National Contact Point (NCP) – Civil Security for Society and Global Innovation Lead Security

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National Contact Point (NCP) – Civil Security for Society and Global Innovation Lead Security

Apply locations UK – Field Based time type Full time posted on Posted Yesterday time left to apply End Date: August 12, 2025 (12 days left to apply) job requisition id JR4174

Applications must be submitted by;

12-08-2025

National Contact Point (NCP) – Civil Security for Society and Global Innovation Lead Security

An NCP is a European Commission-recognised technical expert with privileged access to European Commission officials, who works closely with and advises UK Government policy leads responsible for the relevant programme area.

*Please note this advert will close on the 12th August 2025 at 23:59pm.

Watch our video “Why Join Innovate UK?” here .

Title: National Contact Point (NCP) – Civil Security for Society and Global Innovation Lead Security

Band: UKRI Band F (UKRI Ts & Cs)

Salary: £56,745 per annum

Reports to: Head of Europe, European Programmes & India

Location: Field based

Contract: Permanent

Context and Job Purpose:

The role holder will be the UK’s focal point for the Civil Security for Society funding opportunities within the EU’s Horizon Europe programme as the Horizon Europe UK National Contact Point (NCP) for Cluster 3. A smaller part of the role will be acting as a focal point within Innovate UK for wider civil security and security matters.

An NCP is a European Commission-recognised technical expert with privileged access to European Commission officials, who works closely with and advises UK Government policy leads responsible for the relevant programme area. This collaboration ensures future calls for proposals are informed by UK interests and priorities and enables a proactive approach to identifying key UK organisations to benefit from engagement in the Programme, and by enabling UK entities to navigate and identify the most suitable opportunities and partners to take forward their research and innovation priorities.

The network of NCPs is the main structure through which Member States and countries associated to Horizon Europe influence priorities and provide essential guidance, practical information and assistance on all aspects of participation in Horizon Europe. The objective is to enable UK entities to navigate and identify the most suitable opportunities and partners to take forward their research and innovation priorities. This in turn will contribute to the increase of UK engagement, funding secured by UK entities and success in the Programme.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

• Reach out and assist all types of UK entities to better understand, navigate and participate in Horizon Europe Cluster 3, and any subsequent Framework Programmes, using a diverse set of communication methodologies including: presentations/webinars (face to face and virtual), newsletters, online resources, meetings and email. Throughout, ensure adherence to the European Commission’s key principles for National Contact Points.

• Attend Cluster 3 Programme Committee Meetings in Brussels/online, and actively engage and interact with personnel from the European Commission and NCP colleagues from Member States and other Associate countries, to further develop and maintain positive working relationships.

• Continue to effectively communicate with relevant UK civil security public bodies, such as the Home Office, Cabinet Office, Innovation Leads within Law Enforcement Agencies, Border Force, National Police Chief’s Council and College of Policing to encourage their participation as part of the eligibility criteria across the 6 destinations of Horizon Europe Cluster 3 projects.

• Work with others across UKRI and other business areas within Innovate UK, including Innovate UK Business Connect and Innovate UK Business Growth, DSIT and other UK NCPs, to contribute to the ‘boosting UK participation to Horizon Europe’ initiatives.

• Proactively liaise and arrange regular meetings with the Cluster 3 Horizon Europe Engagement Group (HEEG) UK, to provide details of draft Work Programmes and gain evidence-based insight to influence the content of Work Programmes for the inclusion of UK civil security priorities.

• Participate in the Cluster 3 NCP CSA (Coordination and Support Action) SEREN5 project, and undertake activities that contribute to deliverables, that raise the quality of Horizon Europe proposals, including developing and delivering training to applicants across all clusters in Pillar II.

• Attend and contribute to relevant UK National Security and Defence meetings internal and external to UKRI/IUK to ensure effective exchange of information on new strategic approaches and initiatives introduced by the European Commission across the Cluster 3 domain. The aim is to optimise understanding of alignments and synergies between civil and military capabilities specifically for dual purpose technologies.

• Act as a focal point within Innovate UK for other domestic/international civil security and security related conversations and activity.

This is an outline description of the key responsibilities and accountabilities involved in the job. This is not an exhaustive list and the post-holder might be expected to undertake any other duties across the wider directorate, commensurate with the Band and level of responsibility of this post, for which the post holder has the necessary experience and/or training.

There are currently no line management duties for this role.

Person Specification:

This position requires a person with commercial awareness who can manage competing priorities and a complex domestic and international stakeholder environment. The role holder will need to make sense of multiple data sources, to establish underlying patterns and articulate a clear and compelling vision and strategy of what needs to be done, as well as being able to engage an external audience on regular occasions through being an accomplished communicator. A good team player, willing to share knowledge and ideas with others and to learn from them. Able to self-start when needed.

Additionally, due to the ever-increasing complexity of threats within the civil security domain, it is anticipated that Research and Innovation solutions will look more and more towards dual use technologies. In preparation for potential alignment of civil security and defence capabilities, the post holder will be required to hold or obtain a Security Check (SC) Clearance, which will be sponsored by UKRI/IUK once in post. As such the applicant must be mindful of what is involved and the rules for obtaining SC Clearance. Details can be found here:

National security vetting: clearance levels – GOV.UK

Shortlisting criteria

(S) – Assessed at shortlisting

(I) – Assessed at interview

(S&I) – Assessed at both shortlisting and interview

Experience & Qualifications:

Qualifications:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent relevant experience.

Experience:

Essential:

• Knowledge of Horizon Europe e.g. as a participant, adviser or National Contact Point. (S&I)
• Up to date and broad-based knowledge of the UK civil security/homeland security research and innovation landscape, including that in government agencies, industry, academia and other research organisations. (S&I)
• Evidenced understanding of the wider stakeholder landscape in the UK, including those working within law enforcement, border force and the protection of critical infrastructures. (I)
• Experience of stakeholder engagement and support at all levels including senior level; identifying and understanding their priorities, managing expectations and building and maintaining strong relationships.(S&I)

Desirable:

• Experience in broader security sectors.
• Familiarity with the wider national security environment, both in the UK and the EU.

Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal skills, including tact and discretion when liaising with senior stakeholders and staff from businesses, government and other types of organisations.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills including writing clear, concise and accurate reports; and in presenting, with the ability to hold an audience large or small.
• Self-starter, able to work unsupervised and on own initiative with the ability to prioritise and multitask.
• Highly developed team working skills, able to form effective working relationships both internally and externally.
• Ability to respond calmly under pressure and make impartial and well-considered judgments in complex situations when required
• High competency of ICT skills/ IT systems and applications including MS Word, Excel.

Competencies:

All team members demonstrate compatibility with and capability against our Core Competencies such as:

Thinking and Problem Solving – Stakeholder management – Communication skills – Influencing – Self-awareness/self-management – Strategic awareness – Working with others– Project management

Some of the above competencies will be assessed at interview stage, in addition to the criteria’s listed in the person specification.

Travel Requirements:

Field-based: There will be a requirement for regular periodic travel throughout the UK and to the EU (Brussels and elsewhere).

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

Innovate UK is a diverse workforce of people. We believe that encouraging these differences and drawing the best from them will build a productive environment in which everyone feels valued, where talents are fully utilised and in which organisational goals are met. Underpinning this is a belief that it is a fundamental right for everyone to be treated equally, with fairness, respect and dignity. We will act directly and use our influence to ensure that this right is promoted and upheld; we encourage applications from all those who meet the criteria set-out in our role profiles.

Equal Opportunities:

We are an equal opportunities employer, committed to employing any person who meets the criteria for our roles. When undertaking recruitment we may require applicants to undertake certain tests or assessments, some of which will be online and others may be in-person. If you have a disability, heath condition or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia then you may be entitled to support with undertaking this type of assessment exercise. Where you feel that reasonable adjustments are required to support you, we ask that you advise your recruitment point of contact in a timely fashion, providing further information. In confidence, Innovate UK will then review your application for adjustments and provide support as required.

UK Research and Innovation:

Innovate UK is partner organisation within UK Research and Innovation. If successful in securing the position, your employer will be UK Research and Innovation. More information can be found online http://www.ukri.org/ .

Employee Benefits:

We offer a benefits package crafted to provide an excellent work/life balance. This includes 30 days’ annual leave, 10.5 public and privilege days, flexible working hours, an exceptional defined benefit pension scheme, and access to a variety of support networks and discount schemes.

Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

Flexible Working:

We understand the importance of work-life balance, and are happy to discuss the possibility of flexible working with applicants.

Pre-employment Screening:

To enable us to hire the very best people we will conduct a comprehensive pre-employment check on successful applicants as part of the recruitment process.

The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

UKRI supports research in areas that include animal health, agriculture and food security, and bioscience for health which includes research on animals, genetic modification and stem cell research. Whilst you may not have direct involvement in this type of research, you should consider how this aligns with your personal values or beliefs. To enable us to hire the very best people we will conduct a full and comprehensive pre-employment check as a crucial part of the recruitment process on all individuals that are offered a position with UKRI. This will include a security check and an extreme organisations affiliation check.

Applications must be submitted by;

12-08-2025

About Us

Innovate UK is the UK’sinnovation agency. We live to drive economic growth by:

· Inspiring innovators with a shared vision of the future economy

· Involving diverse talents, companies, investors and local/national stakeholders in innovation through our programmes and campaigns

· Investing resources, including R&D grants, loans and advice on skills, fundraising and scaling-up

We are passionate about our commitment to making equality, diversity and inclusion a key part of everything we do, to ensure our organisation reflects our users and that in our workplace, everyone has a voice, and everyone can develop their potential.

Further information on working at Innovate UK:

UKRI supports research in areas that include animal health, agriculture and food security, and bioscience for health which includes research on animals, genetic modification and stem cell research. Whilst you may not have direct involvement in this type of research, you should consider whether this conflicts with your personal values or beliefs.

To enable us to hire the very best people we will conduct a full and comprehensive pre-employment check as an essential part of the recruitment process on all individuals that are offered a position with UKRI. This will include a security check and an extreme organisations affiliation check.

For internal UKRI applicants only – please note that UKRI may share your information with other internal recruitment panels who are looking to appoint candidates to similar roles.

Parking:

Limited parking subject to waiting list (Polaris House, Swindon only)

Employee Benefits:

We offer a benefits package crafted to provide an excellent work/life balance. This includes 30 days’ annual leave, 10.5 public and privilege days, flexible working hours, an exceptional defined benefit pension scheme, and access to a variety of support networks and discount schemes.Please see link for more detailsBenefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

Flexible Working:

We understand the importance of work-life balance, and are happy to discuss the possibility of flexible working with applicants.

Developing Talent:

We are committed to developing employees in their roles throughout their career. Learning and development plans enable employees to continue their professional development through training and development opportunities such as e-learning, classroom training and on-the-job experiences. We encourage our employees to share their learning across teams and organisations

We strive to make decisions based on individual merit and ability. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and promote equality of opportunity in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. As holders of Disability Confident Employer status, we guarantee to interview all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy. Final appointments will be subject to pre-employment screening. We want to ensure that we select the person that most closely evidences their suitability against the specified criteria. If you feel that the way our selection methods/assessments are structured, could benefit from being adjusted, to help you convey your suitability, please let us know so that we can discuss your requirements with you.

If you require any assistance or adjustments please contact Recruitment@ukri.org who will be happy to help.

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