Senior Portfolio Manager
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Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
Job Title : Senior Portfolio Manager x 3
Location : Swindon, GB
Organisation name : Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Salary : £43,116 per annum
Contract Type : Open Ended
Hours : Full Time/ Part Time considered (minimum 0.6 FTE)
Closing Date : 04 July 2024
Interview Date : w/c 22 July 2024
About Us
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is the main UK government agency for funding research and training in engineering and the physical sciences, investing over £1 billion a year in a broad range of subjects from mathematics to manufacturing, from AI to advanced materials, and information and communications technology (ICT) to structural engineering.EPSRC's vision is to invest in world-leading research and skills to advance knowledge and deliver a sustainable, resilient and prosperous UK. Across our diverse portfolio we support new ideas and transformative technologies which are the foundations of innovations that improve economy, environment, and society.
Working in partnership across UKRI, Government Departments, and the wider research and innovation landscape, we are
• supporting the UK's ambition to be a science superpower by investing in a pipeline of discovery-led research, delivering the research tools, technologies and outcomes that will provide a bedrock for the UK's future
• delivering mission-inspired research, enabling economic and societal impacts by underpinning UKRI strategic themes, targeting national priorities, and enabling transformative technologies
• enhancing UK prosperity by developing world-class people, places, and innovation, supporting impactful partnerships and catalysing industry investment for a more inclusive, connected, and sustainable ecosystem.
Our Delivery Plan provides details on our specific priorities and planned deliverables up to 2025 ( https://www.ukri.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/EPSRC-010922-StrategicDe... )
About EPSRC - https://www.ukri.org/about-us/epsrc/#:~:text=EPSRC invests in world-leading,our economy, environment and society .
Hybrid Working
These posts are based at our Swindon office, but we operate a hybrid approach, and you can expect a mix of working from home, the office, and external locations. As we recognise the benefits of in person working, EPSRC currently has a minimum expectation that we will work in person, in the Swindon office, at least 2 days per month. On occasions where there is a business need, you may be required to attend the office more than 2 days a month (e.g., for training, events, or team days). This post also requires travel to attend external visits and meetings. We will make exceptions to the minimum requirement to work in person in the Swindon office for individuals that might encounter difficulties because of a disability/health condition. We welcome applications from candidates with special requirements.
About the roles
As a Senior Portfolio Manager in EPSRC, within 6-12 months, you will have a deep knowledge of your area of responsibility (this could be multiple portfolios or programmes), understanding its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. You will use that knowledge to collaborate and lead on defining, influencing, and implementing strategy.
As the face of the organisation, you will have the opportunity to work with colleagues across UKRI and a wide range of external stakeholders across academia, industry, and government. You will use your communication skills to contribute to and influence key priorities, policies, and strategies. You will be encouraged to constantly learn and be empowered to explore your curiosity in this rewarding role.
Main Duties:
• Contribute to, as well as shape the development and delivery of strategy across one of EPSRC's themes.
• Deputising for team leads, including in meetings with senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Line-manage and/or project manage colleagues: providing leadership and support for personal development and driving a culture of high-performance teamwork.
• Building and fostering strong relationships working across EPSRC, UKRI and beyond UKRI, including across the academic community, government, and other stakeholders to ensure that investments are robust, informed, and impactful.
• Providing high quality expertise and advice in your areas of responsibility, informed by evidence and engagement with relevant stakeholders.
• Leading the development and delivery of investment plans, calls and associated peer review processes, and cases for investment, ensuring that these are of a high quality and in line with UKRI values, principles, and practices.
• Contributing to the development of appropriate monitoring, assurance, and evaluation approaches for EPSRC's investments.
Vacancies in several EPSRC themes are identified below. If you are invited for an interview, you will have an opportunity to state any preferences you might have for a particular role.
Research Infrastructure (x1)
The successful applicant for this post will be a Senior Member of the Research Infrastructure theme at EPSRC, a motivated team whose mission is to support Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Infrastructure (Capital and Digital) to ensure the UK becomes a Science Superpower.
As part of the Senior Management team they will be expected to help contribute to plans to ensure we are delivering as effectively and efficiently as possible with the other Senior Managers and lead a cohort of Portfolio Managers through either Management, Mentoring and their behaviour as a Role Model. A key part of the role will also collaborating across Research Infrastructure teams across UKRI and building relationships.
Specifically, they will lead on the Research Software portfolio in Research Infrastructure which includes management, development and oversight of the ExCALIBUR programme and its strategic direction, which will need to work with a number of EPSRCs themes as well as ensure they are delivering against EPSRCs Strategic Delivery Plan priorities.
They will also develop and implement strategies and programmes on a number of high profile cross UKRI activities including Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI) programme, the Pathway to Exascale project . This will include and an expectation to contribute to the development of Business Cases and the subsequent delivery of these once Business Case approval has been granted. Finally, the successful candidate will lead the theme's approach to Place one of our strategic priorities which will require them to work across EPSRC. All of these aspects will require the successful applicant to have broad strategic engagement and negotiation skills.
Manufacturing & the Circular Economy (x1):
The M&CE team supports research and innovation across manufacturing from innovative processes to digitalisation and design and drives research and innovation relevant to the transition to a circular economy across the council's remit . There is a strong interdisciplinary element that every member of the team contributes to as evidenced through partnerships within EPSRC, other councils and government departments.
The following responsibilities will be included (exact role may be scoped based on the skills and experience of the successful candidate):
• Strategic overview of our Next Generation Manufacturing and stakeholder engagement priorities. This will include the development of future plans and the design, development and delivery of related activities and investments.
• Leadership of our process- based manufacturing portfolio including considering the need for strategic interventions, opportunities for international collaboration and stewardship of our investments, as well as being the lead for our relationships with key stakeholders.
• Working in partnership with senior Government stakeholders, particularly the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), to maintain and extend the success of the DHSC Vaccine Hubs.
AI and Robotics
The EPSRC AI and Robotics team collaborate across UKRI and government departments on multiple projects to develop and deliver a unified strategy and portfolio for AI and robotics across UKRI's remit.
As a Senior Portfolio Manager, you will oversee some of our significant funding investments (Trustworthy Autonomous systems, Technology missions fund, Turing AI fellowships, AI CDTs , AI hubs etc.) working with them to facilitate the AI research and innovation ecosystem. Managing the AI ecosystem, fostering partnerships with businesses, the public and third sector, and engaging with staff across UKRI's remit is a key working style to ensure AI is developed to be optimised to those who will use it.
You'll contribute to refreshing the UKRI AI strategy and work with internal and external partners on both delivery of new investments in collaboration with government departments, delivery of new funds and securing additional funding. We maintain a focus on team wellbeing and a collaborative work environment and will be looking to extend our collaborative working activities with other parts or EPSRC, UKRI and external partners in the future.
About You
Person Skills and Qualities (shortlisting and interview criteria)
Essential:
• An ability to engage with a range of internal and external stakeholders at all levels, and the ability to influence others to achieve outcomes.
• Sophisticated analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, and an ability to think strategically.
• An ability to work as part of a team, with an ability to establish effective working relationships and networks at all levels across the organisation.
• Experience and understanding of the skills and challenges associated with managing and developing staff including through periods of change.
• An ability to innovate and positively challenge established thinking to contribute to the development and implementation of new ideas and approaches and to continuously improve performance.
• Strong communication skills (both written and oral) with an ability to produce clear, concise, and accurate presentations and written documentation for a wide range of audiences, in the context of strategy development and implementation.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential:
• A degree or equivalent experience.
• A clear understanding of how the UK research and innovation system operates, including the role of UKRI and other funders.
• Strong strategic awareness of the context and landscape within which EPSRC and UKRI operates .
• Knowledge and experience of programme, portfolio and/or project management of research-related or innovation activities, including managing packages of work within projects and programmes.
Desirable:
• An understanding of evaluation principles and how these can be used to support the development of research and/or data investments.
How to apply
Online applications only are accepted for this role. Please submit a CV and "Application Statement" in which you should give evidenced examples that clearly explain how your abilities, experiences and skills demonstrate each of the shortlisting criteria listed above. You are advised to familiarise yourself with the STAR methodology (see: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/STAR-method.htm ), which is a useful framework for providing these examples. Each document should be no more than three pages.
Please 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 submission of an application without an 'application statement' may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted 'application statement' and CV and not the 'experience' section of the application.
If successful at the shortlisting stage, you will be invited to attend a competency-based interview. You will be asked to provide evidenced examples that demonstrate that you are able to cover the interview criteria which are the same as the shortlisting criteria below. You will also be asked to give a short presentation on a topic that will be provided to you in advance.
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.
Further information about the role can be discussed with Katie Blaney (Joint Head of Research Infrastructure). Please email katie.blaney@epsrc.ukri.org to arrange a mutually convenient time to speak.
About the Engineering and Physical Sciences Council (EPSRC)
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Council (EPSRC) is a partner organisation within UKRI, providing essential research and skills for all sectors of the economy, and through this aims to enhance long-term societal well-being and prosperity.
EPSRC is the main UK government agency for funding this research and training in engineering and the physical sciences. They invest over £850 million a year in a broad range of subjects from mathematics to materials science and from information technology to structural engineering.
For more information about EPSRC click here: https://www.ukri.org/councils/epsrc/
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 for 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.