Experience Required
•Extensive previous experience of devising and executing innovative, pragmatic, cost effective filing strategies which will maximise our competitive advantage from our key innovations
•Proven experience of identifying opportunities for in-licensing/JV/collaboration activities and leading patent due diligence to support these activities
•Proven ability to establish, grow, manage and lead a team including mentoring, coaching and supporting in order to motivate the team and develop great talent
•Commercially astute with a clear understanding of FMCG businesses and proven ability to understand and support strategic aims
Technical / Functional Skills Required
•Outstanding ability to assimilate and undertake high level strategic analysis of complex legal and business issues in line with overall business strategy
oDetailed knowledge and practical experience of patent laws in US, Europe and Japan (as well as China) and working knowledge of related laws including trademark, copyright, designs, competition, contract, commercial and data protection laws
•Ability to advise on and assess IP clauses in commercial agreements, including licences, settlement agreements, assignments, with considerable attention to detail, accuracy and consequences
•Ability to manage resources and budgets in line with set requirements
•High level understanding of tax and financial implications of commercial and contractual decisions

Leadership Skills Required
•Ability to put in place ways of working which are simple, clear and effective whilst fostering a collaborative partnership with R&D in China (BOLD, FAST & EMPOWERED)
•Excellent interpersonal skills, sound judgement, good decision making and the ability to inform and influence at all levels both internally and externally (EMPOWERED AND BOLD)
•Skilled in engaging and communicating in simple, clear and coherent manner at senior management level (FAST)
•Ability to manage priorities and meet commitments with a track record of successfully completing projects (RESPONSIBLE)
•Ability to work across functions, building consensus and support (EMPOWERED)

ACCOUNTABILITIES
• Provide key point of contact between R&D team in Global Device Development and the Patents team ensuring fast and effective knowledge transfer between the two
• Building patent awareness within Global Device Development Centre and educating on patent basics
o Being an outstanding advocate of the value and importance of patents to BAT
o Working with development teams and OI to help them understand insights and knowledge that can be derived from competitor patents
o Working with development teams to help them understand how to interact with the Patents team to maximise the value of their innovations
• Implementing innovative, simple and effective processes for the integration of patent workflows and delivery of information into the development teams/OI and vice versa, with clearly defined workflows, key outputs and responsibilities for any actions arising
• Cultivate a network of collaborative relationships at all levels within BAT which are based on mutual trust to ensure the best outcome for BAT as whole
• Take responsibility for the execution and delivery of processes, protocols and governance as allocated by Head of Patents
• Promote risk management and compliance culture ensuring consistency in application of IP policies and procedures on a global level within BAT
EXPERIENCE, SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE
ESSENTIAL

Experience Required

• Extensive experience (at least 5 years) of working in R&D at a senior technical level in an innovation led organisation
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with a team of patent attorneys and patent searchers
• Commercially astute with a clear understanding of FMCG businesses and proven ability to understand and support strategic aims


Technical / Functional / Leadership Skills Required

Functional/Technical Skills

• Outstanding technical/engineering skills with the ability to understand the detailed technical aspects of BAT’s key technology areas and be able to engage at an in-depth level with development project leaders as well as explain complex technical matters in a clear and digestible manner to patent attorneys
• Proven ability to be able to read and understand patents, including deriving key technical information from a patent, being able to communicate this clearly to the development teams/OI and/or the Patents team and work with these teams to assess the potential impact
• Ability to educate an R&D community on patent basics and articulate in a compelling manner the value of patent protection to help accelerate our R&D transformation and deliver on our commercial goals

Leadership Skills

• Proven ability to implement ways of working in an R&D organisation so that patents are a key consideration in all R&D activities to ensure the value of our innovations is maximised and that we are able to commercialise and sell innovative products (BOLD)
• Skilled in understanding the commercial goals of the business and facilitating collaboration between R&D and the Patents team to achieve those goals by setting clear objectives for each piece of work/project in line with the commercial needs, providing direction and ensuring that the outcomes are timely, focused and effectively communicated (FAST)
• Skilled in engaging and communicating in a simple, clear and coherent manner at a range of levels in the business (FAST)
• Excellent interpersonal skills, sound judgement, good decision making and the ability to inform and influence at all levels both internally and externally (EMPOWERED AND BOLD)
• Ability to manage priorities and meet commitments with a track record of successfully completing projects (RESPONSIBLE)
• Ability to work across functions, building consensus and support (EMPOWERED)

Education / Qualifications / Certifications Required

• Physics/Mechanical or Electrical Engineering degree (Class I or II/i) as a minimum
• Very good patent knowledge derived from experience


BENEFICIAL
• Previous experience leading an R&D team in a large innovation-led FMCG corporate
• Previous experience in patent drafting, prosecution or FTO analysis