AMS PSR

On behalf of UKRI, we are looking for a Interim Managing Director - (Inside IR35) for a 6-month contract working on a remote basis with an expectation of travel and also with an expectation of occasional attendance in the London office

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is the national funding agency investing in science and research in the UK.

UKRI invests £8 billion of taxpayers’ money each year into research and innovation and the people who make it happen. They work across a huge range of fields – from biodiversity conservation to quantum computing, and from space telescopes to innovative health care. They give everyone the opportunity to contribute and to benefit, bringing together people and organisations nationally and globally to create, develop and deploy new ideas and technologies.

Role Purpose

The Interim Managing Director will provide high‑impact, time‑bound leadership to activate and operationalise the Innovate UK Prospectus, translating strategic intent into a single, integrated and high‑performing delivery system.

Accountable for end‑to‑end operational delivery across funding, business growth, loans, place, ecosystem, digital and customer services, the role will bring pace, clarity and alignment to currently fragmented services. The post holder will embed strong governance, performance discipline and effective stewardship of public money, while improving efficiency, customer experience and delivery outcomes.

Working closely with the senior leadership team, the Interim Managing Director will act as a trusted partner to the Executive Chair, UKRI and Government, driving rapid and visible progress.

As a Interim Managing Director - (Inside IR35) your main responsibilities will be:

• Lead and stabilise end to end operational delivery across Innovate UK’s core service portfolio, ensuring cohesion, consistency and performance.
• Translate the Innovate UK Prospectus into a clear, coherent operating model with defined accountabilities and delivery ownership.
• Embed robust governance, assurance and performance management frameworks, including the establishment of clear OKRs and KPIs.
• Drive operational efficiency, improved customer experience and measurable impact across services.
• Strengthen audit readiness, financial control and stewardship of public funds.
• Enable effective use of digital and data systems to support insight led decision making and delivery.
• Work in close partnership with the SLT to sequence and deliver change at pace without destabilising live services.
• Build, align and lead a cohesive, delivery focused senior leadership team.
• Provide confident senior leadership and constructive challenge, acting as a credible and trusted interface with UKRI, Government departments and external stakeholders.

Key Outcomes

• A unified, high performing operational delivery system aligned to strategic intent.
• Clear governance, performance discipline and assurance embedded across the organisation.
• Improved service efficiency, customer experience and delivery outcomes.
• Stabilised operations with strengthened leadership, systems and controls.
• Tangible progress achieved within the interim period

Essential:

• Proven people leadership experience,
• Demonstrated experience within a strategic leadership and organisational role
• Strong track record of setting, owning and delivering against strategic objectives and measurable outcomes.
• Highly personable and credible leader, capable of building trust, confidence and engagement across all levels of the organisation.
• Extensive stakeholder engagement experience
• Demonstrable experience of leading and governing large scale programmes
• Strongly results oriented and goal driven

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident 

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, UKRI guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant / Commitment

UKRI guarantees to interview veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".