Executive Director of Science

Salary: £94,931 to £117,800 per annum (dependent on skills and experience)

Hours: Full time or Part time (minimum 0.8 FTE)

Contract Type: Open Ended, secondees and transfers welcome from universities and institutes where relevant, minimum duration 3 years.

Location: Primarily based at Polaris House, Swindon, with hybrid working as well as frequent travel for key meetings.

Closing Date: Wednesday 8th July 2026 at 23:55

Interviews are expected to be held in person on w/c 03 August 2026 in London.

About NERC

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funds environmental science that is ambitious, creative, and transformative. We have nurtured and curated the environmental science base in the UK for over 60 years since our foundation in 1965. We invest in the research, people, skills, infrastructure and data needed to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of environmental science and innovation on the global stage.

NERC’s science spans the entire earth system from the atmosphere to the biosphere, hydrosphere, sub-surface, oceanic and the polar regions. We provide essential national capability through our research centres: the large research infrastructure, services, facilities, and data centres that enable cutting‑edge research and make its outputs widely accessible. This includes research stations around the globe, a fleet of ships and aircraft, and satellite technology to monitor environmental change on a global scale. The long‑term data which these NERC investments deliver is a critical national resource underpinning evidence‑based policy decisions, enabling economic growth and securing the UK’s global leadership on environmental issues.

NERC maintains a unique portfolio of national science infrastructure, including polar research stations, Royal Research Ships, satellite technologies, data centres and monitoring stations around the world. As part of UKRI, NERC is responsible for the British Geological Survey, the UK’s premier, impartial provider of geoscientific data, mapping and research, and the British Antarctic Survey – the UK’s national polar research institute, delivering world‑leading interdisciplinary science in Antarctica and the Arctic to understand Earth’s climate, ecosystems and ocean circulation.

The Role

We are seeking a dynamic, creative, and respected science leader– someone motivated by delivering impact and inspired by the opportunity to shape the future of UK environmental research. This is a pivotal leadership role at the heart of NERC and UKRI. With responsibility for a substantial research and innovation portfolio, you will manage a large team and are expected to set the project management and governance structures in place to ensure you invest purposefully to deliver world‑leading environmental science that supports growth, informs government priorities and delivers tangible benefits for society. You will shape research programmes, influence system‑wide priorities, translate scientific ambition into meaningful outcomes, and most importantly work collaboratively across UKRI to make an impact.

As Executive Director of Science, you will combine intellectual leadership with strong strategic and delivery capability, working across disciplines, organisations, and national boundaries to turn complex challenges into opportunity. You will have responsibility for developing and delivering NERC’s curiosity‑driven science portfolio, securing our talent and skills pipeline, reimagining our approach to knowledge exchange and commercialisation, and curating the digital and data outcomes from all these investments including our research centres. You will be expected to align your portfolio with the government’s industrial strategy and wider priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Budget delivery of over £300m per year of UKRI’s advancing knowledge, talent and NERC‑led areas of UKRI’s wider priorities budget supporting research institute outcomes.
• Staff the leadership management and development of c.80 staff, and an opportunity to shape your team to best deliver against your responsibilities.
• Advancing knowledge through a well‑designed programme of curiosity‑driven research, talent and skills funding with a view to increasing the rate of conversion of curiosity‑driven research into societal outcomes including innovation and growth.
• Data‑driven investments in scientific infrastructure to deliver NERC’s current and future science needs.
• Championing equality, diversity and inclusion.

What we’re looking for

• A strong track record of achievement and established credibility in a senior role relevant to the Environmental Sciences.
• Substantial and diverse experience of working across the UK science funding landscape and a deep understanding of environmental science and its applications relevant to the NERC and UKRI’s mission.
• A consistent track record of research delivery and governance with an ability to take a broad view across the NERC in formulating strategy and priority areas for future investments.
• An ability to work within a fast‑moving environment, troubleshoot problems and resolve issues as they emerge.
• Financial aptitude and analytical skills with experience managing comparable budgets.
• Demonstrable programme delivery skills in a research funding or related environment.
• Strong leadership skills, demonstrating an ability to work across functional and organisational boundaries to deliver shared goals and outcomes.
• A PhD in a STEM subject, or related experience.

Your team is primarily located in the Swindon area. Whilst an ability to lead and build relationships at a distance is beneficial, this is also a role where visibility will be important, so travel to our offices and sites on a regular basis is expected.

Benefits

• 30 days’ annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent).
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
• Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice.
• Flexible working options.