Executive Director of Environmental Data, Innovation and Growth

Job summary

SALARY: £97,304- £110,000 Per Annum
HOURS: Full Time or Part Time (Minimum 0.8 FTE)
CONTRACT TYPE: Open Ended (Secondees and transfers welcome from universities and research centres or institutes where relevant, minimum duration 3 years)
LOCATION: Primary base at Polaris House, Swindon with options for other locations (subject to business requirements), with hybrid working as well as frequent travel for key meetings
GRADE: UKRI Band X
POSITIONS AVAILABLE: 1
CLOSING DATE: Tuesday 3rd November 2026 (23.59pm)

UKRI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CLOSE OUR ADVERTS EARLY WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE.

Job description

ABOUT US
The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funds environmental science that is ambitious, creative, and transformative. We have nurtured and curated the environmental science base in the UK for over 60 years since our foundation in 1965. We invest in the research, people, skills, infrastructure and data needed to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of environmental science and innovation on the global stage.

NERC’s science spans the entire earth system from the atmosphere to the biosphere, hydrosphere, sub-surface, oceanic and the polar regions. We fund curiosity-driven research and strategic R&I across universities and national research organisations often in partnership with government departments and national and international stakeholders.

Our sustained funding of six NERC research centres provides the ‘national capability’ foundations for the UK environmental science endeavour making long-term and large-scale observing and modelling possible through investment in major research infrastructures (including research stations in polar regions, a fleet of Royal Research Ships and aircraft, and satellite technologies and monitoring stations), which provide the UK with world class expertise and data in critical science areas.

PURPOSE

You will be NERC’s executive leader for environmental data, informing our digital transformation and digital research infrastructure needs, artificial intelligence and the responsible creation of value from these assets as well as other NERC investments.

As a newly created role, the Executive Director of Environmental Data, Innovation and Growth offers a rare opportunity to shape a bold, future-focused agenda for environmental science data, advancing knowledge while accelerating the application of research and innovation to deliver economic and societal benefit. You will have the opportunity to shape the data, inform the digital platforms and initiate our commercialisation portfolio as part of NERC’s new operating model, establishing the organisational capabilities, accountabilities and ways of working needed to deliver the role’s responsibilities.

This is a pivotal leadership role at the heart of NERC and UKRI. You will set and deliver NERC’s strategy and model development for data and digital, aligned with NERC’s scientific priorities and UKRI’s priority programmes. You will harness the opportunities set out in the UKRI strategy for a resilient Digital Research Infrastructure and AI Research and Innovation Strategic Framework. You will be responsible for shaping business development opportunities across the NERC investment portfolio, drawing on the UKRI Chief Development Officer and Innovate UK teams to define commercialisation opportunities from NERC investments.

MAIN OUTPUTS AND ACTIVITIES

Reporting directly to the NERC Executive Chair, you will have responsibility for:

Enterprise strategy and executive leadership

• Ensuring NERC’s data, digital platform requirements and potential commercial capabilities inform the design and delivery of its research investments, including programme governance, peer review, partnership development, impact generation and evaluation of outcomes.

• Setting and delivering NERC's strategy for data, innovation and transformation, aligned with NERC, UKRI and national research priorities, including the NROs.

• Acting as NERC's executive lead for data innovation and digital needs, ensuring investment and delivery are driven by scientific impact, organisational value and affordability.

• Contributing to the overall leadership, performance, culture and strategic direction of NERC.

Environmental data leadership and stewardship

• Working with the Executive Director of Science, ensuring NERC’s investments in long-term observations, environmental models and data services remain scientifically aligned, sustainable and fit for purpose.

• Providing strategic leadership for the stewardship, governance and utilisation of NERC-funded environmental data.

• Establishing an enterprise-wide data and digital function across NERC, BAS and BGS, ensuring this function delivers across the whole of NERC’s investment portfolio.

• Championing responsible, secure and ethical data use.

Digital research infrastructure and transformation

• Leading the strategic development of NERC's requirements of UKRI digital research infrastructure and associated transformation programmes.

• Ensuring specialist environmental science capabilities are aligned with wider UKRI digital, data and technology strategies.

• Driving a coherent and sustainable approach to digital platforms, services and computational capabilities.

• Overseeing the delivery, governance and benefits realisation of major data investments.

Environmental Data for Research UK

• Leading the future development of Environmental Data for Research UK (EDRUK) within NERC and across UKRI, taking care to build from the effective parts of the existing Environmental Data Service (EDS) so we can move at pace to fully exploit potential new markets and applications.

• Building partnerships and delivery models across UKRI, government and the wider research community.

• Ensuring researchers can effectively discover, access and use environmental data and analytical tools.

Artificial intelligence for the environment

• Working with colleagues across UKRI, leading NERC's approach for the responsible use of artificial intelligence.

• Developing investment priorities and partnerships that maximise the value of AI across environmental research and operations.

• Ensuring appropriate governance, ethics, transparency and security arrangements are in place.

Supporting business development and external investment

• Leading NERC's approach to business opportunities and external investment related to its science, data and research infrastructure, working closely with UKRI structures to inform delivery.

• Developing external investment, partnerships and innovation opportunities across the NERC investment portfolio.

• Developing investable propositions that can we shaped into commercial pathways with research centres, partners and through UKRI service provision.

People, capability and culture

• Leading and developing a high-performing, inclusive and multidisciplinary team.

• Building the environmental data, innovation and transformation capabilities required for the future.

• Providing visible leadership across NERC's wider data and digital community.

• Championing equality, diversity, inclusion and effective organisational change.

Governance, finance and assurance

• Holding accountability for assigned budgets, programmes, services and associated benefits.

• Ensuring robust governance, risk management, financial control and value for money across the portfolio.

• Providing high-quality advice and assurance to NERC and UKRI governance bodies.
• Ensuring compliance with relevant policies, delegated authorities and regulatory requirements.

Person specification

• A strong record of setting strategic direction and delivering enterprise-scale data, digital or technology-enabled transformation, creating measurable scientific, organisational, societal or economic value. (S&I)

• Established credibility in environmental science, data-intensive research or a related field, together with a strong understanding of the UK research and innovation landscape and the role of data and digital capability in enabling research outcomes. (S)

• Strong understanding of data ecosystems, digital platforms, computational research infrastructure, interoperability and the opportunities and risks presented by artificial intelligence. (I)

• Proven ability to lead major programmes, organisational change and cross-boundary partnerships, navigate uncertainty and maintain delivery in complex and fast-moving environments. (S&I)

• Strong governance, assurance and risk-management capability across data, cyber security, artificial intelligence, intellectual property, investment and operational resilience. (I)

• Strong financial and commercial acumen, including experience of managing significant budgets and investments, building strategic partnerships and translating scientific or technological capability into commercial outcomes of societal and/or UK PLC benefits. (S&I)

• Inclusive and credible senior leadership, with excellent communication and influencing skills and a record of building multidisciplinary capability and high-performing teams across organisational boundaries. (S&I)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £97,304, UK Research and Innovation contributes £28,188 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

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 for more details on the Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

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 withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

APPLICATION GUIDANCE

How to evidence the criteria:

We encourage you to use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) in your cover letter to clearly demonstrate how your experience meets each of the ‘person specification’ criteria outlined in the job description. For examples of the STAR method, please visit: The STAR method , National Careers Service’.

Please ensure your CV and cover letter are no longer than two A4 pages each, using a minimum font size of 11. Once submitted, your application cannot be edited via our careers website; however, if you encounter any issues or need to update your documents, please contact us at SeniorRecruitment@ukri.org.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

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Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : seniorrecruitment@ukri.org
• Email : seniorrecruitment@ukri.org

Recruitment team

• Email : seniorrecruitment@ukri.org