Infrastructure Policy & Portfolio Manager

Job summary

Salary: £37,841 per annum.
Band: UKRI Band D.
Hours: Full time or Part time. (Minimum 0.8 FTE)
Contract Type: Open Ended.
Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire. Whilst UKRI supports Hybrid working, you will be required to attend one in-office team day per week at Polaris House in Swindon.

Closing Date: Monday 23rd March 2026

We are looking for a Policy & Portfolio Manager to join the UKRI Infrastructure Team to support the delivery of UKRI’s Infrastructure Fund and the Infrastructure Portfolio Office function for the two cross-cutting funds that the team manages.

Job description

About the role

This role offers an exciting opportunity to demonstrate strong problem-solving, analytical and communication skills by working across the UKRI Infrastructure Team, with a focus on investment prioritisation, portfolio delivery, and post-award processes for the cross-cutting funds we manage. The role supports the development, prioritisation and governance of large-scale Research and Innovation (R&I) infrastructure investments through portfolio monitoring and reporting, management of key infrastructure systems and information, and maintenance of robust planning, assurance and approval processes.

You will develop specialised knowledge of R&I infrastructure and work across the team to deliver our priorities. This role will work closely and cooperatively alongside colleagues across UKRI and requires regular interaction with senior leaders. The UKRI Infrastructure Team has a flexible and agile working style and individual responsibilities will evolve and change as priorities evolve. You will be encouraged to constantly learn and be empowered to explore your curiosity in this exciting role.

We encourage candidates with an interest and knowledge in research and innovation infrastructure or experience working in an infrastructure‑related environment to apply for this position.

About the team

The UKRI Infrastructure Team is a cross-cutting capability that coordinates and manages UKRI’s Infrastructure portfolio. We are responsible for leading and delivering UKRI's strategic approach for investment in step-change infrastructures and managing these via the UKRI Infrastructure Fund and the Digital Research Infrastructure Programme. We work across UKRI and government to influence and support colleagues on issues important for a thriving R&I ecosystem. We're building on UKRI's understanding of the infrastructure landscape and horizon scanning for emerging areas of interest to keep up to date following the refresh of the Infrastructure Roadmap programme.

Key responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:

• Support the Infrastructure Team in the development and prioritisation of large-scale research and innovation infrastructure investments, contributing to coordinated, transparent decision-making across UKRI. This includes maintaining and updating high-level documentation, planning and assurance processes, working collaboratively with colleagues across infrastructure portfolios and policy areas, and forming effective relationships with the UKRI Councils and corporate teams acting as a point of contact for queries.
• Support the Portfolio Office with regular reporting and monitoring for UKRI Infrastructure Fund and the Digital Research Infrastructure Programme. This includes maintaining an active knowledge repository of project status and activities, ensuring information quality and timeliness contributing to the production of portfolio reports by analysing information on financial, risk and benefit management and supporting portfolio-level decisions with financial and strategic implications.
• Provide first-line support for UKRI’s online infrastructure discovery platform, InfraPortal, supporting the Senior Portfolio and Governance Manager in its development and continuous improvement. This includes managing the content management system to enhance website functionality, resolve technical issues, as well as reviewing, editing, and approving information submitted for publication to ensure content remains current and engaging.
• Supporting the Infrastructure Team on wider strategic projects and cross-cutting activities as required, such as working with UKRI Communication Team to develop strategic communications materials and reports for a range of audiences, drafting briefing materials, reports and submissions for senior colleagues and governance groups, and providing secretariat and coordination support across the team to enable effective governance and cross-cutting activity.
• Maintain and update UKRI’s understanding of documentation relating to project post-prioritisation scrutiny and approval pathways. This includes implementation and management of a new SharePoint Site and ensuring documentation is compliant with HMT Green Book and internal UKRI assurance processes.

Person specification

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

Essential

• Experience of project or portfolio support, including maintaining documentation, tracking progress, supporting reporting cycles and contributing to financial, risk and benefits analysis (S&I).
• Ability to gather, analyse and synthesise information from multiple sources to produce clear, concise updates and reports for governance groups and senior audiences (S&I).
• Strong organisational and time‑management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, maintain accurate records and deliver high‑quality outputs at pace (S&I).
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with experience building effective relationships across teams and stakeholders, and presenting information clearly in both written and verbal formats (S&I).
• Experience supporting digital platforms or online tools, including updating content, resolving issues and ensuring information is accurate, accessible and engaging (S&I).
• Good numerical skills and proficiency with Microsoft Office and collaboration tools, with the ability to learn new systems quickly (S).
• A proactive, detail‑focused and solutions‑oriented approach, demonstrating initiative, flexibility and sound judgement (S&I).
• Flexible and adaptable, comfortable working across a varied and evolving portfolio of tasks and responsibilities (S&I).
• Understanding of governance, assurance and approval pathways within UKRI and/or the wider public sector, including experience supporting secretariat functions such as preparing papers, coordinating meetings and inputs, ensuring compliance with governance requirements to enable effective decision making (S&I).

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,841, UK Research and Innovation contributes £10,962 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

We encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible, as we reserve the right to close this vacancy early.

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