Chief of Strategy

UKRI; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - GBP 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative research organization in Bristol is seeking a Chief of Strategy to enhance its strategic capacity and lead organizational change. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in shaping and delivering organizational strategy, excellent problem-solving skills, and a strong focus on data-driven decision-making. This senior role offers the opportunity to significantly impact UK research and innovation through collaboration with key stakeholders, executive oversight, and strategy implementation.

Benefits

Flexible working

30 days annual leave + Public Holidays

Access to Civil Service Pension Scheme

Discounts through dedicated provider

Qualifications

• Proven track record in shaping and delivering organisational strategy.
• Experience in leading organisational change in complex environments.
• Ability to build trust at senior levels across various sectors.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and implementation of Research England’s long-term strategy.
• Shape organisation’s strategic posture for long-term impact.
• Ensure alignment between strategic intent and operational activities.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Building relationships

Change management

Leadership skills

Data analysis

Education

Experience in senior leadership roles

Understanding of UK research and funding landscape

Job description

LOCATION:Bristol(with flexible / hybrid working options)

CONTRACT TYPE:Open Ended (Permanent)

HOURS: Full Time

GRADE:UKRI Band X

CLOSING DATE:

ABOUT RESEARCH ENGLAND

Research England is a council of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), responsible for funding and supporting research and knowledge exchange in higher education institutions across England. We shape the conditions for a vibrant, globally competitive research and innovation system that supports national prosperity, societal advancement, and the public good.

Research England also leads several cross-cutting functions on behalf of UKRI and acts to enable these in delivering UKRI’s mission to advance knowledge, improve lives and drive growth.

We work in close partnership with UKRI, government, universities, and other stakeholders to ensure the sector is equipped to address national priorities, respond to emerging challenges, and drive long-term impact.

ABOUT THE ROLE

This is a newly created, senior executive leadership role, designed to enhance the strategic capacity of Research England and position the organisation for the future. The role supports a number of high-priority projects and programmes responding to challenges facing higher education institutions in England and leads organisational change within the wider context of UKRI strategy and direction, including the integration of additional responsibilities and functions into Research England’s governance and operating models.

In addition to leading strategic development, the postholder will hold executive responsibility for translating strategy into organisational design, change delivery, and sustained implementation across Research England. The role combines system-level strategic leadership with ownership of organisational change and transformation, including accountability for shaping and delivering a future-state operating model aligned to UKRI strategy.

As Chief of Strategy, you will work closely with the Executive Chair, Research England Council, and Senior Leadership Team to lead the development and embedding of Research England’s long-term strategic direction, while also supporting key projects that address sector-wide issues. This role goes beyond high-level vision-setting: it is about shaping the system we operate in, aligning internal and external agendas, and enabling strategic delivery at scale.

The role combines thought leadership with practical delivery, embedding strategic thinking into the core of the organisation, connecting it to real-world execution, and strengthening Research England’s voice and influence across the sector.

TEAM AND STRUCTURE

The role will establish and lead a small, focused strategic function bringing together strategy, insight, and organisational planning capability. This will include a new senior strategy role reporting into the Chief of Strategy. The precise configuration, resourcing, and line management arrangements of this team will be developed following appointment, taking account of existing capabilities across Research England and UKRI, and with a view to minimising duplication and disruption.

The Chief of Strategy will take a phased and proportionate approach to organisational change, recognising the wider leadership context and the need for continuity and stability. Initial focus will be on priority areas where strategic coordination and change leadership add the greatest value, while laying foundations for longer-term capability development and leadership succession.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership and Organisational Direction:

• Lead the development and implementation of Research England’s long-term strategy, ensuring clarity of purpose and alignment with the wider UKRI mission.
• Shape the organisation’s strategic posture and evolution, enabling agility, foresight, and long-term impact in a changing environment.
• Lead Research England’s organisational change agenda, working in close partnership with the Executive Chair, Senior Leadership Team, and UKRI Professional Services.
• Provide strategic leadership, coordination, and delivery oversight for change programmes, operating within agreed governance arrangements and respecting existing accountabilities for corporate, people, digital, and financial transformation.
• Work with the Executive Chair, Senior Leadership Team, and Council to ensure strategic priorities are coherent, credible, and forward-looking.
• Translate strategic direction into organisational planning and delivery frameworks that support sustained impact and accountability.

Execution and Organisational Alignment:

• Drive strategic coordination across directorates to ensure alignment between strategic intent and operational activity.
• Identify and remove barriers to progress across teams, ensuring clarity of decision-making and consistency of delivery.
• Lead the governance of major strategic programmes and transformation efforts, supporting colleagues to deliver with purpose and pace.
• Foster a culture of outcome-focused leadership and shared responsibility at the senior level.
• Be accountable not only for the design of strategic and organisational change, but for ensuring it is implemented effectively and embedded into business-as-usual operations, overseeing the full lifecycle of priority initiatives from concept through to delivery and benefits realisation.

Strategic Insight, Evidence and Foresight:

• Build Research England’s strategic insight capability across directorates, drawing on data, research, and foresight to inform decisions, shape policy, and strengthen funding strategies.
• Develop and oversee a comprehensive approach to strategic intelligence, including horizon scanning, scenario planning, and impact evaluation.
• Oversee coordination of strategic investment planning and appraisal, benefits realisation, and outcomes assessment to ensure alignment with Research England’s mission and wider UKRI strategy.
• Ensure Research England has the internal capability and external partnerships needed to operate as an evidence-led, insight-rich organisation.
• Embed strategic thinking and the use of evidence into business planning and decision-making at all levels.

Data and Evidence Strategy:

• Strengthen the organisation’s ability to generate, analyse, and apply data and evidence to inform strategic decision-making, investment planning, outcomes evaluation, and policy development.
• Integrate data and evidence functions to strengthen coordination, governance, and the organisation’s ability to demonstrate impact and value to stakeholders, including working with external partners where appropriate.

External Influence and System Engagement:

• Deputise for the Executive Chair and represent Research England at the highest levels across UKRI, government, funding bodies, and the wider research and innovation community.
• Shape and maintain influential relationships with senior stakeholders, ensuring alignment between organisational goals and system-wide priorities.
• Ensure Research England’s voice is connected, credible, and influential in national and sector-wide forums, coordinating external engagement and communication activities.
• Champion collaboration and coherence across institutions, agencies, and departments to drive collective impact.

Leadership Support and Delegated Authority:

• Represent Research England in senior strategic and leadership forums with delegated authority from the Executive Chair.
• Oversee priority projects requiring cross-organisational coordination, enabling the Executive Chair to focus on system-wide leadership.
• Oversee the full lifecycle of high-impact initiatives, ensuring alignment with organisational strategy, stakeholder expectations, and sector needs.
• Strengthen the cohesion and effectiveness of the Senior Leadership Team through strategic alignment and operational oversight.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

(S) – Assessed at shortlisting

(I) – Assessed at interview

(S&I) –Assessed at shortlisting&interview

Experience and Knowledge:

• A strong track record of shaping and delivering organisational strategy, ideally with exposure to system-wide transformation. (S&I)
• Demonstrable experience of holding executive accountability for organisational change and transformation, including operating within complex governance environments. (I)
• Experience of developing and managing data, evidence, and insights to enhance system performance and results reporting. (S)
• Deep understanding of the UK research and innovation landscape, including funding, policy, and public value. (S)
• Extensive knowledge of sector challenges, with a strong grasp of Research England’s role, priorities, and work programmes. (S)
• Specialist senior expertise in university financial, administrative, and research management environments, including REF requirements and sector data usage. (S&I)

Skills and Capabilities:

• Outstanding strategic thinker with the ability to navigate complexity and distil it into clear direction. (I)
• Highly skilled at building trust and relationships at senior levels across government, academia, and funding bodies. (S&I)

Leadership Style and Attributes:

• Leads through influence and shared purpose, empowers others, and adapts confidently in complex, evolving environments. (I)

WHY JOIN US?

• Take on a newly created executive role at the heart of the UK’s research and innovation system.
• Work alongside the Executive Chair and senior colleagues to shape the future of Research England.
• Lead strategy, transformation, and insight in a nationally significant organisation.
• Operate at the interface of research, policy, and investment with real influence on public funding and national capability.
• Be part of a values-led leadership team committed to excellence, equity, and the public good.

INCENTIVES

UKRI can offer the successful candidate:

- Flexible Working

- 30 days annual leave + Public Holidays

- Access to Civil Service Pension Scheme

- Various everyday discounts through our dedicated provider

We encourage you to use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) in your cover letter to clearlydemonstratehow your experience meets each of the ‘person specification’ criteria outlined in the job description. For examples of the STAR method, please visit: The STAR method | National Careers Service’.

Please ensure your CV and cover letter are no longer than two A4 pages each, using a minimum font size of 11. Oncesubmitted, your application cannot be edited via ourcareerswebsite; however, if youencounterany issues or need to update your documents, please contact us at [e-mail].

OTHER INFORMATION

Ifyou'dlike to have an informal chat about the role before applying, you're welcome toget in touch withus at [e-mail]

About Us

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 atwww.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.

About the Team

Research England is one of the nine Councils within UK Research and Innovation. As a key component of the research funding system, Research England will oversee UKRI’s England-only functions in relation to university research and knowledge exchange (KE). This includes providing grant funding to English universities for related activities; developing and implementing the Research Excellence Framework in partnership with the UK Higher Education funding bodies; supervising the sustainability of the Higher Education research base in England; guide the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund; and coordinate the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF). Research England will build and sustain the conditions for a healthy and dynamic research and KE system in English universities. They also work closely with their counterparts in the Devolved Administrations.

Research England is one of the nine Councils within UK Research and Innovation. As a key component of the research funding system, Research England will oversee UKRI’s England-only functions in relation to university research and knowledge exchange (KE). This includes providing grant funding to English universities for related activities; developing and implementing the Research Excellence Framework in partnership with the UK Higher Education funding bodies; supervising the sustainability of the Higher Education research base in England; guide the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund; and coordinate the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF). Research England will build and sustain the conditions for a healthy and dynamic research and KE system in English universities. They also work closely with their counterparts in the Devolved Administrations.
For more information about Research England, click here .