Manager (Planning Office)

As part of Hitachi ERDs wider global R&D Group, the SUSL team also works closely with other global laboratories, such as our research partners in Japan and India or with Hitachi business units, such as our energy or digital products.

What you'll be doing

The aim of this role is to provide governance ensuring the European Research & Development Centre (ERD) remains compliant with all relevant HEU policies and other related Hitachi Limited standards and requirements. In addition to this, there are a number of other areas of responsibility within the role, which include: Export Control Administrator, Deliverable Administrator, Compliance.

This position needs to be flexible in accordance with the head quarter's policy.

This position is essentially administrative. Unlikely to control a budget but will be responsible for monitoring and reporting department expense against budget. May be required to "manage" and organize other staff in the department (admin, secretarial, drivers, post room, etc.). Jobholder must have a thorough understanding of organizational dynamics, coupled with good communication skills and the ability to handle issues of high sensitivity.

1. Export control and compliance for ERD:

• Ensuring consistency across Hitachi with regard to export control, developing protocols/guidelines


• Ensuring that ERD remains compliant with all relevant HEU and Hitachi Ltd compliance policies which include Export Control, Contracting, ITG Security, Financial Management, GDPR.


• Performing compliance-related training for ERD. Responsible for producing training material, setting up training sessions and training on a monthly basis for ERD, and as required for new starters.


• Provides support and acts as the main point of contact within ERD for other departments with external, Hitachi Corporate and internal audits. Responsible for ensuring all required documentation is provided to the audit team, coordinating responses from across ERD as required.


• Regularly performs internal audits and gap analyses to ensure compliance to the relevant standard is being maintained. Escalates and follows up on any issues that are identified


• Creation, ownership, management and maintenance of ERD policies.


2. Deliverable administrator:

• Responsible for Kenpo log, dissemination Kenpo, etc.


• Responsible for liaising with Japan R&D Kenpo department


• Bi-annual Kenpo training. Identifying issues with Kenpo research report to ensure compliance/ less than 10% errors in Kenpo report


• Responsible for collating deliverables report for Japan. Prepare Achievement List based on the Project ID stated in the IRDA for each researcher and Lab. Complete a judgement form for sharing the deliverables. Upload collated reports to SharePoint for Japan


3. Finance across ERD:

• Responsible for asset management of fixed assets in ERD and dealing with issues raised including auditing of fixed assets


• Responsible for ITG equipment management in ERD and dealing with issues raised including billing. Responsible for agreeing ITG services in ERD.


• Working with the Tax Team in F&A and researchers to prepare a narrative to ensure that ERD secures the maximum tax rebate in the UK


4. Finance (Budget):

• Responsible for preparation, monitoring, tracking, analysis for overall ERD budget across Laboratories and ERD HQ.


• Liaise with F&A - responsible for ensuring information for and from F&A Planning team is correct. Work with F&A Business Partner on accruals and deferred revenues


• Budget tracking, monitoring including accruals, prepayments, collaboration and Entrustment funding


• Create, collate and monitor monthly reports for Japan, GM ERD, Lab Managers


• Create and collate 'Profit & Loss 'Report for Kenkai monthly


5. Finance (EU Projects):

• Account Administrator EU Projects in UK- setting up people to have access to projects.


• Specialist knowledge of financial reporting, preparing financial forms, preparing financial audit information


• Ensuring EU/National Projects finance reports are accurately collated and submitted in the appropriate portals. Ensure financial audits are carried out with all documents available.


• Monitoring all EU/National Projects in ERD to ensure correct accruals and deferrals of revenue and expense. Working with F&A Financial Planning and Analysis Team.


6. Training across ERD:

• SAP(S/4 HANA) for all ERD Staff including managers (to be replaced with S4Hana)


• Training for Kenpo writing


• Compliance Training


7. Contracting across ERD:

• Upload requests for agreements/contracts to the CLM system


• Responsible for initial risk classification of New Business Partner Request Forms


8. Others:

• Provide Administration leadership, guidance to ERD Administrators


We're looking for a team player, who is motivated by delivering great work and the Hitachi vision. The role will be a mixture of remote-hybrid work with 1-2 days/ week working at Hitachi Office (125 London Wall, London EC2Y 5AJ)

Hitachi drives Social Innovation Business, creating a sustainable society through the use of data and technology. We solve customers' and society's challenges with Lumada solutions leveraging IT, OT (Operational Technology) and products. Hitachi operates under the business structure of "Digital Systems & Services" - supporting our customers' digital transformation; "Green Energy & Mobility" - contributing to a decarbonized society through energy and railway systems, and "Connective Industries" - connecting products through digital technology to provide solutions in various industries. Driven by Digital, Green, and Innovation, we aim for growth through co-creation with our customers. The company's consolidated revenues for fiscal year 2022 (ended March 31, 2023) totaled 10,881.1 billion yen, with 696 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 320,000 employees worldwide. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at https://www.hitachi.com.

The Sustainability Laboratory (SUSL), is part of Hitachi's European R&D (ERD) centre, located in central London. The SUSL team has an important role in leading Hitachi's activities as climate change innovators. The primary objective for SUSL is to create new technologies across energy (power systems, renewables, batteries) and sustainability (carbon management, net-zero pathways, circular economy) to enable digital and physical solutions.

Along with a market competitive salary and discretionary bonus scheme, employees have the option to work flexibly in line with our hybrid working model and we would be happy to discuss this with you during the hiring process.

Company Funded Benefits

• Generous holiday entitlement - with the option to buy up to an additional 5 days per year


• A Holiday Banking scheme allowing you to bank untaken holiday to use another year


• Group Personal Pension


• Private Medical Insurance with self-funded option to cover family members


• Employee Assistance Programme available to all employees


• Personal Accident Insurance


Voluntary Benefits (funded by employee) including;

• Cycle To Work scheme


• Gym Membership


• Dental Insurance with option to include dependent children


• Health screening


• Dining card