Head of Design, Commercialisation and Innovation

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The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)

Head of Design, Commercialisation and Innovation

Salary: £54,043 per annum
Hours: Full time or Part time (minimum 0.8 FTE)
Contract Type: Open Ended
Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire
Grade: UKRI Band F
Closing Date: 07 Oct 24
Proposed Interview Dates: 29 Oct 24 (First Interview) & 07 Nov 24 (Second Interview With Exec Chair)

About the role

As the Head of Design, Commercialisation and Innovation, you will provide strategic and day to day leadership of AHRC's work across design, commercialisation and innovation, delivering strategic investments and activities and shaping our future plans and ambitions for the portfolio. Your work will include:

• O verseeing our Future Observatory: Design the Green Transition investment as it progresses toward its second phase, working closely with the programme team at the Design Museum and with award holders across the UK
• M anaging AHRC's relationship with the Design Council, now part of the UKRI family, and working closely with Design Council colleagues to deepen our understanding of Design and develop and deliver shared ambitions
• S upporting the commercialisation of arts and humanities research through AHRC and UKRI-led initiatives and increasing our understanding of the commercial potential of arts and humanities research of all kinds
• E mbedding design thinking in our approach to and support for innovation, drawing together both aspects of the team's portfolio to transform AHRC's reach, impact and influence in relation to growth and productivity.

You will head up a small team and work closely alongside our Creative Industries team, reporting to AHRC's Associate Director for Major Programmes. You will be a member of AHRC's Senior Management Team (SMT).

You will work flexibly and with a range of colleagues to support information sharing, business planning and reporting, and strategy development including spending review preparation.

The role is likely to evolve and change as the Design and Innovation portfolio matures and to respond to upcoming refreshes of AHRC and UKRI strategies.

Main Responsibilities

Leadership and strategy:

• Providing leadership, direction and momentum for the design and innovation portfolios in the context of wider AHRC strategy, and developing and contributing to organisational strategy and plans
• Leading and coordinating AHRC's ongoing work with the Design Council including overseeing regular reporting and collaborative projects and initiatives
• Delivering products and work packages as needed to support AHRC and UKRI's preparation for the next spending review
• Providing specialist advice and briefing to senior colleagues with respect to design and innovation
• Being an active and engaged member of our Senior Management Team.

Internal and external engagement:

• Establishing relationships internally within AHRC to ensure that our Design and Innovation portfolios are well embedded, understood, and aligned to Council strategy
• Building links across UKRI to encourage wider, cross-disciplinary and engagement with Design and an innovation approach that recognises the value of the arts and humanities
• Playing a leading role in brokering and maintaining relationships with key partners and collaborators externally.

Portfolio management:

• Providing leadership, direction and momentum for key investments including the Future Observatory programme, the AHRC-ESRC SHAPE Catalyst and AHRC contributions to cross-Council commercialisation activity
• Leading other relevant AHRC investments
• Supporting good governance through oversight of appropriate MEL, reporting and risk management across the team's remit
• Overseeing team budgets and ensuring good budget management.

Team management:

• Running a small programme team, ensuring all members are supported to perform their roles well
• Informing ongoing resource planning to support the delivery of the Design and Innovation portfolios over the longer term
• Ensuring close collaboration between the Design and Innovation team and the Creative Industries team, and strong cross-AHRC team working

Shortlisting and Interview Criteria

Qualifications:

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent experience

Knowledge/experience:

• Knowledge and understanding of the research funding landscape, including AHRC strategy and programmes
• Knowledge and understanding of Design research and systems design, and of commercialisation and innovation in the context of the arts and humanities

• Experience of leading the development and delivery of major, complex projects and/or programmes of public investment
• Experience of leading people and teams, including the ability to engage and influence, to collaborate at all levels and to handle multiple perspectives.

Skills:

• Strategic thinking skills, including the ability to develop strategy in a fast-paced, changing landscape, and confidence in evidence-based decision-making and horizon scanning
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly
• Creative problem-solving skills and an ability to work proactively and flexibly to achieve objectives.

About The Arts and Humanities Research Council

The AHRC supports world-class research that furthers our understanding of human culture and creativity. It supports research and postgraduate training in a wide range of subject areas, from ancient history and heritage science to modern dance and digital content. Research into these areas helps us to interpret our experiences, probe our identities, interrogate our cultural assumptions and understand our historical, social, economic and political context. It adds to the economic success of the UK, through its contributions to the knowledge economy and innovation agenda. The research we fund can lead to improvements in social and intellectual capital, community identity, learning skills, technological evolution and the quality of life of the nation.

Further details can be found via the following links: https://ahrc.ukri.org/

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 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.