Challenge Director - Break Down Barriers to Opportunities

We are seeking dynamic leaders from diverse backgrounds in research, innovation, or business to bring their creativity and vision to our Mission Research and Innovation Challenges. The Challenge Director role is crucial to the success of the Research & Development Missions Programme, serving as a champion for the role of research and innovation in addressing critical, complex issues identified by the UK Government’s Missions. With expertise spanning the UK’s ecosystem of research, innovation, and businesses, Challenge Directors will engage across the landscape to design impactful interventions. We welcome applicants who thrive in fast-paced environments and are eager to collaborate with UKRI and Government domain experts to shape timely, high-impact solutions.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is a non-departmental public body created to strengthen the strategic approach to future challenges and maximise value from the UK Government’s investment of over £8 billion per annum in research and innovation. We deliver a strengthened, unified voice for the UK’s research and innovation funding system, facilitating a dialogue with government and partners on the national stage. It builds on the UK’s world-class research and innovation performance, enabling the system to respond rapidly and effectively to current and future challenges.

The Research & Development Missions Programme (RDMP) is a new, targeted UK programme designed to support the Government’s National Missions and support delivery of the milestones in the Government’s Plan for Change. The primary objective of the RDMP is to fund targeted research and innovation (R&I), including technology development, to solve critical problems unique to each mission to improve people’s lives and create growth. An initial investment of £25 million was announced in the autumn budget, with UKRI leading, in partnership with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and Government Mission teams, on focussed Research and Innovation (R&I) Challenges to respond to and develop solutions for the Problems in each Mission.

The Opportunity mission will break the link between a child’s background and their future success, delivering across 4 key areas:

• Set every child up for the best start in life.
• Help every child to achieve and thrive at school, through excellent teaching and high standards.
• Build skills for opportunity and growth so that every young person can follow the pathway that is right for them.
• Underpinning all of these, build family security – ensuring every child has a safe loving home, and tackling the barriers that mean too many families struggle to afford the essentials.

The role will be based at the UKRI offices in Swindon. While an ability to lead and build relationships at a distance is beneficial, this is also a role where visibility will be important; therefore, travel to our London office and other UK sites on a regular basis is expected.

A comprehensive CV setting out your career history, with responsibilities and achievements. Please provide details of two professional referees together with a brief statement of the capacity and over what period of time they have known you. Referees will not be contacted without your prior consent. A supporting statement (maximum two sides A4) highlighting your suitability and setting out, with clear examples, how you meet the essential criteria as highlighted in the person specification. Please note that the supporting statement is an important part of your application; it is an evidence-based document and is as much the means by which you will be assessed as your CV. Please include where you heard about this role. You will also be asked to complete a Diversity Monitoring Form as part of your application. The closing date for applications is 23.59 BST on Sunday 20th April 2025. For an informal and confidential discussion about the role, please contact Urvashi Ramphul. If you require any reasonable adjustments to assist you in the selection process, please advise us of these so that we can make appropriate arrangements.