Transformation Programme Director - STFC in Swindon

Hours: Full Time or Part Time (Minimum 0.8 FTE)

Contract: Fixed Term (12 Months with likelihood of renewal)

Location: Swindon / Rutherford / Daresbury

Closing date: 23rd August 2026 at 23:55

About Us

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is the UK’s national agency for research and innovation, bringing together seven research councils, Innovate UK and Research England to support discovery, innovation and the skills driving economic growth and societal progress. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) delivers some of the UK’s most ambitious scientific capabilities. From world-leading national laboratories and large-scale research facilities to space science, particle physics, astronomy and advanced computing, STFC enables researchers and innovators to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing society. STFC is a place where exceptional science meets real-world impact; creating knowledge, developing transformative technologies, supporting industry and inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers. We are seeking leaders who can help shape the future of UK science and technology and deliver impact at a global scale.

About the role

This is a rare opportunity to lead one of the most significant organisational transformation programmes within UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). As STFC Transformation Director, you will provide strategic leadership for STFC's transformation, shaping the future operating model of an organisation of approximately 3,000 people and ensuring it remains financially sustainable, operationally effective and fit for the future. Working at executive level, you will lead a complex portfolio of change spanning people, culture, governance, processes and organisational design. You will build alignment across senior leaders and stakeholders, translating strategic ambition into deliverable outcomes and ensuring transformational benefits are realised at pace. The role is critical to delivering sustainable financial, operational and cultural change, strengthening STFC's long-term resilience and enabling the continued delivery of world-class science, engineering and technology in support of UKRI and government priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership for STFC’s Transformation, acting as the senior accountable leader responsible for shaping, mobilising and delivering transformational change which enables STFC’s strategic ambitions, UKRI priorities and government objectives.
• Translate the strategic vision into an integrated transformation strategy and roadmap, defining the future operating model, required capabilities and sequencing of change across the organisation.
• Lead the development and implementation of STFC’s future operating model, ensuring alignment across strategy, governance, organisation design, culture, people, processes, technology, data and delivery capability.
• Establish and lead effective transformation governance as a complex portfolio of programmes, projects and activities.
• Own the business case and benefits framework, ensuring investment decisions are evidence-based, affordable, deliver value for money and realise measurable organisational benefits.
• Provide executive oversight of major transformation initiatives, ensuring programmes and projects are appropriately designed, resourced, assured and delivered through effective portfolio management disciplines.
• Create the conditions for sustainable organisational change, embedding new capabilities, behaviours, processes and ways of working.
• Lead enterprise-wide engagement and communications, building understanding, confidence and commitment among colleagues, leaders, UKRI partners, government stakeholders and external communities.
• Build maturity and capability across STFC, developing the people, structures, tools and delivery practices required to successfully manage complex change at scale.
• Provide constructive challenge and strategic advice to Executive Board and governance forums, enabling informed decisions on priorities, investment choices, delivery confidence, risks and organisational readiness.
• Champion evidence-led continuous improvement, using insight, performance information and lessons learned to strengthen STFC’s effectiveness, resilience and ability to deliver world-leading science and technology.
• Ensure effective transition and embedding of change, transferring ownership into operational teams and ensuring new capabilities deliver sustained benefits beyond programme closure.
• Represent STFC within UKRI-wide transformation activity, providing effective, collegiate interacting to ensure STFC’s Transformation actively contributes to and benefits from UKRI’s Shaping Our Future agenda whilst preserving the distinctive capabilities required to deliver national research infrastructure.

Person Specification

• Strategic leadership capability, with the ability to shape transformation, influence senior stakeholders and translate strategic ambition into measurable organisational outcomes.
• Ability to lead through ambiguity and complexity, exercising sound judgement, balancing competing priorities and making effective decisions at senior leadership level.
• Exceptional communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build alignment, secure commitment and provide constructive challenge with Executive Boards, government stakeholders, partners and wider communities.
• Collaborative and inclusive leadership approach, with the ability to build high-performing teams and create the culture required to deliver sustained change.
• Ability to lead an enterprise transformation portfolio comprising multiple interdependent programmes or projects, with effective governance, assurance, risk management, dependency management and benefits realisation.
• Strong understanding and application of transformation and project delivery disciplines, including operating model design, organisational change, business improvement and transition into business-as-usual.