Executive Chair - Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)

Appointment term: This role is offered on a permanent, open-ended basis. We would also consider applications on a secondment basis.

Remuneration: £160,000 - £170,000 (based on experience) plus an opportunity for performance related pay.

Location: London or Swindon. Please note, this role includes regular travel to sites across the UK and international travel on occasion.

Closing Date: Sunday 22nd February 2026 at 23:55

About the role: The Executive Chair of AHRC will be an innovative, distinguished research and/or innovation leader with international standing who can drive forward world‑class independent R&I across the full range of disciplines in which we invest. AHRC’s research addresses some of society’s biggest challenges, such as tackling modern slavery, exploring the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and understanding what it is to be human. What sets AHRC apart is the scale and ambition of the projects supported, their appetite for innovation across disciplinary and sectoral boundaries, their global reach and the leadership offered to UK arts and humanities research as a whole.

Leading a team of over 100 staff across multiple locations, the Executive Chair, working with the AHRC council, is responsible for setting the strategic vision for AHRC and investing a record UK budget for arts, humanities and creative industries to maximise the output achieved for the UK public. The Executive Chair is also a full participant in the leadership of UKRI. As a visible and credible leader of both AHRC and UKRI, you will provide direction, ensuring delivery of far-reaching research, skills development and infrastructure investment goals with demonstrable outputs and outcomes. You will also be responsible for delivering on the government’s priorities for R&I contribution to the Creative Industry Sector Plan.

As a member of UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Executive Committee, the Executive Chair of AHRC will be accountable to, and work closely with, the UKRI CEO and the wider Executive Committee, contributing to the collective leadership of the wider organisation. The AHRC’s Executive Chair will also be responsible for leading and delivering one or more cross cutting areas for UK R&I.

Responsibilities: UKRI’s nine Executive Chairs have two overarching responsibilities:

• Ensuring the health and vibrancy of their domain
• Health and vibrancy of the entire UK R&I system

Executive Chairs should recommend a strategy to the UKRI Board, including making recommendations about, and holding responsibility and accountability for:

• the UKRI strategy
• the leadership and delivery of collective UKRI activities

The following responsibilities will be key to ensuring delivery of AHRC and UKRI’s objectives:

• Delivery: Executive Chairs should lead and manage the AHRC and its staff in the successful delivery of its objectives, providing the inspirational and inclusive leadership and vision to maintain and develop the quality, outputs and impacts of its research, skills and capital investment portfolio.
• Finance, planning and analysis: maximise efficiency and ensure value for money from public investment; ensure robust budget planning and financial control; ensure robust analysis underpins decisions, evidences outcomes and maximises synergy between AHRC’s objectives and the overall UKRI strategy.

Your skills and experience: UKRI wishes to attract the highest calibre of candidates with the appropriate standing for this role. The successful candidate will be able to command confidence and represent the AHRC with its many stakeholders at the highest level, being able to demonstrate the following:

• Skills, experience and standing: a highly respected arts and humanities leader of international standing with a consistent track record of excellence in research and/or innovation; politically astute with excellent interpersonal skills, able to influence, build and maintain strong working relationships with a wide range of partners.
• Leadership and management: demonstrable leadership and management skills within a complex organisation, able to evidence having successfully led cultural change and organisational development.
• Breadth of understanding: an ability to understand and demonstrate the highest standards of arts and humanities R&I and its wider relevance to and impact on the cultural, social and economic wellbeing of the country.

To view the full role description please click 'apply' to visit our careers page.