Head of Governance and Risk

UK Research and Innovation; Bristol; On-site; GBP 57,000; Full time

Job description

Research England

Head of Governance and Risk

Salary: £56,745
Grade: UKRI Band F
Contract Type: Open Ended ( Permanent)
Hours: Full Time
Location: Westward House, Bristol

Closing Date: 21 April 25
Proposed Interview Date: 01 & 02 May 25

About Us

UK Research and Innovation brings together nine partners (‘councils’) to create an independent organisation with a strong voice for research and innovation, and a vision to ensure the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation. More information can be found at www.ukri.org.

Research England is one of the nine councils within UK Research and Innovation, operating from April 2018. As a key component of the research funding system, Research England oversees UK Research and Innovation’s England-only functions in relation to university research and knowledge exchange. This includes providing grant funding to English universities for research and knowledge exchange activities; developing and implementing the Research Excellence Framework in partnership with the UK Higher Education funding bodies; overseeing the sustainability of the Higher Education research base in England; overseeing the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund; and administering the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF). Research England works to create and sustain the conditions for a healthy and dynamic research and knowledge exchange system in English universities. It works closely with its counterparts in the Devolved Administrations. For more information about Research England, visit here.

Other Key Information

Research England is based in Bristol. UK Research and Innovation’s head office is in Swindon, with a further administrative office in London. You will be required to attend meetings in London, Swindon and other locations within the UK.

About The Team

Research England’s Operations Team is a small team that brings together operational activities and supports RE’s Chief Operating Officer in the leadership, management and delivery of operational matters.

Working to the Associate Director of Governance, Risk and Operations, the postholder will directly contribute to the delivery of Research England’s strategic aims and objectives by supporting activities across a variety of areas including, but not limited to, Governance, Risk, Assurance and Finance.

You will act as an important interface with internal and external colleagues and stakeholders at all levels. You will ensure that all work is delivered to the required high standard and in a timely manner maintaining confidentiality. You will have exceptional attention to detail and ensure accuracy is upheld.

Purpose

To provide high quality and effective advice and support on governance, risk and assurance matters to Research England, working collaboratively with UKRI colleagues; in doing so, developing and demonstrating a thorough understanding of research and knowledge exchange in the higher education sector and the political and organisational context within which Research England and UKRI operate.

• You will proactively manage the Secretariat function of Research England’s Council and Executive Group, ensuring they adhere to best practice principles of governance.
• You will support the delivery of effective risk management.
• You will work closely with senior leaders across Research England, as well as many other areas of UK Research and Innovation.
• You will be an experienced governance professional who is able to work with considerable drive and autonomy. You will be effective at working across the organisation to improve the outcomes of the work of their colleagues. You will be confident in dealings with all stakeholders and will be capable of keeping a very level head in challenging, fast-changing situations and be able to prioritise well to meet deadlines.

Reporting Lines

Line managed by: Associate Director of Governance, Risk and Operations

Line manager to: Senior Governance Manager

Responsibilities

Governance and Risk:

• Take a strategic approach to the successful operation of Research England’s Council and Executive Group, building effective relationships with members of both groups and ensuring they adhere to best practice principles of governance.
• Proactively manage the business of the Research England Council and Executive Group, including provision of a full secretariat service for Research England’s governance groups.
• Lead the cyclical review of the effectiveness of the Executive Group and Council.
• Lead the recruitment (and associated processes, including succession planning and induction) of Research England Council members.
• Work closely with the Associate Director of Governance, Risk and Operations to provide strategic advice and foresight to help ensure that the Council and Executive Group deliver to their fullest potential.
• Develop and implement governance and risk policies and processes across Research England, ensuring alignment with the wider UK Research and Innovation policies.
• Promote these processes, ensuring colleagues are engaged with, and adhere to, them.
• Manage the Research England risk management framework, including risk reporting to Council and the Executive Group.
• Advise Research England colleagues with regard to governance or risk matters which may affect their areas of work.
• Engage with wider UK Research and Innovation colleagues to share practice and improve overall effectiveness.
• Liaise with UK Research and Innovation colleagues with regard to responses to complaints, fraud and other operational governance matters.
• Lead other Research England operational governance processes such as Declaration of Interests and Gifts & Hospitality, ensuring alignment with the wider UK Research and Innovation policies for these areas.

Information Management:

• Have a thorough understanding of Data Protection legislation and its applicability to Research England’s operations, including exemptions/derogations from the EU General Data Protection Regulation.
• Advise Research England colleagues with regard to information governance matters which may affect their area of work.
• Oversee management of Research England documentation in accordance with UK Research and Innovation retention schedules.
• Act as the main point of contact for Research England in respect of information assets.
• Provide responses to information requests, Freedom of Information requests, Environmental Information Regulations requests, and Subject Access Requests.

Other:

• Work collaboratively with RE’s Head Funding and Assurance to support assurance activities such as administration of the annual data audit.
• Support other governance, risk, audit, assurance and operational processes as required and as is commensurate with the role.

Position & Person Requirements

Shortlisting Criteria:

Essential:

• A successful track record as a governance professional with significant recent experience.
• Experience of managing a successful team or function with multiple work strands.
• Experience of leading and managing a successful Secretariat function.
• An understanding of how a policy or funding organisation operates.
• An ability to operate with political understanding and sense, in a complex environment of change and uncertainty.
• A demonstrable ability to adapt, reach out and build trust and collaborative working.
• Proven strength in stakeholder management, with the ability to build effective relationships with people of all levels both internally and externally.
• An ability to communicate in a succinct, engaging and convincing way, producing materials that are accurate, precise and clearly articulated for external and internal audiences as appropriate.
• Excellent organisational skills with an ability to delegate and to deploy resources effectively to deliver results.
• Experience of risk management in the public sector.

Interview Criteria:

Essential:

• Excellent listening, influencing and negotiating skills, including influencing senior leaders and external stakeholders and negotiating to achieve optimal outcomes.
• Ability to simultaneously manage several areas of work to achieve demonstrable outcomes.
• Ability to communicate in a succinct, engaging and convincing way for external and internal audiences as appropriate.
• Ability to adapt to changing demands and conditions, and a readiness to make decisions, take the initiative and originate action.
• Ability to operate with political understanding, proportionality and common sense, in a complex environment of change and uncertainty.
• Ability to innovate and challenge established thinking in self and others, and to offer insights and ideas with practical application coupled with the ability to drive change.
• Interest and understanding of higher education research and knowledge exchange policy.

Desirable:

• Experience of organisational change.

APPLICATIONS

Online applications only for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter to the attachments section (ignore free textbox for cover letter under ‘Experience’ section) which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘Experience’ section of the application process.

INCENTIVES

DEVELOPING TALENT :

We are committed to developing employees in their roles throughout their career. Learning and development plans enable employees to continue their professional development through training and development opportunities such as e-learning, classroom training and on-the-job experiences. We encourage our employees to share their learning across teams and organisations.

BENEFITS:

UKRI can offer the successful candidate:

- Flexible Working

- 30 days annual leave + Public Holidays

- Access to Civil Service Pension Scheme

- Various everyday discounts through our dedicated provider.

Visit our dedicated benefits webpage for more info: here.

About Research England

Research England is one of the nine Councils within UK Research and Innovation. As a key component of the research funding system, Research England will oversee UKRI’s England-only functions in relation to university research and knowledge exchange (KE). This includes providing grant funding to English universities for related activities; developing and implementing the Research Excellence Framework in partnership with the UK Higher Education funding bodies; supervising the sustainability of the Higher Education research base in England; guide the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund; and coordinate the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF). Research England will build and sustain the conditions for a healthy and dynamic research and KE system in English universities. They also work closely with their counterparts in the Devolved Administrations.

For more information about Research England, click here.

About UK Research Innovation (UKRI)

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.

More information can be found at www.ukri.org.

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. For more details, visit here.

The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

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. For further information, please visit here.

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. 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.

How to apply

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. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application.

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.