About the Role

UKRI was founded in 2018 with a vision to drive ground-breaking research and innovation throughout the UK, whether in world-class universities, pioneering research institutes, or dynamic businesses and start-ups. By harnessing its combined strength and cross-cutting capabilities, UKRI is a key delivery partner for Government’s five missions and eight industrial strategy sectors.

At the heart of UKRI’s mission to “advance knowledge, improve lives, drive growth” is its Board, a collective of experts and leaders drawn from business, industry, and academia, each bringing invaluable experience to guide UKRI forwards. The Board is not only a guardian of governance and accountability, but its members work together to set priorities, challenge assumptions, and ensure UKRI remains responsive to the changing needs of the research and innovation landscape and delivers for citizens.

We are seeking to appoint a new Non-Executive Board Member with strong financial credentials and experience. This individual will play a vital role in strengthening the Board’s financial expertise both directly in Board meetings and through representation on, and potentially, eventual leadership of, the Board’s Audit and Risk Assurance Committee. As UKRI continues to work to stimulate enterprise growth and foster new ventures across the UK, we are especially keen to attract leaders with diverse and distinguished backgrounds from every region of the UK and beyond. The richness of experience and diversity within our Board is fundamental to UKRI’s success and its ability to deliver lasting impact.

Your Skills and Experience:

The UKRI Board is expected to provide clear strategic direction and oversight, promoting the importance of UK research and innovation, and supporting the senior leadership team of the organisation to embed effective ways of working across UKRI. We are seeking to complement the current Board by appointing a new Non-Executive member that can demonstrate the following experiences and attributes.

Essential Criteria

• Proven accounting qualifications alongside experience of working in finance and/or risk management with an ability to ensure effective governance and risk management frameworks are in place. 

• Knowledge: a clear understanding of the work, priorities and challenges of UKRI and the context within which it operates 

• Leadership: the ability to set strategic vision and drive forward UKRI’s priorities

One or more of the following would also be welcome: 

• Extensive experience engaging with or within the devolved nations, with a strong understanding of their structures, policy frameworks, and operational dynamics.

• Previous experience serving on an Audit Committee, ideally as Chair, with a strong grasp of governance, risk, and assurance functions. 

• Track record of leading or overseeing major research and development (R&D) programmes, particularly those with long-term impact. 

• Experience collaborating with Government on the development and implementation of science policy, including navigating political and regulatory environments. 

• Background in the life sciences, with insight into the sector’s challenges, opportunities, and regulatory landscape.

For a copy of the candidate pack including ministerial foreword please contact us at [email protected]  

Terms of Appointment

Appointment Term: An initial period of up to 4 years

Remuneration: £9,180 per annum based on a day rate of £459. Please note, remuneration and expenses are taxable. 

Time Commitment: 20 days per annum

Location: Board meetings take place in London and Swindon and are attended in person. It is also the case that up to three meetings per year will take place in other locations across the UK.

Nature of Appointment: This is a Public Appointment by the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology. The post holder would be an officeholder and would not be an employee of UKRI.

Availability: Successful candidates will be encouraged to take up their appointment as soon as possible, following the successful completion of pre-appointment checks and security clearance. Please note, UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the individual’s time with the organisation. 

Timescales and Selection

The selection process will consist of an interview and presentation. There may also be further fireside discussions that take place as the process evolves. 

Interviews will take place in London.

The timeline for this campaign is indicative and therefore subject to change.

How to Apply

Your application should be submitted in two parts.

Both parts must be submitted by 23:55 on Sunday 15th February 2026 in order for your application to be considered complete. Applications received after this date will not be considered.

Part One: CV and Statement of Suitability

Please submit your application via the UKRI Careers Portal 

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 specific information about why you believe you would be suitable for appointment into a UKRI Non-Executive Board Member role and a flavour of what you would want to do in this role, if successful. Think about your knowledge, skills, experience, personal attributes, and vision for the organisation, and take full advantage of the space available. Use practical examples where possible and ensure you refer to the essential criteria for this role. Again, please aim for no more than 2 to 3 A4 pages.

Should you have any problem with submitting your application via the UKRI Careers Site, please do send an email to [email protected] with ‘UKRI Non-Executive Board Member” in the subject heading. A member of our team will then be in touch.

Part Two: Diversity Monitoring Form

Please also complete a Diversity Monitoring Form as part of your application at this link: Diversity Monitoring Form. On following the link, you will be asked to set up an account and provide your equality and outside interests information. Your application will not be considered without this.

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.