Associate Director

Salary: £70,752 per annum. Band: UKRI Band G. Contract Type: 23 Months FTC. Hours: Full time/ Part time (minimum 0.8 FTE) or job-share. Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire - Hybrid Working Available. Closing Date: 22 October 2026 23:59.

About the role

The Associate Director for Advancing Knowledge in Social Science will provide leadership for ESRC applicant-led investments, supporting the Executive Director for Research and the Chief Operating Officer. You will be responsible for the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of ESRC’s applicant-led investment strategy, operating within the context of the ESRC and broader UKRI R&I investment landscape, alongside providing strong organisational and team leadership.

You will provide high-quality evidence and advice to shape the evolving design of a suite of schemes operating within ESRC’s applicant-led funding mode. This will include developing proactive approaches to understanding, delivering, and communicating an outstanding portfolio of social science research aligned with ESRC’s vision and objectives. You will work with senior leaders across ESRC to ensure applicant-led mode is well integrated with mechanisms supporting research translation, data infrastructure, and talent pipelines. You will supervise the development of innovative approaches, best practice, and effective, flexible resource management for the delivery of peer review across applicant-led research investments. You will be expected to collaborate with the UK Metascience Unit in embracing opportunities to deliver experiments on internal processes and identify ways of improving funding delivery.

You will be a member of the ESRC senior leadership team (SLT) and be expected to contribute to ESRC and UKRI leadership activities as requested.

You will be line managed by the Executive Director for Research and Strategy and manage grade F team leaders and other posts as required in the establishment of the new Advancing Knowledge Team.

We are particularly interested in how you work, not just what you have done. We are looking for applicants who demonstrate curiosity, creativity and a strong innovation attitude and who apply what they know in a way that fully aligns with UKRI values.

About the team

Advancing Knowledge is a new team in ESRC which will actively shape and deliver our applicant-led portfolio. Initial goals for the team include:

• Lead ESRC’s refreshed applicant-led mode (ALM) strategy and oversee the transition to new schemes.
• Actively shape ESRC's ALM portfolio:
  • Build a strong pipeline of innovative proposals through proactive engagement with the research community.
  • Shape the strategic allocation of funding to ensure ESRC delivers maximum value and impact.
• Manage and improve the ALM portfolio:
  • Actively manage the ALM portfolio, including monitoring performance and supporting grant holders to enhance the impact of their projects.
  • Drive continuous improvement in funding practices, embracing experimentation and the use of emerging evidence on improved ways of delivering research and innovation.
• Drive integration across ESRC and UKRI:
  • Gather and share insight on fields, methods, and partner relationships.
  • Ensure strong collaboration with existing teams to ensure ESRC’s ALM schemes support the delivery of the organisation’s wider vision and objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Portfolio Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and direction, including developing a strong appreciation of the breadth of the research, partnerships and skills supported by applicant-led mode, and finding opportunities to enhance the quality of investment outcomes. Working with colleagues across ESRC, UKRI, the expert review system and research partners, the post holder will lead teams in the shaping, delivering, and continuously improving ESRC’s applicant-led funding portfolio, ensuring alignment with ESRC priorities and the wider UKRI research and innovation landscape.
• Working with the ESRC Executive Board, ensure ESRC develops and maintains positive relationships with key partners involved in exploratory research. These partners include learned societies, other funders, industry, and government departments. Draw on their expertise and perspectives to support the health of fields. Contribute to UKRI and ESRC strategic objectives and key results, delivery plans, regular reporting and risk management relevant to curiosity driven research investments.
• Support the ESRC research and innovation funding delivery function to deliver the highest quality investment outcomes across applicant-led funding programmes, using appropriate expert review approaches in line with UKRI standard process. Working with the Executive Director of Research, Chief Operating Officer and a broad range of colleagues, be responsible for delivery of a programme of reform of applicant-led mode processes, transitioning to a business-as-usual approach that encourages the development of standard process, adoption of innovative approaches, and continuous improvement. Implement and maintain effective and flexible resource management tools to support these aims.
• Work closely with the ESRC Executive Board, UKRI Finance business partners and other colleagues to manage applicant-led budgets and exercise tight fiscal control, including managing the impacts on budget forecasting and management under evolving funding delivery frameworks.
• Evolve effective monitoring frameworks and evaluation approaches for applicant-led investments and develop approaches to collate and communicate outcomes and impacts to key partners, including Government and the public.
• Supervise the professional development of teams and promote effective, close inter-team/domain working to ensure ESRC benefits from the skills and resources we need to effectively evolve our approach to applicant-led research investments, and to support engaging roles and career development pathways.