Science and Technology Facilities Council
Salary: £54,043 per annum
Hours: Full time
Contract Type: Open Ended
Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire
Together, our scientist, technologists, engineers, and business support team explore the unknown and turn what they find into work that changes the world around us. Whether it’s sending probes into space or finding new ways to treat cancer, everyone here plays a vital role in making a positive difference to society.
Come and discover how much you can achieve when you’re surrounded by world-leading experts, encouraged to constantly learn and empowered to explore your curiosity.
This is an exciting vacancy for a Head of Programmes, which will work across the Programmes Directorate in STFC. The role provides an opportunity to gain insight into STFC programme delivery at a senior level and lead activities across a range of delivery mechanisms. The main focus of the role will be Head of Digital Research Infrastructures. There will also be other opportunities (up to 30% FTE) across the Directorate as the programme evolves, initially in the area of Astronomy.
The role will include considerable travel in the UK, Europe, and worldwide, requiring out of hours working, including some weekends.
About the role
You will play a key role in delivering frontier research programmes, a key objective in the STFC delivery plan. This will be done through the delivery of Digital Research Infrastructures and funded research programmes and projects, alongside managing STFC’s involvement and engagement in key international organisations.
The role will include (but is not limited to) the following activities:
1. liaising and collaborating across STFC and wider UKRI to ensure the needs of the STFC programme in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics are fully represented in the strategy, planning and delivery of UK digital research infrastructure and associated programmes in software development
2. commissioning and overseeing STFC’s investment in a portfolio of specified projects to develop and exploit the programme
3. programme commissioning and oversight, including day to day management of the programmes, financial management/budgetary control, and managing the work of the programme delivery teams
4. leading on the peer review assessment of grant funding
5. exercising oversight and control over programme delivery through Programme Boards and Oversight Committees
6. overseeing UK participation in major international collaborative projects, for e.g. as UK representative on international committees
7. leading evaluation exercises to determine STFC’s future strategic priorities in the programme and optimise the balance of programme
8. providing strategic briefing, reports and advice to STFC’s advisory boards, review panels, senior management and DSIT on future programme planning and issues
9. maintaining good working relationships with the relevant UK research communities and other stakeholders
We ask some of the biggest questions in the universe, to answer some of the biggest challenges in the world. Whatever our role, we have the freedom to explore, learn and connect, as part of a community that loves to share knowledge and support one another.
As one of Europe’s largest research organisations, this is a place where there’s always something new to learn – about the world around us, about your career, but most of all, about yourself. Join us and discover what’s possible.
STFC values their employees by offering a benefits package designed to provide an excellent work/life balance including 30 days’ annual leave, 10.5 public and privilege holidays, flexible working hours, exceptional average salary pension scheme, social and sporting activities and societies and a subsidised restaurant.
Person Specification
The criteria below will be assessed at Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I)
1. experience of managing large research programmes and an understanding of peer review and funding policies and processes (S&I)
2. well-developed project management, analytical and financial management skills (S&I)
3. ability to work effectively at a senior level in a research funding environment, including managing UK strategic partnerships with partner organisations, with the potential to operate at international level (S&I)
4. excellent inter-personal skills including communications, both written and oral including well-developed negotiating, influencing and representational skills (S&I)
5. able to lead and participate effectively within a team environment (S&I)
6. able to work under pressure, to prioritise work effectively to take on varied and changing tasks as and when required (I)
Additional information
The role will require considerable travel to be undertaken in the UK, Europe and worldwide, requiring out of hours working, including some weekends.
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 and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application.
#J-18808-Ljbffr