Job Description

- Head of Design, Commercialisation and Innovation

Salary: £58,589
Grade: UKRI Band F

Contract Type: Fixed-term – (12 month parental cover)
Hours: Full Time (flexible/part-time working considered)
Closing date: 29 June 2026

Interviews: w/c 13th July 2026

If Fixed Term: Employees applying for any opportunity which may mean being away from your substantive role for a temporary period of time, please refer to the Recruitment Policy for further information in the first instance. If you are made an offer, please ensure you liaise with your Line Manager and the designated HR Team as soon as possible in order that implications of any move are clear and understood, prior to a move taking place.

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 You will be responsible for delivering key strategic investments and activities and shaping our future plans in line with UKRI and AHRC strategy.

You will head up a small team and work closely alongside our Creative Industries team, reporting to AHRC’s Associate Director for Creative Industries. 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 and programme development.

Responsibilities

Leadership and strategy

• Providing leadership, direction and momentum for the team’s portfolios in the context of UKRI’s R&D strategy for the creative and cultural economy and AHRC’s strategy and vision

• Coordinating the development and implementation of AHRC’s strategy for commercialisation

• Being an active and engaged member of our Senior Management Team.

Portfolio management

• Building and implementing mechanisms and processes to support effective the delivery of AHRC’s Design investments as components of the IS8 Creative Industries Programme

• Supervising our Future Observatory: Design the Green Transition investment, ensuring maximum impact from its second phase

• Managing AHRC’s relationship with the Design Council, to support strategic alignment, maximise impact and supervise our framework agreement, including the delivery of a year 2 gateway review

• Leading the ongoing development of a commercialisation and innovation portfolio for AHRC, taking into account organisational strategy and priorities

• Supporting good governance through oversight of appropriate MEL, reporting and risk management across the team’s remit

• Being responsible for programme budgets and ensuring good budget management.

Internal and external engagement

• Building links across UKRI to support delivery of the IS8 Creative Industries Programme and to encourage cross-disciplinary engagement with Design and arts and humanities innovation

• Playing a leading role in brokering and maintaining relationships with key partners and collaborators externally

• Working across Directorates to ensure commercialisation strategy is embedded and aligned to applicant-led commercialisation funding opportunities.

Team management

• Running a programme team, ensuring all members are supported to perform their roles well

• Informing ongoing resource planning to support the delivery of your portfolio 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

Essential

The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).

Qualifications

• undergraduate degree or equivalent experience

Knowledge/experience

• knowledge and understanding of the research funding landscape, including AHRC strategy and programmes and the DCI priorities and portfolio
• 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

• Critical 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
• problem-solving skills and an ability to work proactively and flexibly to achieve objectives.

Benefits

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package. UKRI are committed to supporting employees' development and promote a culture of continuous learning!

A list of benefits below:

• An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme.
• 30 days' annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent).
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
• Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice.
• Flexible working options.

Plus many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!

For further information on our benefits please see:
Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.

Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact Recruitment@ukri.org

UKRI - UK Research and Innovation

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.

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be rejected and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

As part of the pre-employment checks there is a requirement to undergo Baseline Personnel Security Screening. BPSS is a pre-condition of employment and failure to achieve it may mean that the employment offer is rescinded. UKRI reserves the right to run, or re-run, security clearance as required during the course of employment.