Senior Workforce EDI Manager

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UK Research and Innovation

Salary: £45,272 per annum
Hours: Full time - Hybrid working available
Contract Type: Open Ended.
Location: Role can be based in Swindon, Didcot, Daresbury or Cambridge (Occasional travel to other UKRI sites)

Closing date: Sunday 5th January 2025

Interview dates: Week commencing 20th January 2025

Role Purpose

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has a critical role in fostering an outstanding research and innovation system in the UK, to which everyone can contribute and from which everyone benefits. To deliver on this vision we must ensure that everyone who works for UKRI can flourish, developing and making the most of their skills and talents.

The Senior Workforce EDI Manager will play a key role in creating an inclusive culture that celebrates a diversity of people, ideas and skills in UKRI. As a member of the Workforce EDI team, you will provide expert guidance and support to embed EDI across UKRI. Working closely with the Head of Workforce EDI and Workforce EDI Leads, you will contribute to the delivery of our EDI plan, specifically delivering actions that enable us to coordinate EDI effectively across UKRI and build EDI capability and confidence across our workforce.

This is an excellent opportunity to shape our employee experience, fostering an inclusive, innovative, collaborative and supportive workplace where colleagues thrive.

Key Accountabilities

EDI plan delivery

• Manage EDI projects and activities in the delivery of the Workforce EDI Plan
• Contribute to the development of the EDI initiatives by gathering information from stakeholders and building an evidence base from good practice in the field

EDI expertise

• Act as the first point of contact for EDI queries; managing the EDI mailbox providing advice to research councils, staff, and enabling functions as required, as well as managing EDI issues and risks
• Work collaboratively as a member of the Workforce EDI team, and Culture Inclusion and Learning to develop a centre of expertise in EDI.
• Provide advice and guidance on Equality Impact Assessments (EIA) and manage the UKRI EIA process alongside supporting the team to embed best practice across UKRI.
• Lead and contribute to annual EDI reporting activities
• Support the delivery of EDI training curriculum

Internal and External Engagement

• Manage the relationships with UKRI staff networks to support their development, communications and engagement.
• Collaborate with communications teams to develop EDI messaging and develop/maintain internal and external EDI web presence
• Coordinate events, awareness days and campaigns, bringing together different stakeholders to plan and deliver activities aligned with strategic priorities
• Engage with external networks and manage EDI membership schemes

Person specification

Essential

(S) - Assessed at shortlisting
(I) - Assessed at interview
(S&I) - Assessed at both shortlisting and interview

• Experience working in an EDI role, team or in a relevant function, providing expert advice and support (S & I)
• Up-to-date knowledge and demonstrable understanding of equality legislation, employment law and HR and EDI policies and practices (S & I)
• Strong personal working, planning, organisation, and delivery skills; able to balance corporate, team and individual priorities; work proactively with minimal supervision; build and support strong and effective teams, sort problems and achieve success (S & I)
• Excellent collaboration, relationship, and stakeholder management skills (S & I)
• Ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and persuasively across multi-disciplinary teams and stakeholders, explaining complicated matters simply (I)
• Ability to manage EDI issues and risks, with discretion and maintaining confidentiality (I)
• Robust analytical skills to evaluate qualitative and quantitative information in order to provide recommendations (S & I)

Desirable:

• Experience in managing projects or programmes (S)
• HR or EDI qualification or CIPD membership (S)

About UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

UKRI launched in April 2018, UKRI is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

Our organisation brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England, which is responsible for supporting research and knowledge exchange at higher education institutions in England, and the UK's innovation agency, Innovate UK. Together we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision to ensure the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and 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 Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

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 'How we support EDI in the workforce'.

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.