Job Description

UKRI
Salary: £58,589 per annum.
Band: UKRI Band F.
Contract Type: Open ended.
Hours: Full-time/ Part Time. (minimum 0.8 FTE) (flexible working available)
Location: Polaris House, Swindon - Hybrid Working – Minimum 2 days per week in the office.

Closing Date: Thursday 23rd April 2026.

About the Role

The Workplace Investigations Lead will be responsible for ensuring that UKRI operates in line with best practice to develop, maintain and deliver a professional investigation service. The role supports the effective and professional enforcement of UKRI policies through investigations and alternative informal processes and initiatives that enable good outcomes and maintain UKRI’s reputational standing.

The role has direct line management responsibility for four members of staff, will lead a pool of trained investigators embedded in UKRI teams as well as use of third-party investigators. The postholder will ensure proper use of investigation resources as well as ensuring timely investigations that are relied upon for decision making.

The investigations will cover concerns raised in relation our policies on:

• Grievances, Bullying & Harassment & Discrimination.
• Whistleblowing.
• Health and Safety.
• Safeguarding, Complaints, Managing Performance and Conduct.
• Research Integrity.
• Modern Slavery.
• Research Misconduct.

The Workplace Investigations Lead is a subject matter expert with significant experience of leading investigations work. Each investigation will require the Lead to agree a tailored terms of reference reflecting the specific circumstances of the concern with the decision maker for the case. They will supervise the delivery of investigations including sign-off on investigation plans, performing quality assurance of working papers, and review of draft and final reports before issue. They will work with team members to ensure that reports meet their expectations and that the actions from investigations are taken forward.

The Workplace Investigations Lead will need insightful business awareness with the ability to understand and analyse complex information to: assess and manage risk; make sound evidence- based judgements; implement the policies and standards of UKRI.

This is a new senior position playing a key role in the implementation of a new function for the organisation bringing together investigations activities into one team. This is also leadership role that will be expected to facilitate new ways of working across the organisation, to provide a highly regarded joined-up investigations service for UKRI.

Your responsibilities:

• Lead the triage of complex concerns received into the Digital Front Door and complex case management meetings.
• Ensure investigation processes operate effectively in within corporate expectations, legal and regulatory requirements, and guidelines. Support the development and implementation of procedures and guidance, conducting necessary consultation and recommending corrective and future action.
• Responsible for providing effective highly regarded technical case direction and decision-making in relation to complex cases, maintaining effective relationships with Legal, HR and other collaborators.
• Handle overall investigation resources to the best possible outcomes.
• Quality assurance and authorisation of updates, investigation reports, and advice. Ensure that risks and issues arising from investigations are identified and brought to the attention of key stakeholders for action.
• Accountable for ensuring that reporting is proportionate, fair, and consistent, in line with good investigative practice and with outcomes that function as a credible deterrent.
• Line management and supervision of the workplace investigations team and the pool of trained workplace investigators. Lead and coordinate the work of a team of investigators, a pool of workplace investigators and third-party providers.
• Supervise and lead deployed resources to ensure delivery of a high quality and controlled investigations service.
• Build excellent relationships with a diverse set of collaborators (internal and external) to support the delivery of investigations, providing effective engagement in both the Directorate and across the organisation, acting as a role model for our values and behaviours.
• Responsible for delivery of continuous improvement in operational processes, talent recruitment and development and service excellence to achieve best practice processes and outcomes for investigations.
• Lead the team in applying the highest standards of integrity, maintaining confidentiality, and operating appropriately in highly sensitive and potentially politically complex situations.
• Lead the preparation and delivery of regular updates, reports, and professional guidance to stakeholders to support decision making.
• Responsible for fostering effective understanding of risks and issues arising from investigations are identified and shared with relevant partners across UKRI and lessons are learned.
  

Key Skills

• Excellent people skills, able to influence and build and maintain strong working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders at all levels.
• Able to demonstrate consistently high standards of integrity, and ability to maintain confidentiality and operate appropriately in highly sensitive and complex situations.
• Strong integrity, able to operate with a high level of sensitivity and confidentiality.
• Able to demonstrate strong analytical skills and judgement.
• Enthusiastic, motivated, adaptable, and proactive with the ability to work flexibly in a changing environment.
• Ability to innovate and challenge established thinking in self and others, and to offer insights and ideas with practical application coupled with the ability to inspire change.
• Insightful business awareness with the ability to understand and analyse changing business context and landscape to assess and handle risk, capitalise on emerging opportunities, make sound evidence-based judgements, promote the interests of UKRI and research and innovation.
• Ability to instil confidence within stakeholders at the most senior levels, acting as a trusted advisor.
• Experience of handling budgets and relationships with third-party service providers.

Knowledge

Strong understanding of prevailing governance standards and public sector rules including but not limited to:

• Managing Public Money.
• Gov 13 Functional Standard on Fraud and all standards that apply to UKRI functional work.
• Public Interest Disclosure Act and its implementation.
• ACAS Code of Practice.
• Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Complaints Handling Standards.

Personal Specification

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

Essential

• Investigations training from an accredited provider, or equivalent. Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development. (S)
• Strong experience in developing and implementing effective case handling and investigation strategies and frameworks in an organisation. (I)
• Strong experience of collaborating with executive teams, operating as a trusted advisor providing expert professional guidance to senior management and able to influence decision making. (S&I)
• Ability to effectively innovate and constructively challenge established thinking in self and others, and to offer insights and ideas with practical application coupled with the ability to influence and drive change. (I)
• Sound leadership skills with a proven ability to inspire, motivate and develop capability within a team, and across matrixed areas, to deliver quality outcomes. (S&I)
• Ability to manage multiple teams, balancing needs and requirements as well as encouraging closer alignment and team working overall. (S&I)
• Experience of working effectively with internal and external agencies including the PHSO, Public Sector Fraud Authority, or others relevant to your work experience. (S)

Benefits

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package. We 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)

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. 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.

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.