Senior Portfolio Managers in Swindon

Salary: £46,743 per annum

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

Contract type: Fixed Term 23 Months

Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire

Grade: UKRI E

Positions available: 2

Closing date: 23:59 on 2nd July 2026

Proposed interview date: Interviews will be held in person at Polaris House, likely on the week commencing 20th July. There will be no further stages of assessment.

EPSRC is advertising several vacancies for Senior Portfolio Managers. Applicants may apply for one or more positions; a separate tailored application is required for each post.

Purpose

Within 6-12 months, you will develop deep knowledge of your portfolio, use it to influence and implement strategy, and build strong relationships with stakeholders.

Main outputs and activities

• Contribute to and shape the development and delivery of strategy across one of EPSRC’s themes.
• Deputise for team leads, including in meetings with senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Line‑manage and/or project manage colleagues, supporting personal development and driving a culture of high‑performance teamwork.
• Build and foster strong relationships across EPSRC, UKRI and beyond, including the academic community, government and other stakeholders to ensure robust, informed and impactful investments.
• Provide high‑quality expertise and advice in your areas of responsibility, informed by evidence and stakeholder engagement.
• Lead the development and delivery of investment plans, calls and associated peer‑review processes, and cases for investment, ensuring alignment with UKRI values, principles and practices.
• Contribute to the development of appropriate monitoring, assurance and evaluation approaches for EPSRC’s investments.

Personal Specification

Essential

• Knowledge and experience of programme, portfolio and/or project management of research-related or innovation activities, including managing packages of work within projects and programmes.
• Sophisticated analytical, problem‑solving and decision‑making skills, and an ability to think strategically.
• An ability to engage with a range of internal and external stakeholders at all levels, and to influence others to achieve outcomes and improve performance.
• An ability to work as part of a team, including leading and developing staff through behaviour and empathy.
• Strong communication skills, both written and oral, with an ability to produce clear, concise, accurate presentations and written documentation.
• Strong strategic awareness of the UK research and innovation system, and the context and landscape within which EPSRC and UKRI operate.

Desirable

• A graduate (or equivalent experience), who can demonstrate the potential to succeed.

How to apply

The closing date for applications is 23:59 on 2nd July 2026. Online applications only are accepted. Please submit a CV and an application statement (no more than three pages) that evidence how you meet the shortlisting criteria. Include the job reference number in the filename of each document.

Contact: Lydia Gardner (Joint Head of Quantum Technologies) – email lydia.gardner@epsrc.ukri.org

Benefits

• Outstanding defined benefit pension scheme.
• 30 days annual leave plus 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.

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us. As users of the Disability Confident scheme, any candidate who opts into the scheme and best meets the essential criteria will be shortlisted for interview. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Pre‑employment checks include Baseline Personnel Security Screening (BPSS). Failure to achieve BPSS may result in a rescinded offer.