Portfolio Manager

Job summary

Portfolio Manager - Capability and Innovation

Salary: £37,841 per annum
Hours: Full time (minimum 0.8 FTE) (flexible working available)
Contract Type: 2 x Fixed Term (12 Months)
Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire (hybrid)
Grade: UKRI Band D

Closing Date: Sunday 12th July 2026
Proposed Interview Dates: 27th / 28th July 2026

Job description

About the Role

BBSRC are recruiting two Portfolio Managers to join the Business Interaction Unit within the Capability and Innovation Domain.

You will help shape and deliver strategic investments that drive the social and economic impact of UK bioscience, aligned with BBSRC’s Forward Look, the Industrial Strategy, and wider government priorities.

These are dynamic roles involving collaboration across BBSRC, UKRI, and external partners, including businesses and policymakers. You will gain valuable insight into innovative bioscience, innovation, and policy, while contributing to high-impact programmes.

Your Responsibilities:

You will help shape and deliver BBSRC’s strategic portfolio of academic-industry research investments, supporting high-impact bioscience innovation across the UK.

The role focuses on developing and managing collaborative funding opportunities that connect researchers with businesses across a range of themes and challenge areas. You will engage with partners to inform strategy, support delivery of investment programmes, and monitor impact to guide future priorities.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and delivering interprofessional research investments
• Engaging with academia, industry, government, and policy partners
• Participate in BBSRC strategy and identifying emerging opportunities
• Monitoring portfolio performance and evidencing impact

We are looking for strategic, adaptable individuals with an interest in bioscience and its impact. Knowledge of the UK research and innovation landscape is desirable, but you will be supported to develop your expertise. We encourage applicants with relevant experience across industry, research, or policy.

Person specification

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

Please ensure your application addresses the shortlisting criteria with evidenced examples of prior experience.

Essential:

• A degree in a biological or related subject, and/or equivalent relevant professional experience. (S).
• An understanding of how and why BBSRC and UKRI support bioscience commercialisation approaches and an appreciation of the different types of benefits and impact that arise from working with businesses and wider users of bioscience research (S&I).
• An ability to proactively plan and prioritise your work and manage multiple complex activities in order to meet deadlines (S&I).
• An ability to work with ambiguity and deal with difficult situations by showing initiative and judgement in a constantly evolving environment (S&I).
• Strong analytical and writing skills, including the ability to interpret, summarise and present complex information for different audiences (S&I).
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to build and maintain effective stakeholder relationships (S&I).
• Ability to work flexibly both independently and as part of a team to deliver shared objectives. (S&I).
• Awareness or experience of research and innovation strategy or policy development (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. 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

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