Job Description

UKRI
Salary: £37,841 per annum.
Band: UKRI Band D.
Contract Type: Fixed Term (23 Months).
Hours: Full-time/Part Time (minimum 0.8 FTE) (flexible working available).
Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire - Hybrid working available (Minimum 2 days per week in office).

Closing Date: Sunday 16th August 2026.

Interviews: Week Commencing Monday 24th August 2026.

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 and associated guidance 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.

Horizon Europe at UKRI

The Horizon Europe Team supports the UK’s involvement in the EU’s key research and innovation programme – Horizon Europe. As part of UKRI, we work with partners across the UK government and our collaborators to maximise UK engagement in Horizon Europe.

The Horizon Europe Guarantee Team ensures that the UK Research and Innovation sector remains supported via underwrite funding for Horizon Europe calls not covered by the Horizon Europe association deal announced by the UK government on September 7th 2023

About the role

As a Horizon Europe National Contact Point (NCP) for the European Research Council (ERC), you will provide operational delivery and applicant-facing support for Horizon Europe funding opportunities. Reporting to the Lead ERC NCP, the role contributes to the delivery of consistent, high-quality advice and engagement activities for the UK research and innovation community.

The NCP roles are based in the UK with an expectation of regular travel to Europe and some ad hoc travel to UK locations, ensuring in-person engagement with the European research and policy environment and UKRI partners through networking at information sessions and workshop events. Therefore, the job holder will be required to work flexibly to fulfil engagement activities.

This is a critical role to support a range of NCP services and the increased demand from the community for Horizon Europe. The role also offers the opportunity to shape UK access to and influence the area you will be supporting within the programme. This role is suitable for candidates’ developing expertise in international research funding and stakeholder engagement and policy, with a clear development pathway to more senior NCP roles.

Responsibilities:

• Provide accurate, timely advice to applicants on funding calls related to the area you will be supporting, rules and processes within assigned programme areas, raising complex queries where required.
• Support, and where appropriate lead, the planning and delivery of engagement activities such as information session webinars, briefings and workshops.
• Respond to customer enquiries and provide clear and detailed, customer-focused guidance.
• Maintain awareness of work programmes, call and policy updates and guidance materials.
• Support the collection, analysis and presentation of data on UK participation and partner engagement.
• Contribute to internal and external briefings, data, reports, and written guidance.
• Work collaboratively with UKRI colleagues to ensure consistent messaging and service delivery.

Personal Specification

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

Essential

• Educated to degree level or able to demonstrate equivalent experience (S).
• Good knowledge of Horizon Europe and UKRI funding programmes, and a willingness/ability to rapidly acquire specific programme knowledge, including rules, processes and applicant guidance (S&I).
• Ability to provide accurate, timely advice to applicants across the grant lifecycle, solving problems and making decisions whilst raising complex cases where required (S&I).
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to produce clear written information and present guidance confidently to a range of audiences (S&I).
• Good organisational and time management skills, supporting the prioritisation, planning, organisation and delivery of a diverse and high quality portfolios of projects at place, including events, enquiries, and updates to public-facing information (S&I).
• Good analytical skills with the ability to gather, interpret and present information or data to support policy and process briefings, reports and decision-making (S&I).
• Sound judgement in handling information and liaising diplomatically with a wide range of partners, including adherence to UKRI and the European Commission mandated confidentiality and conflict of interest standards (S&I).
• Ability to build positive working relationships and work with colleagues and external stakeholders across the UK research community, supporting liaison with as required with Commission services, Executive Agencies, the UK Horizon Europe network of NCPs, and European NCP networks (S&I).
  

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

Please note, if you will require sponsorship to work in the UK, as part of your sponsorship application, you and any dependants travelling with you, will be required to pay costs directly to The Home Office for the application before you start your role with us. UKRI is normally able to reimburse some, or all of these fees after you have become an employee and this can be discussed with the Hiring Manager. For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs or 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.

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.