Senior Futures Programme Manager: NERC

Senior Futures Programme Manager (210000FV)

NERC, Swindon, Full-Time, £39,748

You will play a pivotal role in delivering the Futures team objectives as part of achieving NERC’s ambition. You will provide day-to-day leadership and management of the strategic business engagement approach of specific business cases.

Key activities include but are not limited to:

  • Establish and manage delivery of a NERC strategic business engagement plan to enhance business advocacy for NERC science at senior and board-level, inform development of new research and future NERC strategy.
  • Develop and deliver Futures insights activities (e.g.  horizon scanning, foresight and related approaches) to provide NERC with intelligence of longer-term business and industry challenges where environmental science can play a role.
  • Support the development of ambitious NERC-led business cases and programme bids for UKRI collective funds, such as ISCF and SPF.
  • Work closely and collaboratively with the Business Partnerships function, Strategic Programme Generation team and other NERC colleagues to ensure a joined-up approach to business and industry engagement and development of Futures-led programmes and business cases.
  • Develop and implement evaluation activity to demonstrate effectiveness of foresight and business engagement activities. 
  • Contribute towards cross-UKRI projects and share good practice with counterparts across UKRI.
  • Deputise for the Head of Futures as needed.

You will need:

  • Ability to analyse business supply chains and markets, understand business challenges and spot opportunities to address them through environmental science and innovation.
  • Business literate, with an excellent understanding of how businesses and markets work and how they use scientific research and innovation.
  • Ability to meet ambitious deadlines, manage a diverse range of portfolio simultaneously and work flexibly on own initiative.
  • A track record of successful programme / portfolio management of research or innovation activities undertaken in collaboration with a range of internal and external stakeholders
  • Ability to establish effective working relationships and networks with a range of internal and external stakeholders at all levels, and to use these to deliver outcomes for the organisation.
  • Excellent team working skills, and experience of encouraging a collaborative approach within and across teams and organisations; including recognising the contribution of individuals and enabling them to realise their potential.
  • Ability to absorb, evaluate and communicate complex information in language appropriate to the audience.
  • Ability to prepare briefings and communicate effectively (both verbal and written) to a wide range of audience.

Choosing to come to work at NERC, part of UKRI, means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits including a flexible working scheme, a Career Average Revalued Earnings pension scheme, 30 days annual leave allowance, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme.

Applications are handled by UK Shared Business Services, to see more details and to apply please visit our job board at (link) Please include a covering letter outlining how you fit the role criteria.  Applicants who are unable to apply online should contact us by telephone on +44 (0)1793 867000.

Closing date for applications is 23rd May 2021.

Salary: 
£39,748
Closing date: 
Sunday, May 23, 2021