Head of Design, Commercialisation and Innovation

Job summary

Salary: £58,589 per annum.
Grade: UKRI Band F.
Contract Type: Fixed-term – (12 month parental cover).
Hours: Full Time (flexible/part-time working considered).
Closing date: 29 June 2026.

Interviews: w/c 13th July 2026.

Job description

About the role

As the Head of Design, Commercialisation and Innovation, you will provide strategic and day to day leadership of AHRC’s work across design, commercialisation and innovation You will be responsible for delivering key strategic investments and activities and shaping our future plans in line with UKRI and AHRC strategy.

You will head up a small team and work closely alongside our Creative Industries team, reporting to AHRC’s Associate Director for Creative Industries. You will be a member of AHRC’s Senior Management Team (SMT).

You will work flexibly and with a range of colleagues to support information sharing, business planning and reporting, and strategy and programme development.

Responsibilities

Leadership and strategy

• Providing leadership, direction and momentum for the team’s portfolios in the context of UKRI’s R&D strategy for the creative and cultural economy and AHRC’s strategy and vision.
• Coordinating the development and implementation of AHRC’s strategy for commercialisation.
• Being an active and engaged member of our Senior Management Team.

Portfolio management

• Building and implementing mechanisms and processes to support effective the delivery of AHRC’s Design investments as components of the IS8 Creative Industries Programme.
• Supervising our Future Observatory: Design the Green Transition investment, ensuring maximum impact from its second phase.
• Managing AHRC’s relationship with the Design Council, to support strategic alignment, maximise impact and supervise our framework agreement, including the delivery of a year 2 gateway review.
• Leading the ongoing development of a commercialisation and innovation portfolio for AHRC, taking into account organisational strategy and priorities
• Supporting good governance through oversight of appropriate MEL, reporting and risk management across the team’s remit.
• Being responsible for programme budgets and ensuring good budget management.
• Internal and external engagement.
• Building links across UKRI to support delivery of the IS8 Creative Industries Programme and to encourage cross-disciplinary engagement with Design and arts and humanities innovation.
• Playing a leading role in brokering and maintaining relationships with key partners and collaborators externally.
• Working across Directorates to ensure commercialisation strategy is embedded and aligned to applicant-led commercialisation funding opportunities.

Team management

• Running a programme team, ensuring all members are supported to perform their roles well.
• Informing ongoing resource planning to support the delivery of your portfolio over the longer term.

• Ensuring close collaboration between the Design and Innovation team and the Creative Industries team, and strong cross-AHRC team working.

Person specification

Essential

The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent experience. (S)

Knowledge/experience.

• Knowledge and understanding of the research funding landscape, including AHRC strategy and programmes and the DCI priorities and portfolio. (S&I)
• Experience of leading the development and delivery of major, complex projects and/or programmes of public investment. (S&I)
• Experience of leading people and teams, including the ability to engage and influence, to collaborate at all levels and to handle multiple perspectives. (S&I)

Skills

• Critical thinking skills, including the ability to develop strategy in a fast-paced, changing landscape, and confidence in evidence-based decision-making and horizon scanning. (S&I)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly. (S&I)

• Problem-solving skills and an ability to work proactively and flexibly to achieve objectives. (S&I)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,589, UK Research and Innovation contributes £16,973 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. UKRI 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)

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

UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.

Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact Recruitment@ukri.org

Please note, if you will require sponsorship to work in the UK, as part of your sponsorship application, you and any dependants travelling with you, will be required to pay costs directly to The Home Office for the application before you start your role with us. UKRI is normally able to reimburse some, or all of these fees after you have become an employee and this can be discussed with the Hiring Manager. For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs or contact Recruitment@ukri.org or Careers@ukri.org.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.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 : UKRI Recruitment Team
• Email : Recruitment@ukri.org

Recruitment team

• Email : Recruitment@ukri.org