Executive Chair - Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) in London

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

• Ensuring the health and vibrancy of their domain
• Executive Chairs have delegated responsibility and accountability for a budget set through recommendations to the Secretary of State from the UKRI Board, which is in turn advised by the UKRI Executive Committee.
• They have freedom to operate to deliver output from this budget, including through collaborative programmes with other councils, with advice from their council’s council and aligned with the UKRI strategy.
• Executive Chairs are also encouraged to work closely with, and expand their connections within, their domain community.

This enables Executive Chairs to harness the strategic insight they gain to build key relationships across the R&I system and foster engagement.

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.
• They should be a core member of the UKRI Executive Team to deliver best value from the overall R&I funding and policy system and actively contribute to the development and implementation of the strategy for UK R&I.
• They will work collaboratively across UKRI’s councils to foster interdisciplinary work and a whole system approach, and build on collective capabilities, providing support and challenge when required.
• They will work with the Executive Committee, the Senior Independent Member of the AHRC and other council members to lead and develop AHRC’s strategic approach:
• to the funding of R&I, in relation to both directed and applicant-led programmes
• to the funding of postgraduate and skills training and its investment in major longer-term capital projects
• to ensure that the UK develops its world class position in arts and humanities R&I

Executive Chairs should actively engage and consult with the academic community, business, charities, investors, government and industry to develop and catalyse new ideas and communicate the strategic outputs.

This will involve close engagement with the full range of stakeholders interested in arts and humanities R&I, including the creative industries and the design community.

They should act to ensure UKRI provides a strong, unified voice for R&I in the UK and globally, both in facilitating the dialogue with government and partners on the world stage.

They will represent and develop positive relationships between AHRC and its numerous and diverse stakeholders in government and public funding agencies, charities, business, higher education institutions, galleries, libraries and museums, academic and wider R&I communities, and the public at large and internationally.

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
• ensure maximum synergy and value for money across the full investment portfolio

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:

• 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 demonstrating a collaborative and consultative approach
• commitment to the overarching goals of UKRI, and the health of a wider and more integrated R&I landscape
• an ability to develop, lead and manage a clear and strategic vision for arts and humanities R&I through the development of high quality, value for money programmes built on a thorough understanding of AHRC’s objectives and engagement with the partner landscape
• a demonstrable ability of having translated research into application and economic benefit

Leadership and management

• demonstrable leadership and management skills within a complex organisation, able to evidence having successfully led cultural change and organisational development
• experience of managing and building capability of a cadre of skilled employees and programme managers and able to encourage and motivate colleagues at all levels in the organisation

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.

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