Analysts will cite your team's research.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Shaping the Future

You'll spend your days exploring technologies that are still years away from market, defining what our company will look like in 5-10 years. This means deep dives into quantum computing, synthetic biology, or advanced materials, and then figuring out how we can actually use them. You're literally building tomorrow's business.

Leading the quarterly 'Future Horizons' workshop where you bring together external experts and internal leaders to brainstorm what our next generation of products should be, based on emerging scientific breakthroughs.

Solving Grand Challenges

You're not just fixing small problems; you're tackling the big, hairy, ambiguous challenges that don't have obvious answers. This means confronting fundamental scientific limitations, market unknowns, and complex integration hurdles. It's about pushing the boundaries of what's possible.

Architecting a multi-year programme to develop a completely new energy storage solution, knowing it's a massive technical gamble but could fundamentally change our industry.

Building & Empowering Teams

You'll be recruiting, mentoring, and developing a world-class team of researchers, scientists, and strategists. Your satisfaction comes from seeing your people grow, take on bigger challenges, and deliver groundbreaking work. You're a force multiplier for innovation.

Successfully hiring a new Lead Technologist who brings a completely fresh perspective, then watching them thrive and lead a critical new research stream under your guidance.

What frustrates people
  • Dealing with the 'Translation Gap' – spending 80% of your time trying to explain non-linear, probabilistic R&D outcomes to executives who think in linear, deterministic financial quarters.
  • The 'Not Invented Here (NIH)' syndrome from business units who resist adopting technologies developed by your central R&D group, even when it's clearly superior.
  • Your best researchers inevitably getting poached by tech giants or well-funded startups after they make a name for themselves on a breakthrough project.
  • Having to constantly defend the value of long-term, high-risk research against short-term financial pressures and quarterly targets.
  • Business units trying to claim ownership of IP developed by your central R&D team without wanting to fund the initial, risky research ('IP Scavengers').
What this role does not give you
  • A predictable, routine work schedule – expect urgent strategic requests that shift priorities.
  • Guaranteed success for every project – many will be 'fail fast, fail cheap' learning experiences.
  • Complete autonomy without executive scrutiny – you'll need to justify significant investments constantly.
  • A quiet, solitary research environment – this is a highly collaborative and influencing role.

8Who you work with

This role directly shapes our long-term competitive advantage and market position. You're responsible for ensuring our R&D investments actually translate into future revenue and a defensible 'technology moat'. Get it right, and we're a market leader; get it wrong, and we're struggling to keep up.

Inside the business
  • C-Suite (CEO, CFO, CPO)
  • Business Unit VPs and GMs
  • Head of Product Development
  • Legal & IP Counsel
  • Head of Corporate Strategy
Outside the business
  • Academic Research Partners
  • Strategic Technology Vendors
  • Venture Capital Firms (for scouting)
  • Industry Consortia and Standards Bodies
  • Key Customers (for future needs validation)

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • A proven track record of leading large R&D programmes or departments, bringing complex technologies from early-stage concept (TRL 1-3) through to successful prototyping and validation (TRL 6+).
  • Experience managing significant R&D budgets (at least £1M+ annually) and demonstrating clear ROI or strategic value for those investments.
  • Demonstrable experience in building, mentoring, and retaining high-performing scientific and engineering teams, including other leaders.
  • A history of successfully influencing executive leadership and Board members on strategic technology investments and long-term R&D roadmaps.
  • Deep expertise in at least one core emerging technology domain (e.g., AI/ML, advanced materials, quantum computing, synthetic biology) with a broad understanding of others.
  • Experience in external technology scouting, partnership negotiation, and M&A due diligence for technology companies.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Quantum Computing & Advanced Simulation Strategy

Quantum computing, while still nascent, promises to unlock solutions to problems currently intractable for classical computers, particularly in materials science, drug discovery, and complex optimisation. As a Director, you'll need to understand its strategic potential and when (and how) to start investing in quantum-ready R&D capabilities.

Quantum Supremacy & Algorithms · Quantum Hardware Architectures · Hybrid Quantum-Classical Computing · Quantum Cryptography & Security Implications

  • This quarter: Read 2-3 accessible books or white papers on the business implications of quantum computing.
  • Next 6 months: Attend a virtual conference or workshop on quantum computing for industry leaders.
  • Within 12 months: Commission a small internal working group to assess our company's 'quantum readiness' and identify potential early-stage use cases.
  • Within 2 years: Develop a strategic roadmap for a phased investment in quantum-related R&D capabilities, perhaps through academic partnerships.

Quick win: Subscribe to newsletters from leading quantum research institutions or companies. Start following key thought leaders in the quantum space on LinkedIn.

Synthetic Biology & Bio-Engineering Strategic Oversight

The ability to design and engineer biological systems is revolutionising industries from materials to medicine. You'll need to understand the strategic potential of synthetic biology for creating new products, processes, and even entirely new business models, as well as the ethical and regulatory landscape.

CRISPR & Gene Editing Technologies · Bio-manufacturing & Circular Economy · Bioinformatics & Computational Biology · Ethical & Regulatory Frameworks

  • This quarter: Engage with a leading academic expert in synthetic biology to understand the state of the art and future trends.
  • Next 6 months: Identify potential applications of synthetic biology within our industry, even if they seem far-fetched today.
  • Within 12 months: Develop a preliminary 'bio-strategy' document outlining potential opportunities and risks for our business.
  • Within 2 years: Explore a small-scale proof-of-concept project or partnership in a relevant area of synthetic biology.

Quick win: Read 'The Code Breaker' by Walter Isaacson or 'Synthetic Biology: A Primer' to get a foundational understanding. Follow relevant scientific journals or industry groups.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attend and speak at leading industry conferences (e.g., CES, World Economic Forum, specific R&D summits) to stay abreast of trends and build your professional network.
  • Publish thought leadership articles or white papers in reputable journals or industry publications, positioning yourself and the company as a leader in emerging technologies.
  • Participate in advisory boards for startups or academic institutions focused on cutting-edge research, offering mentorship and gaining early insights.
  • Engage in continuous learning through executive education programmes, online courses, and deep dives into new scientific domains (e.g., quantum physics, synthetic biology, advanced AI architectures).

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

AI-Augmented Strategic Decision Making

AI is becoming indispensable for processing vast amounts of data—patent landscapes, scientific literature, market trends—far faster than any human. Leaders who can effectively 'partner' with AI to identify patterns, predict shifts, and stress-test strategic options will make superior decisions and gain a significant advantage.

  • Predictive Analytics for R&D Portfolio
  • Generative AI for Scenario Planning
  • AI for Risk Identification & Mitigation
  • Human-AI Collaboration Best Practices

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) & Portfolio Management
  • Stage-Gate Process & R&D Governance
  • Technology Scouting & Strategic Landscaping
  • Intellectual Property (IP) Strategy & Freedom to Operate (FTO)
  • Lean Experimentation & De-risking Methodologies

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    From Lead Technologist / Principal Researcher (Internal)

    Roughly 4-6 years at the Lead/Principal level, demonstrating not just technical depth but also strategic foresight and the ability to influence at senior levels.

    Skills to master

    • Mastering portfolio management, developing a strong external network, building and coaching junior leaders, and consistently translating complex technical work into clear business cases for executive consumption.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully led multiple high-risk, high-reward R&D projects from TRL 1 to TRL 6.
    • Consistently sought out by business unit leaders for strategic technology advice.
    • Has a clear vision for the future of our industry and how technology will shape it.
    • Demonstrated ability to manage and mentor a team of senior technical experts.
  2. 2

    From Manager, Technology Incubation (Internal)

    Typically 3-5 years in a Manager role, proving your ability to manage a significant R&D programme, its budget, and a team of researchers and strategists.

    Skills to master

    • Deepening your understanding of organisational politics, mastering executive communication, taking on P&L responsibility for a larger portfolio, and building a strong external network with VCs and academia.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully managed an R&D programme with a budget of £1M+ and a team of 10+ people.
    • Consistently delivered on strategic objectives for your programme, meeting TRL advancement targets.
    • Has a strong track record of influencing senior stakeholders and securing resources.
    • Identified and championed new technology areas that have proven strategic value.
  3. 3

    From External Director / VP of R&D (Similar Industry)

    Direct entry, assuming a strong track record. Typically, 1-2 years to fully integrate and build internal credibility.

    Skills to master

    • Understanding our specific organisational culture, building relationships with key internal stakeholders quickly, and adapting your strategic vision to our company's unique challenges and opportunities.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Proven experience leading a similar-sized R&D function with a focus on emerging technologies.
    • Demonstrated ability to drive innovation and deliver commercial impact in a comparable industry.
    • Strong external network that can be immediately leveraged for partnerships and scouting.
    • A clear understanding of the regulatory and competitive landscape specific to our sector.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead to Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Chief Scientific Officer, or a board position setting technology strategy at the highest level.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Director, Emerging Technologies is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Research skills for health and social care, worked against Director, Emerging Technologies.

Research skills for health and social care Level 3

Applied to your work in Director, Emerging Technologies

The objective of this unit is to enable learners to develop a comprehensive understanding of research principles and practices within the health and social care context. Learners will explore research approaches and methodologies, ethical considerations, and the key stages involved in planning, conducting, analysing, and presenting research. Furthermore, they will learn to reflect on the research process.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Director, Emerging Technologies
  • Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) & Portfolio Management
  • Stage-Gate Process & R&D Governance
  • Technology Scouting & Strategic Landscaping
  • Intellectual Property (IP) Strategy & Freedom to Operate (FTO)
  • Lean Experimentation & De-risking Methodologies
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Director, Emerging Technologies is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Chief Technology & Innovation Officer (CTIO)

    Roughly 3-5 years as Director, Emerging Technologies, demonstrating consistent, high-impact strategic leadership.

    This is the ultimate C-Suite role, responsible for the entire company's technology vision and innovation strategy. It's a significant leap in scope and accountability.

    • Global Technology Roadmapping Developing and overseeing a global technology roadmap that spans all business units and geographies.
    • Enterprise Architecture & Platform Strategy Defining the overarching technology architecture and platform strategy for the entire company.
    • Large-Scale Organisational Transformation Leading multi-year, company-wide technology and innovation transformation programmes.
    • Ethical AI & Societal Impact Guiding the company on the broader ethical and societal implications of its technology, ensuring responsible innovation.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, as a Director, your time is precious. You're constantly juggling strategic vision, team leadership, executive reporting, and external engagements. Imagine if you could reclaim a significant chunk of that time, not by cutting corners, but by letting AI handle the heavy lifting of information synthesis and preliminary analysis. That's exactly what we're doing here.

We're not just talking about automating mundane tasks; we're talking about augmenting your strategic capabilities. Our internal AI Hub is packed with tools designed specifically for R&D leaders, helping you to cut through the noise, identify critical trends faster, and present your vision with unparalleled clarity. This isn't about replacing your judgment; it's about making it sharper and faster.

Automated Tech Scouting

Use AI agents to continuously scan and summarise patent databases, academic pre-print servers (like arXiv), startup funding announcements, and tech news. The system flags novel concepts and clusters emerging trends, replacing hours of manual searching and ensuring you never miss a critical development. It's like having a team of junior analysts constantly scouring the globe for you.

Accelerated Insight Generation

Feed hundreds of research papers, technical documents, or competitor reports into a Large Language Model (LLM) to perform thematic analysis. Ask complex questions like 'What are the primary limitations of current solid-state battery chemistries, and who's leading the research?' to get synthesised answers with citations in minutes, not days. This helps you quickly get up to speed on new domains.

Hypothesis & Experiment Design

Use a generative AI partner to brainstorm potential solutions to complex technical problems or to draft an initial Design of Experiments (DoE) plan for a new research programme. It can suggest novel material combinations, alternative algorithmic approaches, or even potential failure modes that your team might not have considered, accelerating your innovation cycle.

Executive Summary Translation

Use AI to instantly convert a dense, 50-page technical report from your team into a crisp, 1-page executive summary or a compelling 3-slide PowerPoint presentation for the Board. The tool can be trained to adopt the company's specific tone and focus on metrics relevant to a non-technical audience (cost, risk, opportunity, strategic alignment), saving you hours of painstaking refinement.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Director, Emerging Technologies?

Common routes in include From Lead Technologist / Principal Researcher (Internal) (Roughly 4-6 years at the Lead/Principal level, demonstrating not just technical depth but also strategic foresight and the ability to influence at senior levels.), From Manager, Technology Incubation (Internal) (Typically 3-5 years in a Manager role, proving your ability to manage a significant R&D programme, its budget, and a team of researchers and strategists.) and From External Director / VP of R&D (Similar Industry) (Direct entry, assuming a strong track record. Typically, 1-2 years to fully integrate and build internal credibility.). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director, Emerging Technologies progress to?

This role can lead on to Chief Technology & Innovation Officer (CTIO) (Roughly 3-5 years as Director, Emerging Technologies, demonstrating consistent, high-impact strategic leadership.), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Director, Emerging Technologies?

Increasingly, AI-Augmented Strategic Decision Making. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

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17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 7

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

 More jobs in research and development

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.
If you leave this industry

Skills in identifying, de-risking and commercialising emerging technologies transfer across industries going through rapid technological change. This includes advanced manufacturing, energy, healthcare, defence and financial services. The principles of R&D strategy and innovation leadership apply across sectors.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my free Automation Fluency module What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.