UK Research and Innovation
Salary: £45,272 per annum
Hours: Full time
Contract Type: Open Ended.
Location: Polaris House, Swindon (hybrid working available)
Closing date: Sunday February 2nd 2025
This is an exciting opportunity to join the Investment Planning and Strategy (IPS) group at the heart of UKRI. The IPS group works in an integrative way to harness the collective expertise across UKRI to set overall strategy for the organisation, lead investment planning, develop our impact evidence base and increase resilience and sustainability in the R&I system.
The Integrative Secretariat Function:
This role is based in the new Integrative Secretariat Function that supports the Board and Executive in delivering UKRI’s Strategy and key priorities. The team is responsible for the effective operation of the UKRI Board, Executive Committee and their sub-committees – providing a professional end-to-end secretariat function.
Job Purpose
The Strategic Manager is a critical role within the Integrative Secretariat Function that connects organisational strategy with the core day-to-day activities of the team, ensuring they are aligned and prioritised, delivering quality outputs with high impact.
Key responsibilities of the role include:
* Support the delivery of an efficient and dynamic secretariat service through the management of a full range of secretariat activities, including end-to-end meeting planning, development and implementation.
* Work closely with senior leaders and support the team to ensure agendas are strategically aligned and drive forward the delivery of UKRI’s Strategy and key priorities.
* Coordinate Board and committee information flows, ensuring effective and dynamic knowledge-sharing and join-up on key strategic issues and decisions.
* Maintain a good level of strategic awareness and build understanding of the Integrative Secretariat Function across UKRI through active participation at key meetings, forums and networks.
* Manage the quality of secretariat outputs (e.g., minutes, reports, schedules) and help to set professional standards, share best practice and improve secretariat processes.
* Coordinate and support periodic reviews of UKRI Boards and committees.
* Manage local team budget, risk and assurance processes.
* Maintain a good understanding of UKRI governance policies and procedures, supporting compliance and referring matters to the UKRI Governance Team as required.
Essential Criteria
* Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with a wide range of senior stakeholders.
* Ability to see the bigger picture, ensuring that plans and activities align with organisational priorities.
* Strong planning and organisational skills, including an ability to balance competing priorities and work under pressure.
* Experience in providing high quality written and verbal advice suitable for executive and senior level decision makers.
* Sound judgement and reasoning skills with the ability to evaluate how and when to engage with and escalate issues.
* Well-developed problem-solving skills, including the ability to identify and analyse options and recommend solutions.
* Ability to produce high quality written documents and meeting reports that meet the requirements of senior stakeholders.
* Ability to manage issues with a high level of tact, diplomacy, integrity, resilience, patience and discretion.
Desirable
* Experience of secretariat work and/or working closely with governing boards and committees of large organisations.
* A good understanding of the UK research and innovation funding landscape.
* An understanding of UKRI governance frameworks and policies.
About UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
UKRI launched in April 2018, UKRI is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme.
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.
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