Head of Programme Operations - IS8 Life Sciences

Job summary

Head of Programme Operations - IS8 Life Sciences
Medical Research Council
Salary: £58,589 per annum
Band: UKRI Band F
Contract Type: Open ended
Hours: Full-time (flexible working available)
Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire - Hybrid working available
Closing Date: Wednesday 1st July 2026

Job description

To lead programme operations for the UKRI Life Sciences Industrial Strategy programme.

As Head of Programme Operations, you will work across UKRI to support the organisation’s mission to deliver strategic government and societal priorities through the Life Sciences programme.

You will be line managed by the Programme Director for the Life Sciences programme and will lead a small team. You will work closely with MRC teams and life sciences teams from across UKRI.

Each IS8 programme delivers a portfolio of investments and interventions through councils and Innovate UK teams. Your role will be the strategic and operational coordination across these delivery teams, to support the design, delivery and performance of the Life Sciences programme.

You will lead on programme governance, monitoring and evaluation, risk and assurance, finance, and secretariat functions. You will operate confidently across a complex, multi‑organisation environment, building and maintaining strong working relationships with senior internal and external stakeholders.

This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated individual to support the development and delivery of a portfolio of high-profile projects that will address government and societal priorities in the life sciences.

Key Responsibilities

• Line management of delivery team members.
• Working with the programme director to establish and maintain portfolio governance structures.
• Support the strategic development and delivery of the Life Sciences programme across UKRI.
• Managing the secretariat for the Life Sciences Programme Boards/meetings and supporting the programme director and SRO with paperwork and briefings.
• Leading and/or supporting the development of business cases for the programme.
• Lead the successful design, management and delivery of the programme including:
  • Alignment of projects with objectives
  • Real time progress monitoring
  • Risk management
  • Reporting
  • Monitoring, evaluation and impact management
  • Benefits realisation
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with key contacts across UKRI’s other relevant priority programmes and external stakeholders from government departments, industry and medical research funders.
• Planning, scheduling and securing resources for delivery of the programme, working with Council and Innovate UK operations teams.
• Maintaining overall coherence of programme and governance frameworks to support projects and plan programme assurance activities.
• Matrix working with delivery teams across UKRI to ensure dependencies are actively managed, act as an arbiter to resolve issues across the programme.
• Ensuring delivery within budget and working with the finance business partner teams to hit spend profiles.

Person specification

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

• Portfolio, programme and project management experience alongside relevant qualifications. (S/I)
• Experience in managing complex, multistakeholder life sciences R&D programmes and portfolios. (S/I)
• Strong understanding of programme governance, risk management, and benefits realisation. (S/I)
• Understanding of UK Government Green, Teal and Magenta Books. (I)
• The ability to build influential networks and experience in managing relationships across a broad range of stakeholders, and cross-functional teams. (I)
• The ability to foster collaboration and resolve conflicts. (I)
• Experience of leading teams and mentoring staff. (S/I)
• An understanding of financial management, including cost control, and financial forecasting and reporting. (S/I)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. (S/I)
• A degree or PhD in health and life sciences or equivalent experience working in life sciences research management (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.

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 salary 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

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