Senior Funding Assurance Manager

Job summary

UKRI
Salary: £46,743 per annum
Band: UKRI Band E
Contract Type: 3xFixed Term (23 Months)
Hours: Full time (Flexible working available)
Location: Polaris House (Swindon) - Hybrid working available

Closing Date: Sunday 11th January 2026

Job description

Funding assurance in UKRI covers both research and innovation funding and spans the lifecycle of the award process from its inception at designing a scheme to post-project reporting. Its purpose is to provide our Accounting Officer with an overview to support the production of our annual reports and accounts, through outlining our control environment and evidencing regularity and propriety in managing public money. The funding assurance activities undertaken throughout the grant lifecycle are integral to inform decision making and improve the design and effectiveness of the corporate governance, risk management and internal control processes in relation to research and innovation funding.

The primary purpose of the Funding Assurance Senior Manager is to provide front line delivery of research related funding assurance work that contributes to the outcomes reported in the UKRI annual report and accounts. The postholders will undertake reviews of research organisation arrangements for administering research as well as reviews of grant activities and expenditure against terms and conditions of funding.

These roles will also contribute to joint working with other teams in UKRI and other research funders in line with the reducing bureaucracy agenda along with other agreed UKRI harmonisation principles.

Your Responsibilities

• To be responsible for undertaking and delivering Funding Assurance work in line with agreed methodologies.
• To develop and maintain a detailed understanding of the terms and conditions under which research funding is awarded and contribute to, and advise on, the on-going development of UKRI terms and conditions.
• To develop and maintain strong working relationships with key stakeholders, both internal to UKRI and externally with research administrators and managers at Research Organisations and other funding bodies.
• To represent the Funding Assurance Team at meetings, conferences, seminars, and workshops as required.
• To provide monthly status updates on the agreed plan of work to the Funding Assurance Lead.
• To contribute to team meetings, (and ad hoc meetings, where appropriate).

Person specification

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

Essential

• A degree or equivalent qualification, or a recognised Accountancy or Internal audit qualification, or a Management of Risk or equivalent qualification. (S)
• Ability to analyse complex data and summarise in concise and clear reports. (S&I)
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills, and ability to present to diverse audiences at all levels (written and oral). (S&I)
• Ability to plan and prioritise competing workload demands. (I)
• Knowledge of the principles of Full Economic Costing / Horizon Europe Guarantee. (S&I)
• Knowledge of the Research Organisation sector and/or Funding bodies. (S&I)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,743, UK Research and Innovation contributes £13,541 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

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