Executive Director of Science

A core element of the role will be building and leveraging partnerships – across UKRI, with other research councils, government departments and international funding agencies – to maximise the impact of NERC’s investments. This will be particularly important in areas where environmental science intersects with broader national priorities, such as health, energy systems, and resilience in urban and engineered environments. Forging collaborations across UKRI’s new Industrial Strategy programmes will be particularly important. 

You will command professional esteem and engage pro-actively with NERC’s diverse science community, drawing on their insights to shape future priorities, while clearly articulating NERC’s strategic direction, particularly with senior academic, public sector and international leaders. 

As a member of the NERC executive team, you will work closely with NERC’s Directors to ensure coherence and optimisation across the full research portfolio. This includes NERC Research Centres that receive funding to deliver long-term, large-scale research programmes and critical infrastructure platforms for the environmental science community

Key Responsibilities

• Reporting directly to the NERC Executive Chair you will have responsibility for: 
• Budget delivery of over £300m per year of UKRI’s advancing knowledge, talent and NERC-led areas of UKRI’s wider priorities budget supporting research institute outcomes. You have shared responsibility for a further £150m with the NERC Chief Operating Officer. 
• Staff the leadership management and development of c.80 staff, and an opportunity to shape your team to best deliver against your responsibilities. 
• Advancing knowledge through a well-designed programme of curiosity-driven research, talent and skills funding with a view to increasing the rate of conversion of curiosity-driven research (UKRI priority bucket 1) into societal outcomes including innovation and growth (UKRI priority buckets 2 and 3). 
• Data-driven investments in scientific infrastructure  to deliver NERC’s current and future science needs, in order that NERC can effectively task its research centres to deliver the long-term data to support the evolving needs of the environmental science community, as well as working with the Chief Operating Officer and the centres to prioritise NERC’s investment in research equipment, facilities and infrastructure. 
• Shaping collaboration across new UKRI programmes and aligning with UKRI policies and to inform the latest thinking to continually improve the efficiency and effectiveness of NERC’s science funding.
• Driving leverage through strategic opportunities for collaborations that leverage partnerships including international collaboration.
• Supporting research community as our critical point of senior contact, winning trust, and confidence at senior level to pick up the latest intelligence on scientific developments and ensure strong stakeholder relationships with universities and research institutes.
• Liaison across UKRI teams to ensure that NERC delivers the best possible outcomes against our priorities.
• Team working across our executive team to lead and support change in NERC as part of UKRI’s transformation, including the evolution of executive team roles and responsibilities. 
• Championing equality, diversity and inclusion 

For more information on the role please contact seniorrecruitment@ukri.org [seniorrecruitment@ukri.org] to request a copy of the candidate pack.

What we’re looking for: 

S – Assessed at shortlisting

I – Assessed at interview

S&I – Assessed at both shortlisting and interview 

• A strong track record of achievement and established credibility in a senior role relevant to the Environmental Sciences. This can include, but is not limited to, roles from across academia, research institutes, or policy. (S)
• Substantial and diverse experience of working across the UK science funding landscape and a deep understanding of environmental science and its applications relevant to the NERC and UKRI’s mission (S)
• A consistent track record of research delivery and governance with an ability to take a broad view across the NERC in formulating strategy and priority areas for future investments. (I)
• An ability to work within a fast-moving environment, troubleshoot problems and resolve issues as they emerge, anticipating obstacles and staying ahead of emerging risks. (S&I)
• Financial aptitude and analytical skills with experience managing comparable budgets – including working with finance professionals to appropriately forecast and plan expenditure, working within delegated budgetary responsibilities. (S)
• Demonstrable programme delivery skills in a research funding or related environment, delivering large research programmes across complex teams. (I)
• Strong leadership skills, demonstrating an ability to work across functional and organisational boundaries to deliver shared goals and outcomes. (S&I)

Desirable Criteria

• A PhD in a STEM subject, or related experience
• Your team is primarily located in the Swindon area. Whilst an ability to lead and build relationships at a distance is beneficial, this is also a role where visibility will be important, so travel to our offices and sites on a regular basis is expected.

Benefits

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package! We are committed to supporting employees’ development and promote a culture of continuous learning. A list of benefits below.

• An excellent defined benefit pension scheme
• 30 days’ annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent)
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
• Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice.
• Flexible working options

Please click here [https://www.ukri.org/who-we-are/work-for-us/working-at-ukri/benefits-of-working-for-ukri/] for more details on the Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

How to Apply

Please submit your application via the UKRI Careers Portal by 23:55 on Wednesday 8th July 2026.

 You will need to supply: 

• a curriculum vitae (CV) 
• a supporting statement/covering letter demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria 

We reserve the right to close the advert early if required. 

Your CV and supporting statement must each be no longer than two A4 pages in length. 

• Your statement of suitability should provide specific information about why you believe you would be suitable for appointment into this role. 
• Think about your knowledge, skills, experience, personal attributes and vision for the organisation, and take full advantage of the space available. 
• Use practical examples where possible and ensure you refer to which of the essential  criteria your application is aligned to. Again, please aim for no more than 2 A4 pages. 

Should you have any problems with submitting your application via the Careers Portal, please do send an email to seniorrecruitment@ukri.org and a member of our team will be in touch.

UKRI - UK Research and Innovation

UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.

Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.

More information can be found at www.ukri.org [http://www.ukri.org./].

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme.  For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI [https://www.ukri.org/about-us/work-for-us/working-at-ukri/benefits-of-working-for-ukri/].

How we support EDI in the workforce

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit ‘How we support EDI in the workforce’. [https://www.ukri.org/about-us/work-for-us/edi-in-the-workforce/#contents-list]

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, any candidate who opts into the scheme and best meets the essential criteria, will be shortlisted for interview. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

How to apply

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application.

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be rejected and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

As part of the pre-employment checks there is a requirement to undergo Baseline Personnel Security Screening. BPSS is a pre-condition of employment and failure to achieve it may mean that the employment offer is rescinded. UKRI reserves the right to run, or re-run, security clearance as required during the course of employment.

NERC is a partner organisation within UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). UKRI brings together nine organisations to create one single, independent entity with a strong voice, and a vision to ensure the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation. NERC is the UK's leading funder of environmental science. Our scientists study and monitor the physical, chemical and biological processes on which our planet and life itself depends – from pole to pole, from the deep Earth and oceans to the atmosphere and space. The science we fund has impact across all sectors. It provides a platform for future UK prosperity by contributing to a safe, healthy, productive nation. Many programmes involve collaborations with national and international partners to tackle large-scale environmental science challenges, including those faced by developing countries.

For more information about NERC, please click here [https://www.ukri.org/councils/nerc/]