Head of IT Finance & Sourcing

Job summary

UKRI Corporate Hub – CIO group
Salary: £70,752 per annum.
Band: UKRI Band G.
Contract Type: Fixed Term (18 Months)
Hours: Full-time/ Part Time. (minimum 0.8 FTE) (flexible working available)
Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire or BGS, Keyworth, Nottingham- Hybrid working available.

Closing Date: Sunday 8th March 2026.

Job description

About the role

The Head of IT Finance and Sourcing provides operational leadership and oversight of financial planning, commercial management, and procurement activities within the DDaT function. The role ensures that IT investments deliver value for money, comply with government financial and commercial standards, and support organisational priorities. The postholder will lead on budget management, supplier engagement, contract governance, and cost optimisation, working collaboratively across IT, Finance, and Procurement teams. This role is pivotal in enabling effective delivery of IT services, while maintaining robust financial controls and commercial assurance.

Key areas of accountability

• Strategic Financial Management:Lead the development, monitoring, and reporting of the IT budget, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives and public sector financial regulations.
• Value for Money and Cost Control: Identify opportunities for cost savings and efficiency across the IT portfolio, ensuring public funds are used effectively and responsibly.
• Governance and Assurance: Ensure financial and commercial activities meet internal governance standards and external audit requirements, including compliance with Managing Public Money and commercial assurance frameworks.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with senior leaders, programme teams, and external partners to ensure financial and sourcing strategies support wider organisational and government priorities.
• Risk and Resilience: Monitor financial and commercial risks, implementing mitigation strategies and ensuring continuity of service.
• Team Leadership and Capability Building: Lead and develop a high-performing team, fostering a culture of integrity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Performance Reporting: Establish and maintain KPIs and dashboards to track financial performance, IT procurement progress, and efficiencies, informing decision-making and transparency.

The role includes line management of a small team and reports into the Deputy Director Business Management.

Person specification

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

Essential

• Proven experience in leading finance and/or commercial functions within a complex organisation. (S)
• Strong understanding of public sector financial management, including budgeting, forecasting, reporting and delivering value for money. (S&I)
• Demonstrable experience in strategic sourcing, supplier management, and contract negotiation. (S&I)
• Knowledge of public procurement regulations and frameworks (e.g. Procurement Act 2023 - PA2023, CCS frameworks). (S)
• Ability to interpret and apply government financial and commercial guidance (e.g. Managing Public Money). (S&I)
• Excellent ability to build effective relationships with stakeholders, influence decision-making, and communicate complex information clearly. (S&I)
• Leadership and People Management: Ability to lead and inspire teams, manage performance, and foster a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement. (S&I)
• High level of integrity, accountability, and commitment to public service values. (S)
• Strategic Thinking: Evidence of strategic planning and decision-making in financial and commercial contexts. (I)
• Delivery Focus: Track record of delivering outcomes in complex environments, managing competing priorities, and driving efficiency. (I)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £70,752, UK Research and Innovation contributes £20,496 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

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)

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.

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

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : UKRI Recruitment Team
• Email : Recruitment@ukri.org

Recruitment team

• Email : Recruitment@ukri.org