CIO Group
Salary: £58,589 - £65,100 per annum.
Band: UKRI Band F.
Contract Type: Open ended.
Hours: Full-time. (minimum 0.8 FTE) (flexible working available)
Location: Swindon - Hybrid working available.
Closing Date: Thursday 5th March 2026
About the role
You will lead the product management discipline for UKRI, promoting its value to UKRI stakeholders and ensuring that we build the right things in the right way to create value for the business and our users. Balancing user needs, organisational strategy and technical delivery, you will support a discipline of both CIO Group and business product managers to create and manage clear roadmaps for both new and live UKRI digital services.
As the lead product manager you will report to the UKRI Head of Product and Design within the Digital and Funding Platforms group. You will support and oversee a portfolio of services across UKRI Digital and Funding platforms, working closely with the Head of Funding Platforms and their teams to identify, implement and improve strategies and tactics for their products. You will promote best practice and work closely with both Funding policy and business change teams to understand organisational constraints, business value and how to balance conflicting priorities.
Your responsibilities:
* Lead and drive the strategic roadmap for UKRI Funding Platforms.
* Provide product leadership in Funding Platform projects and services across the UKRI digital community, working closely with the Head of Product and Design.
* Work closely with user design teams to investigate problems and design solutions.
* Organise and lead design sprints and inception activities to understand value versus feasibility.
* Run the UKRI product management community of practice.
* Oversee a range of service delivery activities relevant to the Funding Platforms portfolio.
* Mentor product managers at all levels including business service owners and contractors.
Personal Specification
The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).
Essential
* Expert practitioner in product management with relevant qualifications. (S)
* Experience of delivering digital services to the GDS standard. (S&I)
* Evidence of the ability to manage, influence, challenge and coach team members. (S&I)
* Proven substantial experience of working with user centred design teams to solve business problems. (S&I)
* Evidence of delivering outcomes with defined benefits representing value for money. (I)
* Excellent communication and presentation skills. (I)
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
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 or contact
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
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.