Interim Head of Economics and Insight (Maternity Cover) in Swindon

Innovate UK has the following secondment opportunity available for employees of Innovate UK Business Connect: Applications must be submitted by 09-10-2026 Vacancy for Interim Head of Economics and Insight (Maternity Cover) Innovate UK is implementing a significant strategic shift to strengthen its support for innovative businesses and maximise impact across the UK's innovation ecosystem. As Acting Head of Economics and Insight, you will lead the Economics & Insights function within the Strategy Directorate, providing the evidence, analysis and thought leadership that underpin strategic decision-making across the organisation.

*Please note this advert will close on 8th October 2026 at 23.59pm. Watch our video “Why Join Innovate UK?” here.

Title: Interim Head of Economics and Insight (Maternity Cover) Band: UKRI Band G (UKRI Ts & Cs) Salary: £70,752 gross per annum Reports to: Line Manager Job Title Location: UKRI sites: Swindon, London, Harwell, Daresbury, Keyworth, Cambridge, Edinburgh Contract: Fixed Term (Until 6th September 2027)

Employees applying for any opportunity which may mean being away from your substantive role for a temporary period of time, please refer to the Recruitment Policy for further information in the first instance. If you are made an offer, please ensure you liaise with your Line Manager and the designated HR Team as soon as possible in order that implications of any move are clear and understood, prior to a move taking place.

Innovate UK works with businesses and stakeholders across every nation and region of the UK. As part of UKRI, our hybrid working approach is built around one simple principle: time should be spent where it delivers the greatest impact. This means working across three settings: UKRI sites, time on the ground with businesses, partners and stakeholders and time working from home. It's an approach designed to support collaboration, connection and impact. This role is in Tier 3, with 20-40% of working time typically spent either at a UKRI site or engaging with external businesses and stakeholders across the UK. Outside of this requirement, you can work from home. Whilst this role will be formally based at one of the following UKRI sites, it is externally facing, and we expect that there will be requirement to travel around the UK, occasional international travel for 1-2 days each week on average. Read the full UKRI Hybrid Working Policy Hybrid Working at UKRI Innovate UK recognises the importance of work-life balance and we will be happy to discuss any requests for flexible working arrangements.

Job Purpose

Innovate UK is implementing a significant strategic shift to strengthen its support for innovative businesses and maximise impact across the UK's innovation ecosystem. As Acting Head of Economics and Insight, you will lead the Economics & Insights function within the Strategy Directorate, providing the evidence, analysis and thought leadership that underpin strategic decision-making across the organisation. This is a high-profile role operating at the interface between strategy, economics, analysis, delivery and policy. You will lead a team of analysts and researchers, shape how Innovate UK understands the innovation ecosystem and ensure that insight is translated into practical action across programme design, strategy implementation and policy engagement. Working closely with senior management across Innovate UK and UKRI, you will provide authoritative advice on innovation, business growth, impact and the wider ecosystem, helping ensure the organisation's strategic decisions are grounded in robust evidence and analysis.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

• Lead strategic insight and analysis
• Provide authoritative analytical advice to support strategic decision-making across Innovate UK.
• Shape Innovate UK's understanding of the innovation ecosystem, including startups, scaleups, investors and the wider business environment.
• Identify and commission research to answer strategic questions relating to innovation support, business growth, impact and policy.
• Lead the delivery of strategic and cross-cutting analytical projects that inform organisational priorities and strategy implementation.
• Ensure evidence and insight are effectively synthesised and communicated to senior leaders.
• Support strategy implementation
• Ensure the organisation's strategy is informed by a deep understanding of innovative and high-growth businesses.
• Contribute analytical leadership to major strategic initiatives, including the development of frameworks, assessment approaches and programme design.
• Work collaboratively across Strategy and Delivery teams to embed evidence-led decision-making throughout the organisation.
• Drive thought leadership on innovation
• Lead Innovate UK's contribution to debate and understanding of innovation and innovation support.
• Oversee the production of high-quality thought leadership outputs, publications and insight products.
• Develop and maintain a strong external evidence base through commissioned research, partnerships and stakeholder engagement.
• Monitor emerging trends in innovation, business growth, technology and international practice, identifying implications for Innovate UK and UKRI.
• Build strategic partnerships and influence policy
• Maintain trusted relationships with government departments, UKRI colleagues, academics and external stakeholders.
• Ensure Innovate UK's evidence and experience contribute effectively to wider innovation policy discussions.
• Collaborate across UKRI to develop a shared intelligence picture and identify insights that cut across organisational boundaries.
• Represent Innovate UK externally as a credible and influential voice on innovation and economic growth.
• Lead and develop the Economics & Insights team
• Lead, inspire and develop a multidisciplinary team of researchers and analysts.
• Build analytical capability and ensure the team continues to provide high-quality, timely and influential insight.
• Foster strong matrix working across Strategy and the wider organisation.
• Support the development of new approaches to strategic insight, including increased use of AI-enabled analytical tools and methods.
• Contribute to the growth of analytical capability across Innovate UK as a whole.
• This is not an exhaustive list and you might be encouraged 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 key experience and/or training.

Shortlisting criteria

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

Person Specification

Experience & Qualifications: Essential – Excellent understanding of the innovation ecosystem, including startups, scaleups, investors and innovation support mechanisms (S&I). Strong understanding of innovation, business growth, industrial strategy, economic development or related policy areas (S&I). Sound understanding of IUK, its new strategic direction, and the evidence needs required over the coming year (I). Significant experience of working within economics, analytical, research or insight functions within government, the public sector, academia, consultancy or a related environment (S). Experience using evidence and analysis to influence senior decision-makers and shape organisational strategy (S&I). Experience commissioning, overseeing and assuring complex analytical or research programmes (S). Excellent interpersonal skills to be able to lead a team through organisational change (S&I). Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distil complex analysis into clear and compelling messages(S&I).

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

There will a requirement to travel, mostly national, and there is some flexibility in this. Innovate UK staff make extensive use of telepresence tools for meetings to minimise unnecessary travel. In general, you will need to work in the Swindon office once a week and may have four to six nights away from home per month on average to attend conferences and events.

Immigration

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.

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.

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 rejected and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

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; 09-10-2026

About the opportunities available

These opportunities may be available on a secondment or employment basis. In the case of a secondment your employer will remain Innovate UK Business Connect and an agreement between yourself, Innovate UK and Innovate UK Business Connect will be drawn up setting out the terms of the secondment. Secondments are usually limited to two years. In the case of employment you would leave the employment of Innovate UK Business Connect and take up employment with Innovate UK. Further details for each role, and to agree individual circumstances will be discussed with you during the recruitment process.

Flexible Working

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

Equal Opportunities

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.

Other information

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.

Parking

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