Senior and public appointments

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) recruit for both senior and public appointments. These include members of the UKRI Board, Executive Chairs, part-time office holders and all other senior roles across UKRI at Band X and Y (equivalent to Senior Civil Service).

We employ a strong focus on equality, diversity and inclusion, ensuring recruitment that is diverse, fair and open, creating equal opportunity at all times. Public appointments are ultimately made by the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology.


Director of Security and Resilience, UKRI

Closing date
8 February 2026
Salary
£94,931 to £117,800
Contract type
Open ended
Hours
Full or part time
Grade
X
Interview date
Week commencing 9 March 2026

Working at the centre of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), you will set the strategic direction for embedding security and resilience across all councils and major programmes. You will bring clear, authoritative insight in a complex and evolving risk environment, enabling informed decision-making across UKRI.

You will anticipate emerging challenges and strengthen organisational preparedness, helping UKRI prevent, withstand, and respond effectively to incidents. Through this, you will safeguard the continuity and credibility of the UK’s research and innovation mission.

Read the Director of Security and Resilience candidate pack.


Director of UK Trusted and Connected & Data Analytics Research Environments (DARE-UK), UKRI

Closing date
To be confirmed
Salary
To be confirmed
Hours
Full time
Contract type
Concludes 31 March 2027
Outcomes communicated
To be confirmed

We are seeking an exceptional individual to lead, in this instance, the second phase of the DARE-UK programme. The Programme Director will lead a core team and report to the DARE-UK Programme Board.

They will be supported in their role by Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) and Administrative Data Research UK (ADR UK), including respective partner organisations. This will enable access to wider expertise that can inform sustainability planning for continued investment and progress in this critical national research infrastructure domain. The role holder will be employed by HDR UK and seconded into the Medical Research Council for 0.9 FTE.

Read the Director – UK Trusted and Connected & Data Analytics Research Environments candidate pack (PDF).


Executive Director for Data Infrastructure and Skills, ESRC

Closing date
15 February
Salary
£94,931 – £110,000
Hours
Full time or part time (minimum 0.8 FTE)
Contract type
Open-ended, secondments welcome
Grade
X

We are seeking a dynamic, creative social science research leader with standing in the profession who thrives on making a difference in the science community, turning complex challenges into opportunities. It’s your chance to influence how new and existing social science data infrastructure are positioned as core national infrastructures to support the delivery of government priorities, including the industrial strategy.

Read the Executive Director for Data Infrastructure and Skills candidate pack (PDF).

Last updated: 19 January 2026

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