ABOUT US

Are you passionate about research? Are you keen to work with researchers, business and Government to help support excellent research that delivers real impact for the economy and society?
Research Portfolio Managers assist with the development and delivery of ideas for future activities and build relationships with stakeholders within universities and industry to ensure we fund research of the highest quality to implement new, innovative research programmes. Portfolio managers also play a key role in managing our funding competitions.
We are looking for Research Portfolio Managers across our Research Base, Cross Council Programmes and Partnerships Directorate.
The Research Base Directorate leads on our support for discovery research, creating a diverse, inclusive and supportive environment to provide a variety of career pathways in research and innovations. Teams within this directorate cover the remits of Advanced Materials, Engineering, Information and Communication Technologies, Mathematical Sciences and Physical Sciences. The Infrastructure and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and People teams also contribute to delivering this part of EPSRC’s mission.
The Cross-Council Programmes Directorate leads on promoting a positive culture of cross-council working that builds on the disciplinary strengths in the research base and the strengths of our partnerships. Research Portfolio Managers working in this directorate can expect to be placed in teams covering cross-Council priorities including AI and Robotics, Digital Security and Resilience, Energy and Decarbonisation, Healthcare Technologies, Manufacturing and the Circular Economy and Quantum Technologies.
The Partnerships Directorate leads and developing and managing our relationships with business, our international and regional engagement activities, public engagement and cross-cutting work on impact.
EPSRC is a team-based organisation, and no team or directorate works in silo. An important part of your role will be to work with others to deliver results.
We recognise and value employees as individuals and aim to provide a pay and rewards package that motivates staff to perform to the best of their ability. The reward package includes a flexible working scheme, a Career Average Revalued Earnings pension scheme, 30 days annual leave allowance and a number of other benefits.

PURPOSE

As an EPSRC Portfolio Manager, you will work with the Engineering and Physical Sciences research community to achieve EPSRC’s aim to put the UK at the forefront of international research.
You will be given responsibility for one of EPSRC’s portfolios and will help develop ideas for future activities in a strongly team-based organisation as well as working with other Government Departments and Councils within UKRI. This role will broaden your skills by giving you the opportunity to manage your own projects and activities. Interaction with stakeholders especially in universities is important part of the role.
Your role will be varied, building relationships with universities and industry, managing our decision-making processes and policy development activities to ensure we fund research of the highest quality, and planning and implementing community events to foster new, innovative, research programmes.
You will help to develop and structure ideas for future activities in a strongly team-based organisation as well as working with other Government Departments and other Councils within UKRI.
This role will broaden your skills by giving you the opportunity to manage your own projects and activities. Travel in the UK will be required in most roles.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES WILL INCLUDE:

• Gathering, understanding and integrating internal and external information about the research and innovation landscape and the EPSRC portfolio.
• Operation of peer review and other formal decision-making processes.
• Working with external stakeholders to manage strategic relationships with key influencers in universities and business through representing EPSRC in external networks and meetings.
• Working across teams to ensure cross portfolio understanding and joint initiatives as appropriate.
• Working across teams within EPSRC and across UKRI to ensure cross portfolio understanding and joint initiatives as appropriate as well as implementing strategy and other programmes of work.
• Monitoring, evaluating and reporting on activities and investments to feed into planning.
• Supporting senior colleagues with development of projects and implementation of plans, coordinating and operating processes supporting delivery across EPSRC.
  We will consider high calibre graduates with a research background (or those with equivalent education, training, or professional development) who can demonstrate the potential to succeed. You will be a creative thinker who can work effectively independently and with colleagues, be an excellent communicator and manage your time effectively.