• Innovation Enablement: Drive the development and adoption of new ways of working, collaboration models, digital tools, external ecosystem engagement, and business processes that improve innovation productivity and shorten the path from idea to business impact.

• People Leadership: Build and lead a high-performing, inclusive innovation team and network, developing capability through coaching, mentoring, hiring, onboarding, and clear prioritisation. Create the conditions for collaboration across organisational and geographic boundaries.

• Governance, Risk & Safety: Champion bp’s safety culture and operational excellence expectations, ensuring innovation activities are delivered in compliance with applicable safety, risk, procurement, financial, and governance requirements, with lessons learned embedded across the portfolio. Work with HSSE, engineering and operational leaders to ensure facilities and capabilities are safe, compliant and ready for operation.

Requirements of the role:

• Bachelor’s degree in science, engineering, or project management, or a related subject area with relevant experience.
• Consistent record leading complex, high-value technology, innovation, transformation, facility readiness, or operational delivery programmes in a global organisation.
• Demonstrated people leadership experience, including building, developing, and motivating teams and networks across multiple locations and business areas.
• Strong portfolio and programme management capability, including governance, prioritisation, budget management, risk management, dependency management, and reporting to senior levels.
• Experience working across research, technology, digital, engineering, facilities, procurement, safety, or business-facing environments to deliver integrated outcomes.
• Excellent relationship management and influencing skills, with the ability to work through ambiguity and align senior leaders, technical experts, suppliers, and delivery teams around shared priorities.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to prepare executive-level communications, governance materials, programme updates, cases and decision papers.
• Clear commitment to safety, integrity, inclusion, and operational excellence, with the ability to role model expected behaviours and embed effective controls across programmes.

Desirable Criteria

• An advanced degree or equivalent professional experience in technology, R&D, engineering or programme delivery.
• Experience establishing or scaling technology centres, laboratories, R&D hubs, innovation ecosystems, or cross-functional capability centres.
• Experience with automation, data, AI, laboratory systems, or knowledge management capabilities that enable faster and more effective innovation delivery.
• Experience building and sustaining partnerships with start-ups, suppliers, national laboratories, or other external innovation partners.
• Familiarity with intellectual property, commercialisation, technology maturation, and business integration pathways.
• Experience operating within international, culturally diverse, and geographically distributed teams.

Why join us?

We’re committed to supporting leaders who want to make an impact. At bp, you’ll have the chance to shape and influence outcomes across businesses. You’ll be part of an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and where your contribution to performance and integration matters. We invest in the growth and wellbeing of our people, providing the resources, networks, and development opportunities needed to thrive.

Our total rewards package includes competitive pay, bonuses, share options, and a range of flexible benefits designed to meet your needs — from healthcare and retirement plans to paid time off and agile working. We recognise that people have multifaceted lives, and we strive to offer a career experience that reflects that.

Location:

Please note that roles based out of Sunbury will move to Timber Square, Southwark, from Q4 2027

Travel Requirement:

Up to 10% travel should be expected with this role

Relocation Assistance:

This role is not eligible for relocation

Remote Type:

This position is a hybrid of office/remote working

Skills:

• Agility core practices
• Analytical Thinking
• Artificial intelligence
• Creating new methodologies
• Experimental Design
• Formulated product testing
• Formulation Deployment
• Formulation design
• Influencing
• Intellectual Asset Management
• Multi-physics modelling
• Presenting
• Product Development
• Product Sustainability Performance Management
• Project Management
• Raw materials knowledge
• Research and Development
• Rheology
• Safety management across the value chain
• Science and Technology Leadership
• Scientific publication
• Technology Management Processes
• Testing electric vehicle charging systems
• Thought Leadership

Future Location Notice:

This role will start in Sunbury, London. bp has announced a planned office move to Timber Square, London, with all positions currently advertised in Sunbury, including this one, expected to relocate around Q4 2027-Q1 2028. This presents an exciting opportunity for all employees and leaders to come together in one London location. The specific date of the move will be confirmed closer to the time.

Legal Disclaimer:

We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics like race, religion, color, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran status or disability status. Individuals with an accessibility need may request an adjustment/accommodation related to bp’s recruiting process (e.g., accessing the job application, completing required assessments, participating in telephone screenings or interviews, etc.). If you would like to request an adjustment/accommodation related to the recruitment process, please contact us.

If you are selected for a position and depending upon your role, your employment may be contingent upon adherence to local policy. This may include pre-placement drug screening, medical review of physical fitness for the role, and background checks.

Apply now!