Senior Portfolio Manager - Missions
Job summary
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
Salary: £46,743 per annum.
Band: UKRI Band E.
Contract Type: Open-ended.
Hours: Full-time/ Part Time. (minimum 0.8 FTE) (flexible working available)
Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire - Hybrid working available.
Closing Date: Friday 20 March 2026.
Roles Available: 2
Job description
About Us
The R&D Missions Accelerator Programme represents an exceptional opportunity to create real world impact through R&D investment.
The programme will utilise a £500m budget to bring together the private sector, the third sectors and academia to collaboratively develop innovative solutions to public sector problems, resulting in new technologies, services, IP and more.
The programme has been designed to solve the key problems facing HMG’s five national Missions and enable delivery of the milestones in the Plan for Change.
The Government has identified the key problems faced by the UK, to which the R&D Missions Accelerator Programme has designed Research and Innovation (R&I) Challenges to develop solutions. Importantly, these solutions will then be directly utilised in addressing public sector needs.
The programme is currently developing its approaches across the Missions, and therefore by joining at this stage there’s a significant opportunity to establish and drive the strategic and operational direction of the programme.
Mission Specific Roles
- Senior Portfolio Manager – Economic Growth
The Growth Mission is driving innovation to transform vital sectors of the UK economy. You'll be working with industry leaders, cultural institutions, government, and beyond to build digital marketplaces that revolutionise how we construct homes and infrastructure, and how creative content is shared and monetised. This means collaborating with Catapults and some of the UKs biggest museums to develop breakthrough technologies, business models, and regulatory frameworks.
You'll be at the forefront of shaping how construction becomes more efficient and sustainable, whilst helping the UK's world-leading creative sector unlock new revenue streams in the age of AI. This is your opportunity to drive economic growth, support new jobs, and position the UK as a global leader in innovation.
To find out more and apply, please visit Senior Portfolio Manager - Economic Growth (R&D MAP)
- Associate Director - Clean Energy
The Clean Energy Mission is the UK’s response to climate change, with its twin focus on Clean Power by 2030 and Accelerating to Net Zero.
You’ll be looking at how new business models and approaches can unlock grid flexibility through AI and digital innovation, and developing new low-cost ultralong-duration energy storage solutions. Working with experts in system change such as the Energy Systems and Digital Catapults, market shapers at NESO and Elexon and leading industry players, you'll be investing in real-world solutions and growing UK-based innovators and skills, right at the forefront of building the flexible, resilient power grid that will deliver our clean energy superpower ambitions.
To find out more and apply, please visit Senior Portfolio Manager – Clean Energy (R&D MAP)
Main Outputs and Activities
- You will sit at the interface between strategic leadership and delivery with strong communication skills to develop and implement key priorities, policies, and strategies.
- You will lead the scoping and development, commissioning and management of high-quality innovation and research investments through collaborative partnerships across private and third sector, Government organisations, academia and wider partners.
- You will be responsible for coordination and management of a portfolio of activities to maximise impact and knowledge exchange across a portfolio of investments.
- You will build and develop strong relationships working across the R&D MAP, UKRI, government departments, other funders and stakeholders to ensure that investments are robust, informed and impactful.
- You will work with others to ensure investments are appropriately governed, monitored, evaluated and their impact communicated.
- You will provide support to and deputise for senior staff as required and undertake periodic work on areas outside of the team as needed, supporting the wider work of R&D MAP.
This is not a comprehensive list, and we may require you to undertake other duties commensurate with the level of responsibility of this post.
Person specification
The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).
Essential:
- Degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience (S)
- Significant experience in innovation or research management, commissioning or related roles within the research and innovation sector (S&I)
- Proven interpersonal skills, including the ability to work collaboratively and to form strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders at different levels of seniority (S&I)
- Sophisticated analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills and an ability to think strategically (S&I)
- Planning and prioritisation skills, with experience of independently balancing competing demands, and delivering high quality outputs at pace (S&I)
- Excellent communication skills (both written and oral) with a track record of producing clear, concise and accurate presentations and written documentation for a wide range of audiences (S&I)
- Leadership and engagement skills, including an ability to provide clear vision, influence, negotiate and engage others to ensure objectives are met. (S&I)
Please note that some of the roles have additional criteria relating to the role, these can be found on their individual listing on the UKRI Careers Page.
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
UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.
Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact Recruitment@ukri.org
We do sponsor - 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
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
Salary range
- £46,743 per year