At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead innovative strategies to tackle real-world challenges for children and young people.
- Company: Join the Economic and Social Research Council, a leader in impactful research and innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy 30 days of annual leave, flexible working, and a fantastic pension scheme.
- Other info: Be part of a dynamic team driving change in the public sector.
- Why this job: Make a difference in education and social mobility while collaborating with diverse stakeholders.
- Qualifications: Degree in a relevant field and strong commercial acumen required.
The predicted salary is between 58589 - 58589 £ per year.
Innovation Lead
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
Salary: £58,589 Per Annum. Band: UKRI Band F. Contract type: Open Ended. Hours: Full Time or Part Time (Minimum 0.8 FTE). Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire. Closing Date: 20/03/2026
About Us
The R&D Missions Accelerator Programme represents an exceptional opportunity to create real world impact through R&D investment. The programme will utilise a £500m budget to bring together the private sector, the third sectors and academia to collaboratively develop innovative solutions to public sector problems, resulting in new technologies, services, IP and more. The programme has been designed to solve the key problems facing HMG’s five national Missions and enable delivery of the milestones in the Plan for Change.
Opportunities
The Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunity Mission seeks to ensure every child and young person can succeed, regardless of background. It aims to give children the best start in life through high quality early education, childcare and accessible family support services. The mission will help every child thrive at school by improving teaching standards, tackling absence, and supporting those with special educational needs. It will also build skills for opportunity and growth so that every young person can follow the pathway that is right for them.
This is an opportunity to work with government departments and a wide range of stakeholders to find innovative solutions to pressing challenges faced by children and young people. These roles will be particularly suited to people with a background in education, social mobility and equality.
Purpose
As an Innovation Lead, the role holders will be responsible for developing and implementing, with partners, the innovation strategy for R&D MAP. It will involve coordination of private, third sector, and government support taking a key role in development of future strategic initiatives in this fast-moving programme. Commercially minded with significant industry/sector experience, the role holders will seek to deliver the objectives of our investments and to ensure that opportunities for UK businesses are maximised in line with the aims of the programme.
Main Outputs and Activities
- Lead the development and implementation of R&D MAP challenge strategies and funding to enable industry to develop and commercialise new products, processes, business models and services.
- Build and manage relationships with businesses, trade associations, Catapults, government departments and agencies, private investors, regulatory bodies, and research organisations.
- Work with funding partners and industry groups to ensure alignment of activities to maximise impact on relevant sectors.
- Ensuring that resources are targeted at the companies and technology areas that are most likely to create impact.
- Support communications and engagement activities, representing R&D MAP at leading industry events, raising awareness of the innovation opportunities that exist.
- Support international activities to ensure that UK activity is set in an international context.
This is not an exhaustive list, and the post-holder might be expected to undertake any other duties, commensurate with the Band and level of responsibility of this post.
Personal Specification
The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).
Essential
- Degree in a relevant subject to the Opportunities Mission, or equivalent experience.
- Strong commercial acumen, ideally with commercial experience, particularly in the start-up and innovation space.
- Specific experience in one or more aspects of policy translation and commercialisation of research and innovation across different sectors, such as technology assessment, product development, regulation and commercialisation routes for new partnerships.
- Proven ability to deliver major and complex programmes to time, cost and required quality.
- Strong experience in managing relationships with various internal and external stakeholders, including across the third and private sector.
- Demonstrative ability to facilitate cooperation/partnership working, and to work across boundaries.
- Experience tracking impacts and managing a portfolio of activities or investments.
Desirable
- Familiarity with the wider research, policy and innovation environment.
- Understanding of regulatory pathways for different geographies.
- Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills.
- Familiarity with third-sector commercial activity e.g. social enterprises, community interest companies, trading charities.
- Technical skills in an area related to the Opportunities mission.
- Knowledge and experience of managing projects that aim to improve education, promote social mobility and opportunities for children and young people, and address wider inequalities.
Benefits
We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package. We are committed to supporting employees' development and promote a culture of continuous learning!
- An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme.
- 30 days' annual leave in addition to 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.
- Plus many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!
For further information on our benefits please see: Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer. Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact Recruitment@ukri.org.
We do sponsor - Please note, if you will require sponsorship to work in the UK, as part of your sponsorship application, you and any dependants travelling with you, will be required to pay costs directly to The Home Office for the application before you start your role with us. UKRI is normally able to reimburse some, or all of these fees after you have become an employee and this can be discussed with the Hiring Manager.
For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs or contact Recruitment@ukri.org.
Innovation Lead - Opportunities - (R&D MAP) in Swindon employer: UKRI
The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment at Polaris House in Swindon, where innovation meets social impact. With a strong commitment to employee development, a generous benefits package including 30 days of annual leave, and flexible working options, ESRC fosters a culture of collaboration and continuous learning, making it an ideal place for professionals passionate about driving change in education and social mobility.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Innovation Lead - Opportunities - (R&D MAP) in Swindon
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join relevant groups, and don’t be shy about reaching out to potential colleagues on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your expertise! When you get the chance to chat with someone from the company, make sure to highlight your knowledge and experience related to the role. Share your ideas on how you can contribute to their mission – it’ll make you stand out!
✨Tip Number 3
Follow up after interviews or networking events. A quick thank-you email can go a long way in keeping you top of mind. Mention something specific from your conversation to show you were engaged and interested.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, you’ll find all the latest opportunities tailored to your skills and interests right there.
We think you need these skills to ace Innovation Lead - Opportunities - (R&D MAP) in Swindon
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your experience aligns with the Innovation Lead role. Use keywords from the job description to show that you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Impact:When detailing your past experiences, focus on the impact you've made in previous roles. We want to see how you've contributed to projects and initiatives, especially in areas related to education and social mobility.
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your writing clear and to the point. Avoid jargon unless it's relevant, and make sure your application is easy to read. We appreciate straightforward communication that gets to the heart of your qualifications.
Apply Through Our Website:Don't forget to submit your application through our website! This ensures it gets to the right people quickly. Plus, it’s a great way to stay updated on your application status.
How to prepare for a job interview at UKRI
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you have a solid understanding of the R&D Missions Accelerator Programme and its objectives. Familiarise yourself with the key challenges it aims to address, especially those related to education and social mobility. This will show your genuine interest and help you articulate how your background aligns with their mission.
✨Showcase Your Experience
Prepare specific examples from your past work that demonstrate your commercial acumen and experience in managing complex programmes. Highlight any successful collaborations with stakeholders across different sectors, as this role requires strong relationship management skills.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that ask how you would approach real-world challenges related to the role. Think about innovative solutions you've implemented in the past and be ready to discuss how you would apply similar strategies to the opportunities mission.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions to ask at the end of your interview. Inquire about the future direction of the programme or how they measure the impact of their initiatives. This not only shows your enthusiasm but also helps you gauge if the role is the right fit for you.
