What Does a VP of R&D Do?

What does a VP of R&D do? Do you know what the roles and responsibilities of this person are within the organization or company that he is working for? If not, then read on.

What Does a VP of R&D Do?

A VP of research and development or a VP of R&D is a person that takes care of a lot of things. Firstly, they are responsible for being in charge of the overall research and development of a company.

They are also typically in charge of the legal issues of patents and copyrights. Furthermore, they are also responsible for coming up with new ways that the company can make money. Then, the VP of R&D also has to be aware of the technology trends and what is currently going on. They need to be up to date with what is going on in the market so they can stay relevant.

So if you are a VP of R&D, you are going to have a lot of responsibilities. You will have to make sure that your staff is competent enough to get the job done, and you will also have to make sure that they adhere to your vision and mission statement.

What Skills Do a VP of R&D Have?

Then, a VP of R&D is someone who needs to have an open mind. Proper communication skills are also needed because he will be interacting with other departments within the company as well as outside stakeholders. He will need to be able to clearly explain his vision and mission statement so that everyone gets it.

Then, a VP of R&D will most likely be required to go through extensive schooling as well as experience working in different companies before becoming one himself. He might even need a degree in engineering or science for him to understand how things work and what he needs from his staff.

Also, a VP of R&D should be able to spot talent within his department, especially when it comes down to marketing ideas and sales strategies. He should be able to lead by example, and let his staff know that he is behind them no matter what.

Additionally, he should also not forget about keeping updated with technology trends especially if he has been working for several years already. He will need to keep tabs on what is going on currently for him to know what direction he wants his company or department to go towards. 

Of course, he needs to know how to properly use and have some knowledge of the available different kinds of technology. He should also have a good idea of how to use the tools and software that his company is using currently so he will know what to do if there is a need for upgrades.

Conclusion

So, if you want to work as a VP of R&D, you will need to have a lot of skills and knowledge. If you do not, then you might just end up failing at your job. So if you are interested in working as a VP of R&D, make sure that you have what it takes to do the job.