Associate Director, Commercial Strategy

Role Purpose

Commercialisation is a central strategic lever for NPL’s next phase of growth, national impact and external relevance, ensuring that its science delivers maximum public value at scale. This is a critical senior leadership role with organisation-wide accountability for shaping, governing and delivering NPL’s commercial ambition within the new operating model. Reporting to the Chief Customer Officer, the Head of Commercial Strategy will own NPL’s end‑to‑end commercial strategy and performance, driving how its scientific capabilities translate into customer value, national impact and sustainable revenue in support of its public purpose.

Acting as the enterprise authority for commercial strategy, routes to market and commercial governance, the role will balance growth, risk and public value, whilst strengthening customer experience and delivering impact at scale.  A core aspect of the role is ensuring that commercial decisions consistently reinforce NPL’s role as the UK’s National Metrology Institute strengthening trust, enabling innovation and delivering long-term societal and economic benefits.

Key Responsibilities

• Set and govern NPL’s enterprise‑wide commercial strategy aligning scientific capability, customer demand and market opportunity to deliver long‑term organisational and national impact. Acting as a visible enterprise leader and change sponsor.
• Own the commercial operating system, including sales capability, pipeline health, conversion and performance management, ensuring clear accountability for outcomes and risk while enabling Business Units to win and deliver effectively.
• Define and govern NPL’s routes‑to‑market strategy, including traditional services, consultancy, digital and data-driven services, partnerships, ecosystems, IP licensing and spin‑outs, ensuring scalable, investable models, clear decision rights, and strong alignment to customer, regulatory and market requirements.
• Own the design and evolution of NPL’s enterprise commercial model, integrating customer services, insight, propositions and experience into a coherent, insight‑led system that supports strategic decision‑making and long‑term growth.
• Sponsor and direct enterprise‑wide commercial and customer transformation, shaping operating models, capability, investment priorities and ways of working, particularly for customer experience and care.
• Act as NPL’s commercial authority externally, positioning NPL as a trusted partner that delivers both market-facing solutions and nationally significant outcomes.

Person Specification

Essential Experience

• Enterprise-level accountability for commercial performance, investment decisions and risk exposure across a complex organisation.
• Significant senior leadership experience in a commercial, business development or market-facing role, with a proven track record of driving commercial capability and revenue growth at scale.
• Credible at executive and board interface level, including influencing and shaping strategic direction and assuring commercial governance.
• Designing, owning and embedding organisation-wide commercial policy, governance and assurance frameworks.
• Demonstrated success in defining and delivering enterprise-wide commercial strategy in complex, evolving environments with multiple stakeholders.
• Proven ability to design and activate sales and go-to-market operating models, driving pipeline development, conversion discipline and performance management.
• Experience of developing and scaling innovative routes to market, including partnerships, digital channels, ecosystems and/or new venture models.
• Proven track record of aligning commercial, operational and technical leaders around shared priorities through influence and collaboration.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including shaping business models, pricing strategies and investment decisions.
• Leading and developing high-performing, customer focused commercial teams.

Desirable Experience

• Background in science, research, technology, or other knowledge-intensive environments, or ability to operate credibly in technically complex settings.
• Track record across both commercial and public or regulated contexts.
• Leading transformation or building capability from partial maturity.
• Exposure to consulting or advisory environments.
• Established external networks across industry, government or innovation ecosystems.
• Involvement in venturing or other strategic business model approaches

• Strategic and forward-looking, able to connect market dynamics, customer needs and organisational capability into a clear commercial direction.
• Builder and change agent, comfortable operating in ambiguity and driving delivery at pace.
• Commercially driven and results-oriented, with a focus on execution and measurable impact.
• Externally orientated with a strong network and comfortable operating in a visible, high-profile environment.
• Credible and influential, able to engage senior stakeholders and act as an external ambassador.
• Innovative and curious, bringing fresh thinking and identifying growth opportunities.
• Collaborative and pragmatic, able to work across boundaries and balance ambition with delivery.
• Strong alignment with NPL’s public purpose with a clear commitment to delivering impact beyond commercial outcomes.

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is a world-leading centre of excellence that provides cutting-edge measurement science, engineering and technology to underpin prosperity and quality of life in the UK. Find out more about what it is like working here - The measure of us - Overview
 
NPL and DSIT have strong commitments to diversity and equality of opportunity, and welcome applications from candidates irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or age, providing they meet the required criteria. Applications from women, disabled and black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates in particular are encouraged. All disabled candidates (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) who satisfy the minimum criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme.
 
At NPL, we believe our success is a result of the diversity and talent of our people. We strive to nurture and respect individuals to ensure everyone feels valued by treating everyone on the basis of their own individual merits and abilities regardless of their own or perceived identity, as part of our commitment to diversity & inclusion, we ensure we’re creating an environment where all our colleagues feel supported and welcome. More about this on our Diversity & Inclusion page.
 
We are committed to the health and well-being of our employees. Flexible working and social activities are embedded in our culture to create a positive work-life balance, along with a broad range of rewards, benefits and recognition. Our values are at the heart of what we do, and they shape the way we interact, develop our people and celebrate success. To ensure everyone has an equal chance, we’re always willing to make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss, please contact us.