Research Portfolio Manager (Fixed Term) in England

Job Category: Research Programme and Funding Management

Apply Before: 05/19/2026, 10:59 PM

Job Identification: 2272

Posting Date: 05/01/2026, 11:36 AM

Job Shift: Day

Hours: Full Time/ Part Time

Salary: £37,841 per annum

Contract type: Fixed term, until 31 March 2030

Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire

Grade: UKRI D

Positions available: 5

Proposed interview date: Interviews will be held weeks commencing 15, 22 and 29 June. There will be no further stages of assessment.

About us

Are you passionate about research? Are you keen to work with researchers, business and Government to help support excellent research that delivers real impact for the economy and society?

Portfolio managers assist with the development and delivery of ideas for future activities and build relationships with stakeholders within universities and industry, to ensure we fund research of the highest quality and implement new, innovative research programmes. Portfolio managers also play a key role in managing our funding competitions.

We have fixed-term positions available. These include positions in teams delivering priorities set out in the UK government’s industrial strategy, including quantum technologies. These teams build on a strong base of EPSRC-funded research across disciplines. EPSRC is a team‑based organisation, and no team or directorate works in silo. An important part of your role will be to work with others to deliver results.

We recognise and value employees as individuals and aim to provide a pay and rewards package that motivates staff to perform to the best of their ability. The reward package includes a flexible working scheme, a Career Average Revalued Earnings pension scheme, 30 days annual leave allowance and a number of other benefits.

Hybrid Working

These posts are based at our Swindon office, but hybrid working is available with regular office attendance and travel across UKRI offices. This post also requires travel to attend external visits and meetings. We welcome applications from candidates with special requirements.

Purpose

As an EPSRC Portfolio Manager, you will work with the engineering and physical sciences research community to achieve our aim to put the UK at the forefront of international research. You will be given responsibility for one of EPSRC’s portfolios, with the opportunity to manage your own projects and develop new activities. Your role will be varied: building relationships with universities and industry, managing our decision‑making processes and policies to ensure we fund research and training of the highest quality, and planning and implementing community events to foster new, innovative research programmes. You will work closely across EPSRC and UKRI teams, as well as often working with UK government departments. Interaction with external stakeholders including universities and businesses is an important part of the role.

Main outputs and activities

• Gathering, understanding and integrating internal and external information about the research and innovation landscape and the EPSRC portfolio
• Operation of peer review and other formal decision‑making processes
• Managing strategic relationships with key stakeholders in universities, business and government, representing EPSRC and UKRI in external networks and meetings
• Working across teams within EPSRC and across UKRI to ensure cross portfolio understanding and joint initiatives as appropriate as well as implementing strategy and other programmes of work
• Monitoring, evaluating and reporting on activities and investments to feed into planning
• Supporting senior colleagues with development of projects and implementation of plans, coordinating and operating processes supporting delivery across EPSRC.

We will consider high‑calibre individuals who can demonstrate the potential to succeed. You may be from a research or research support background, or have equivalent education, training or professional development. You will be a creative thinker who works effectively independently and with colleagues, as well as an excellent communicator who can manage time effectively.

Criteria

• Problem solving and analytical skills, including a focus on successful outcomes (S)
• Effective communication skills (verbal, presentational and written) (S, I)
• Ability to work with others as part of a team, supporting others through behaviour and empathy to deliver goals (S, I)
• Capability to demonstrate how activities contribute to the wider strategic objectives of an organisation and external stakeholders (S, I)
• Experience in leading delivery of activities to achieve wider goals, including appropriate planning, making effective decisions and influencing others (S, I)
• Creativity, adaptability and openness to change (I)
• Graduate (or equivalent) who can demonstrate the potential to succeed (S)

Further Information About the Process

The closing date for applications is 23:55, Tuesday 19 May 2026. Online applications only are accepted for this role. Please submit a CV and “Application Statement”. Each document should be no more than three pages. Across the two documents, you are expected to give evidenced examples that clearly explain how your abilities, experiences and skills demonstrate each of the shortlisting criteria listed above.

If successful at the shortlisting stage, you will be invited to an in‑person interview that will take place at Polaris House in Swindon, planned for the weeks commencing 15, 22 and 29 June 2026. This is the final stage of the selection process. Please note, dates are subject to change.

At interview, you will be asked to provide evidenced examples that demonstrate that you are able to cover the interview criteria which are the same as the shortlisting criteria below. You will also be asked to give a short presentation on a topic that will be provided to you in advance.

Successful candidates will be placed in a team following interviews. We will endeavour to provide information of team vacancies at interview stage should you wish to express a preference, though we will not be able to guarantee to honour all preferences. Your application and performance through this recruitment process may be used for other Portfolio Manager (Grade D) opportunities that arise within an appropriate timeframe.

Contact

For further information please contact Nick Cooper (EPSRC Co‑Chair Assessment Centre and Joint Head of Talent and Skills) who is leading this recruitment.

About Us

UKRI – UK Research and Innovation

UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world‑leading position in research and innovation. Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world‑class research, skills and business‑led innovation.

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme.

How we support EDI in the workforce

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community.

Disability Confident Employer

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. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded.

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.

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be rejected and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

As part of the pre-employment checks there is a requirement to undergo Baseline Personnel Security Screening. BPSS is a pre-condition of employment and failure to achieve it may mean that the employment offer is rescinded. UKRI reserves the right to run, or re-run, security clearance as required during the course of employment.

About the Team

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Council (EPSRC) is a partner organisation within UKRI, providing essential research and skills for all sectors of the economy, and through this aims to enhance long‑term societal well‑being and prosperity. EPSRC is the main UK government agency for funding this research and training in engineering and the physical sciences. They invest over £850 million a year in a broad range of subjects from mathematics to materials science and from information technology to structural engineering.