Senior Governance and Risk Manager

Senior Governance and Risk Manager

Research England

Salary: £46,743 

Contract Type: Fixed term contract - 12 months

Hours: Full-time

Location: Westward House, Lime Kiln Close, Stoke Gifford, Bristol, BS34 8SR 

Closing date: 31st October 2026

Are you looking for a new challenge? An opportunity to work on a major, high-profile, project in a close-knit team and a fast-paced environment? Do you want to use your knowledge and skills in an agile way across a broad range of focus areas, learning new things and innovating along the way? Do you want to learn about the UK’s different funding bodies, and work with some of the most highly respected people across the UK’s research community? Then this may be the opportunity for you!

DUTIES OF THE ROLE

Governance

• Support the delivery of an effective Secretariat function, including high-quality minute-taking.

• Manage the induction and onboarding of new Research England (RE) council members.

• Manage RE governance processes, including gifts and hospitality declaration process and conflict of interest process (including annual review of conflicts of interest).

Risk

• Develop, implement and promote relevant governance, risk, assurance, and information governance guidance and processes (ensuring alignment with wider UKRI policies).

• Contribute to the effective implementation of the RE risk management framework, including maintaining risk registers, managing the operational risk management framework, collating risk reports, coordination of risk training, managing the implementation of risk maturity actions, and coordination of the Executive Accountability Exercise.

Information Management

• Coordinate responses to complaints, Freedom of Information requests, Subject Access Requests, information requests and other requests.

• Conduct an annual review of the RE Information Asset Register.

• Support the Head of Funding and Assurance in the management and allocation of RE budgets, including working with the UKRI Finance team, programme managers and finance systems.

Funding and Assurance

• Support the implementation of the RE funding assurance programme, including progression of RE audit work, resolution of queries, and liaison with relevant colleagues in relation to funding adjustments.

Reporting lines

• Line managed by Head of Governance and Risk. 

• Currently no line management responsibilities associated with this role.

This role requires weekly attendance at our Bristol office.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

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

Essential

• Graduate or equivalent qualifications or relevant experience (S).

• Experience providing or supporting a successful Secretariat function, including ability to produce accurate, high-quality minutes (S&I).

• A high level of numeracy with a good understanding of budgetary control (S&I).

• Experience developing and maintaining robust operational guidance and processes (S&I).

• An ability to communicate in a succinct, engaging, accurate and convincing way, producing materials that are straightforward and clearly articulated for external and internal audiences as appropriate (S&I).

• Proven ability to build effective relationships with people of all levels both internally and externally (S&I).

• Excellent organisational skills (S&I).

• Attention to detail with an ability to produce work with a high level of accuracy (S&I).

• 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 drive change and continuous improvement (S&I).

• An understanding of how a public sector policy or funding organisation operates (I).

Benefits

UKRI values their employees by offering a benefits package designed to provide an excellent work/life balance including 30 days’ annual leave, 10.5 public and privilege holidays, flexible working hours, exceptional average salary pension scheme, social and sporting activities and societies and a subsidised restaurant.

As one of Europe’s largest research organisations, this is a place where there’s always something new to learn about the world around us, about your career, but most of all, about yourself. Join us and discover what’s possible.

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 UK 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 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.