Appointment term: This role is offered on a permanent, open-ended basis. We would also consider applications on a secondment basis; please indicate clearly in your application if you wish to be considered for a secondment. 

Remuneration: £160,000 - £170,000 (based on experience) plus an opportunity for performance related pay. 

Time commitment: Full-time. However, the role could be reduced to four days per week to allow for research activity to be maintained.

Location: London or Swindon. Please note, this role includes regular travel to sites across the UK and international travel on occasion.

Nature of appointment: This is a ministerial appointment made by the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology. The post-holder would be an office-holder and an employee of UKRI.

Availability: Successful candidate/s will be encouraged to take up their appointment as soon as possible, following the successful completion of pre-appointment checks and security clearance.

Closing Date: Sunday 22nd February 2026 at 23:55

About the role

The Executive Chair of AHRC will be an innovative, distinguished research and/or innovation leader with international standing who can drive forward world-class independent R&I across the full range of disciplines in which we invest. AHRC’s research addresses some of society’s biggest challenges, such as tackling modern slavery, exploring the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and understanding what it is to be human.

What sets AHRC apart is the scale and ambition of the projects supported, their appetite for innovation across disciplinary and sectoral boundaries, their global reach and the leadership offered to UK arts and humanities research as a whole.

Leading a team of over 100 staff across multiple locations, the Executive Chair, working with the AHRC council, is responsible for setting the strategic vision for AHRC and investing a record UK budget for arts, humanities and creative industries to maximise the output achieved for the UK public.

The Executive Chair is also a full participant in the leadership of UKRI. As a visible and credible leader of both AHRC and UKRI, you will provide direction, ensuring delivery of far-reaching research, skills development and infrastructure investment goals with demonstrable outputs and outcomes.

You will also be responsible for delivering on the government’s priorities for R&I contribution to the Creative Industry Sector Plan.

As a member of UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Executive Committee, the Executive Chair of AHRC will be accountable to, and work closely with, the UKRI CEO and the wider Executive Committee, contributing to the collective leadership of the wider organisation. The AHRC’s Executive Chair will also be responsible for leading and delivering one or more cross cutting areas for UK R&I.

Responsibilities

UKRI’s nine Executive Chairs have two overarching responsibilities.

Ensuring the health and vibrancy of their domain 

Executive Chairs have delegated responsibility and accountability for a budget set through recommendations to the Secretary of State from the UKRI Board, which is in turn advised by the UKRI Executive Committee.

They have freedom to operate to deliver output from this budget, including through collaborative programmes with other councils, with advice from their council’s council and aligned with the UKRI strategy.

Executive Chairs are also encouraged to work closely with, and expand their connections within, their domain community. This enables Executive Chairs to harness the strategic insight they gain to build key relationships across the R&I system and foster engagement.

Health and vibrancy of the entire UK R&I system 

Executive Chairs should recommend a strategy to the UKRI Board, including making recommendations about, and holding responsibility and accountability for:

• the UKRI strategy
• collective UKRI budgets
• the leadership and delivery of collective UKRI activities

The following responsibilities will be key to ensuring delivery of AHRC and UKRI’s objectives:

Delivery

Executive Chairs should lead and manage the AHRC and its staff in the successful delivery of its objectives, providing the inspirational and inclusive leadership and vision to maintain and develop the quality, outputs and impacts of its research, skills and capital investment portfolio.

They should be a core member of the UKRI Executive Team to deliver best value from the overall R&I funding and policy system and actively contribute to the development and implementation of the strategy for UK R&I.

They will work collaboratively across UKRI’s councils to foster interdisciplinary work and a whole system approach, and build on collective capabilities, providing support and challenge when required.

They will work with the Executive Committee, the Senior Independent Member of the AHRC and other council members to lead and develop AHRC’s strategic approach:

• to the funding of R&I, in relation to both directed and applicant-led programmes
• to the funding of postgraduate and skills training and its investment in major longer-term capital projects
• to ensure that the UK develops its world class position in arts and humanities R&I

Stakeholder engagement

Executive Chairs should actively engage and consult with the academic community, business, charities, investors, government and industry to develop and catalyse new ideas and communicate the strategic outputs.

This will involve close engagement with the full range of stakeholders interested in arts and humanities R&I, including the creative industries and the design community.

They should act to ensure UKRI provides a strong, unified voice for R&I in the UK and globally, both in facilitating the dialogue with government and partners on the world stage

They will represent and develop positive relationships between AHRC and its numerous and diverse stakeholders in government and public funding agencies, charities, business, higher education institutions, galleries, libraries and museums, academic and wider R&I communities, and the public at large and internationally.

Finance, planning and analysis

• maximise efficiency and ensure value for money from public investment
• ensure robust budget planning and financial control
• ensure robust analysis underpins decisions, evidences outcomes and maximises synergy between AHRC’s objectives and the overall UKRI strategy
• ensure maximum synergy and value for money across the full investment portfolio

Your skills and experience

UKRI wishes to attract the highest calibre of candidates with the appropriate standing for this role. The successful candidate will be able to command confidence and represent the AHRC with its many stakeholders at the highest level, being able to demonstrate the following:

Essential criteria

Skills, experience and standing

• a highly respected arts and humanities leader of international standing with a consistent track record of excellence in research and/or innovation
• politically astute with excellent interpersonal skills, able to influence, build and maintain strong working relationships with a wide range of partners demonstrating a collaborative and consultative approach
• commitment to the overarching goals of UKRI, and the health of a wider and more integrated R&I landscape
• an ability to develop, lead and manage a clear and strategic vision for arts and humanities R&I through the development of high quality, value for money programmes built on a thorough understanding of AHRC’s objectives and engagement with the partner landscape
• a demonstrable ability of having translated research into application and economic benefit

Leadership and management

• demonstrable leadership and management skills within a complex organisation, able to evidence having successfully led cultural change and organisational development
• experience of managing and building capability of a cadre of skilled employees and programme managers and able to encourage and motivate colleagues at all levels in the organisation

Breadth of understanding

• an ability to understand and demonstrate the highest standards of arts and humanities R&I and its wider relevance to and impact on the cultural, social and economic wellbeing of the country.

To view the full role description including annexes, please contact us at [email protected] to request a copy of the candidate pack.

Timescales and selection

The selection process will include an interview and a presentation, along with additional fireside discussions. Candidates may also be asked to complete psychometric testing as part of the assessment.

As these roles are subject to pre-appointment scrutiny, the successful candidate may be subject to a pre-appointment hearing by the Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee.

Interviews will be in-person and will take place in London.

Advert Closes: Sunday 22nd February 2026

Panel Sift: w/c 02nd March 2026    

Panel Interview: w/c 16th March 2026    

Please note that the timeline for this campaign is indicative and therefore subject to change.

The members of the advisory assessment panel are:

Panel Co-Chair: Professor Sir Ian Chapman (UKRI CEO)

Panel Co-Chair: Eleanor Taylor (DSIT Director, Science, R&I)

UKRI Representative: Baroness Deborah Bull (UKRI NED)

Independent Panel Member: Julia Black (President Nuffield College, Oxford)

AHRC Senior Independent Member: Emma Kane (Head of EMEA and Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer of SEC Newgate)

Please note that the role-holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for this role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.          

How to apply

Your application should be submitted by 23:55 on Sunday 22nd February 2026. Applications received after this date will not be considered.

Please submit your application via the UKRI Careers site. You will need to supply:

• a CV
• a statement of suitability

You should aim for your CV and statement of suitability to be no longer than two to three pages each. Your statement of suitability should provide the following:

• specific information about why you believe you would be suitable for appointment into the AHRC Executive Chair role and your vision for the role if successful.
• Think about your knowledge, skills, experience, personal attributes, and take full advantage of the space available. 
• Use practical examples where possible and ensure you refer to the essential criteria for this role.

Should you have any problem with submitting your application via the UKRI Careers Portal, please do send an email to [email protected] with ‘AHRC Executive Chair’ in the subject heading. A member of our team will then be in touch.

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.

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, any candidate who opts into the scheme and best meets the essential criteria, will be shortlisted for interview. 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.

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.