UK Research and Innovation
Chief of Operational Delivery, UKRI
Salary: £110,000 to £120,000 per annum (depending on skills and experience) - However, the final salary will be awarded in line with the UKRI pay and reward principles.
Hours: Full time
Contract: Open Ended; secondees and transfers welcome. Job shares also considered.
Location: Swindon, Wiltshire – hybrid working available with regular travel across UKRI offices.
Closing: Sunday 30th March 2025 (23:59)
Interviews: Expected to be held in person w/c Monday 14th April at our London office.
About UKRI
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is the UK’s primary research and innovation agency, investing nearly £9bn per year. We are internationally outstanding in bringing together all fields of research, a national agency for innovation, and university research and knowledge exchange into a single funding body.
The Role
The Chief of Operational Delivery is an executive leadership role at UKRI, responsible for overseeing operational management across various functions. Reporting to the Chief Finance Officer, this role involves close collaboration with the Executive and Operational Leadership Team to achieve strategic goals and drive operational efficiency. The Chief of Operational Delivery will lead critical initiatives, develop and implement operational strategies, and contribute to the overall success of UKRI.
Key Responsibilities:
* Deputise for the CFO and lead the People, Finance, and Operations Committee.
* Drive high performance across pan-UKRI operations and ensure effective integration of operational functions.
* Develop and implement frameworks for measuring and reporting operational performance.
* Oversee funding services, commercial services, and estates, ensuring they align with strategic objectives.
* Lead teams in areas such as security, resilience, health and safety, and sustainability.
* Manage a £15 million budget and lead a team of 135 FTEs, ensuring resource allocation and efficiency.
* Provide leadership in business continuity and incident response.
* Influence the strategic direction of UK SBS and ensure alignment with operational priorities.
* Foster a diverse, inclusive, and high-performing team culture.
What We’re Looking For:
* Strategic leadership experience in managing large, complex operations.
* Strong commercial, financial, and budget management skills.
* Proven ability to lead, develop, and motivate high-performing teams.
* Ability to manage stakeholder relationships and make decisions under pressure.
* Experience in driving organisational change and innovation.
* Strong analytical skills and the ability to interpret complex data.
* Knowledge of governance, legal, and regulatory compliance.
How to apply
Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded.
Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter/statement of suitability and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application/the careers portal.
Should you have any problem with submitting your application via the UKRI Careers Portal, please do send an email to SeniorRecruitment@ukri.org and a member of our team will then be in touch.
Please note, to apply via the UKRI Careers Portal you will receive a notification confirming your profile has successfully been created (if you have not previously set up an account) and a second notification confirming your application for this role has been submitted. If you do not receive the second notification confirming your application for this role has been submitted, please contact SeniorRecruitment@ukri.org, so we can ensure your application has been received.
UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.
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