i2CAT Director

The i2CAT Foundation is a CERCA (‘Centres de Recerca de Catalunya’) research and innovation centre that promotes mission-driven knowledge to solve business and societal challenges, promote pioneering and strategic initiatives, co-create solutions with a transformative impact and empower citizens through open and participative digital social innovation model with territorial capillarity.

i2CAT wants to lead the challenge of designing the digital society of the future based on research and innovation in advanced digital technologies. Through talent generation, cooperation, and the commitment of its members, i2CAT envisions Catalonia as a creative, empowered, and innovative society, where knowledge and digital technology are at the service of the Catalan ecosystem and society.

The i2CAT activity aims to:

• Generate excellent and significant knowledge in advanced digital technologies like 5G/6G, AI, Cybersecurity, IoT, XR, Space Communications and Digital Social Technologies.
• Become a benchmark organization in digital innovation and transformation for public administrations.
• Support the innovation and digital transformation of the private sector in Catalonia.
• Open the research and digital social innovation to citizens across the whole territory.
• Generate research excellence and mission-driven projects addressed at solving the challenges of businesses, citizens, and public administrations, highlighting the value of talented local and international researchers.
• Cooperate and boost joint efforts with local research and innovation stakeholders to co-create solutions and products with a transformative impact empowered through an open and participative digital social innovation model.
• Promote pioneering and strategic initiatives to increase the international projection of Catalonia as an innovative digital country.

For the last years, i2CAT has become a key digital innovation actor within the public and the private sector while consolidating its research prestige across Europe in different domains, being one of the key European research centres in 5G/6G and XR. I2CAT is also recognized as a Cervera 5G Centre of Excellence.

At the Catalan level i2CAT is implementing different government strategies to strengthen the digital position of the region while decreasing the digital divide and becoming an actor in the digital transformation domain.

I2CAT was established in 2003 and it is a centre based on a 4-helix schema with the involvement of the Government of Catalonia, the private sector, the universities, and the society (all of them members of the board of trustees) under a research-driven and dual-use model.

Details of i2CAT can be found in: www.i2cat.net

The report of i2CAT activities in 2022 can be downloaded from: https://i2cat.net/about-us/annual-report/

Directors’ profile:

Director’s (She/He) primary goal is to fulfil the institutional mission. The qualities being sought in the Director include outstanding strategic vision, integrity, communication skills, administrative abilities, energy and motivation, fundraising experience, consensus building capacity, and a leadership style that engenders and nurtures trust and respect. She/He will have an excellent record in technology, research, leadership experience, capacity of team management, and will embrace the values of rigour, diversity, and service, and provide inspiration to all staff. She/He will have an in-depth knowledge of both national and international research systems and ecosystems - with a particular focus on European programs.

Job description:

• Lead the definition and assessment of annual specific objectives of i2CAT within the Board of Directors.
• Follow up and monitor the implementation progress of the strategic plan 2024-2027 and the Program Contract with the Government of Catalonia.
• Manage, organise, execute and monitor i2CAT activities.
• Support requests from the Telecommunications & Digital Transformation Secretary, CERCA and the Board of Trustees.
• Manage actions oriented towards securing resources.
• Participate and approve the hiring process.
• Promote the training of the scientific and technical staff and their career development.
• Other functions that might be approved by the Members of the Board of Trustees.

Applicants’ profile:

• PhD degree in related Internet/Telecommunications fields.
• Distinguished record of research in Internet/Telecommunications.
• Demonstrated experience and capacity of team management and innovative thinking to lead a dynamic and international organization.
• Knowledge of strategic planning and resource allocation.
• Capacity to represent the institute in all types of academic, industrial, and social environments.
• Demonstrated experience in managing international research activities with demonstrated skills in leading EC research projects.
• Outstanding communication skills
• Demonstrated relationships and recognition by the ecosystem at international level.
• A strong and firm belief in i2CAT’s mission and values.

The Director (She/He) will lead the Board of Directors, in coordination with the Managing Director.

The Director reports to the Board of Trustees and to its delegate committee.

The Director must contribute to increasing the research level of i2CAT and the impact it has on the Public and Private sectors while boosting digital societal activities aiming at minimizing the territory digital divide.

It will be considered favourable:
a) Good knowledge and understanding of the European, Spanish, and Catalan research and
innovation environment and competitive programs.
b) Degree in Management.

Salary will be agreed in terms of experience.

The appointment will be for a period of 5 years, which could be extended in agreement with the Board of Trustees of i2CAT.

Selection Process
Suitable candidates to the position will be identified and ranked by members of the i2CAT Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) and selected members of the Board of Trustees. Together, as an ad-hoc commission, will provide a short list of pre-selected candidates.

This process will be managed by CERCA, who jointly with the ad-hoc commission, will be responsible for the final steps of the selection process.

Candidates included in the final list may be invited to visit i2CAT and meet the ad-hoc Commission for a final interview.

The results of these interviews will be presented to the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees will appoint the new Director.

Applications and contact information:
Applicants should send a CV (free format) and a cover letter by e-mail to the Director of CERCA at applications@cerca.cat

i2CAT is an equal employment opportunity institution. All eligible qualified applicants will receive consideration and will not be discriminated against on the basis of any beliefs, orientation, gender, nationality, ethnic origin or any other condition.

Tentative Calendar

• September 12th, 2023: Open call for applications
• October 13th, 2023: Deadline for submitting applications (call closes at 9 am ECT)
• November 3rd, 2023: List of prioritized candidates by the ad-hoc committee.
• November 17th, 2023: Short lists of pre-selected candidates.
• Mid-December 2023: The Board of Trustees appoints a new Director.
• The above dates are tentative. Any changes will be publicised.