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Portfolio Manager - Capability and Innovation
Salary: £37,841 per annum Hours: Full time (minimum 0.8 FTE) (flexible working available) Contract Type: 2 x Fixed Term (12 Months) Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire (hybrid) Grade: UKRI Band D
Closing Date: Sunday 12th July 2026 Proposed Interview Dates: 27th / 28th July 2026
Employees applying for any opportunity which may mean being away from your substantive role for a temporary period of time, please refer to the Recruitment Policy [https://www.ukri.org/publications/uk-research-and-innovation-recruitment-policy/ukri-recruitment-policy/?_ga=2.132744590.1205631854.1780901272-2018304275.1764142670] for further information in the first instance. If you are made an offer, please ensure you liaise with your Line Manager and the designated HR Team as soon as possible in order that implications of any move are clear and understood, prior to a move taking place.
About the Role
BBSRC are recruiting two Portfolio Managers to join the Business Interaction Unit within the Capability and Innovation Domain.
You will help shape and deliver strategic investments that drive the social and economic impact of UK bioscience, aligned with BBSRC’s Forward Look, the Industrial Strategy, and wider government priorities.
These are dynamic roles involving collaboration across BBSRC, UKRI, and external partners, including businesses and policymakers. You will gain valuable insight into cutting-edge bioscience, innovation, and policy, while contributing to high-impact programmes.
Your Responsibilities:
You will help shape and deliver BBSRC’s strategic portfolio of academic-industry collaborative research investments, supporting high-impact bioscience innovation across the UK.
The role focuses on developing and managing collaborative funding opportunities that connect researchers with businesses across a range of themes and challenge areas. You will engage with stakeholders to inform strategy, support delivery of investment programmes, and monitor impact to guide future priorities.
Key responsibilities include:
- Developing and delivering collaborative research investments
- Engaging with academia, industry, government, and policy stakeholders
- Contributing to BBSRC strategy and identifying emerging opportunities
- Monitoring portfolio performance and evidencing impact
We are looking for strategic, adaptable individuals with an interest in bioscience and its impact. Knowledge of the UK research and innovation landscape is desirable, but you will be supported to develop your expertise. We welcome applicants with relevant experience across industry, research, or policy.
Person Specification
The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).
Please ensure your application addresses the shortlisting criteria with evidenced examples of prior experience.
Essential:
- A degree in a biological or related subject, and/or equivalent relevant professional experience. (S)
- An understanding of how and why BBSRC and UKRI support bioscience commercialisation approaches and an appreciation of the different types of benefits and impact that arise from working with businesses and wider users of bioscience research (S&I)
- An ability to proactively plan and prioritise your work and manage multiple complex activities in order to meet deadlines (S&I).
- An ability to work with ambiguity and deal with difficult situations by showing initiative and judgement in a constantly changing environment (S&I)
- Strong analytical and writing skills, including the ability to interpret, summarise and present complex information for different audiences (S&I).
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to build and maintain effective stakeholder relationships (S&I).
- Ability to work flexibly both independently and as part of a team to deliver shared objectives. (S&I).
- Awareness or experience of research and innovation strategy or policy development (S&I)
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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 outstanding 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.
Plus many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!
For further information on our benefits please see:
Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) [https://www.discover.ukri.org/benefits-of-working-at-ukri/index.html]
UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.
Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact Recruitment@ukri.org
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]
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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.
The BBSRC invests in world-class bioscience research and training on behalf of the UK public. We are the UK's largest public funder of research of the non-medical biosciences. Our aim is to further scientific knowledge, to promote economic growth, wealth and job creation and to improve quality of life in the UK and beyond. Funded by Government, we support research and training in universities and strategically funded institutes. The research and the people that we fund are helping society to meet major challenges, including food security, green energy and healthier, longer lives. Our investments underpin important UK economic sectors, such as farming, food, industrial biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.
For more information about BBSRC, our science and our impact click here [https://www.ukri.org/about-us/bbsrc/]
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