About the job

Job summary

To support the development and implementation of UKRI Talent and Skills Policy. The role will be based in the central UKRI Talent and Skills Team which leads on the development of cross UKRI talent and skills policy (across PhD training grants to universities and other ROs, fellowships and research grants), and the delivery of central UKRI talent programmes. The work of the team is focused on UKRI’s role as a funder in supporting talent and skills capability and capacity in the research and innovation. This is not an HR role.

The postholder will be expected to quickly build up knowledge of relevant policy areas, develop options for agreed priorities, identify where input is required from other teams, specialists, or stakeholders, and to recommend options for decision to senior management.

The role will support the development and implementation of policy across a range of areas including the commitments in UKRI’s New Deal for Postgraduate Research; Response to the Call for Input (including the review of terms and conditions of training grant), the development and implementation of the Collective Talent Funding Programme, the support provided by UKRI for cross-sector mobility, and the implementation of the UKRI People and Teams Action Plan. The range of activities will support UKRI to meet its published commitments regarding the transition to greater collective working of UKRI’s nine councils on talent and will facilitate the Talent and Skills Strategic Leadership team and the Investment Strategy Team in their planning for the government’s next spending review.

Job description

Key Responsibilities:

• Working with others to identify areas for improvement, simplify processes, develop, and analyse appropriate policy options 
• Analysing information from a variety of sources to inform effective decision-making, drawing on specialists where required
• Supporting and managing the development and implementation of policy across a range of talent and skills areas
• Supporting the transition from policy to delivery through helping establish cross UKRI Talent and Skills project delivery teams 
• Engaging and influencing both internal and external stakeholders; this will include colleagues within council talent teams, across UKRI more broadly, and with representatives from external organisations
• Carrying out any other duties/projects that may be required of the post across the UKRI Talent and Skills Team

Person specification

Qualifications:

Essential:

• Educated to degree-level or equivalent experience

 

Knowledge and experience:

Essential:

• Experience of policy development, including creation, consideration of implementation and undertaking appraisal of options
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills including the ability to show initiative and cope with ambiguity
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex issues simply, both in writing and orally, and engaging with stakeholders at a variety of levels
• Experience of working within a fast-paced environment, delivering against tight timescales with clear planning and prioritisation skills
• Effective collaborator and team member, able to build effective working relationships and networks with stakeholders at varying seniority levels to enhance work output

 

Desirable:

• An understanding of UKRI’s strategic objectives for talented people and teams and how we support them
• A thorough understanding of the higher education sector. An existing understanding of doctoral training programmes or fellowship programmes may be an advantage, as would knowledge of any of human resources policy, of equality, diversity, and inclusion, of career management, or other relevant areas
• Experience of managing projects effectively drawing on project management tools
• Experience of assimilating intelligence or feedback and working with stakeholders to resolve or prioritise competing issues

 

Additional information:

The post holder will be based primarily in Swindon but may be required to attend meetings/workshops in other UK locations. The post holder will be able to work remotely but will be required to work in the Swindon office in line with the Talent team’s policy.

 

Please note, if you will require sponsorship to work in the UK, as part of your sponsorship application, you and any dependents 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. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £43,116, UK Research and Innovation contributes £11,641 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

1st interview including presentation

2nd interview TBC

Interviews will either be conducted in person or via our video conferencing facility

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.