Role: Senior Policy Engagement Manager (UKRI Band E)
Salary: £46,743 per annum
Contract Type: Open ended – programme funding currently runs until 31 March 2031.
Hours: Full-time/ Part Time (minimum 0.8 FTE) (flexible working available)
Location: Hybrid working available. Office base, Swindon, regular travel to London office required.
Closing Date: 31st March 2026
Please Note: applications for this role must be made through the UKRI recruitment portal, applications via LinkedIn will not be reviewed.
This is an exciting opportunity to bring together and shape a rapidly developing area of work in one of UKRI’s most important investments in research infrastructure, ADR UK. We are currently moving into our new funding period following a successful investment bid of £168 million, with a key focus ensuring our work informs policy for public good.
This is an opportunity for an experienced communications, engagement, policy or impact lead, with a strong understanding of the policy landscape, to shape a new role. This role will bring together and build on work that has taken place across the ADR UK team to communicate with and engage policymakers - those in Westminster and beyond - and policy influencers with the work of ADR UK and our research outputs.
This role is critical for developing the strategic direction of this workstream to ensure we deliver on our mission to ‘enable government policy to be informed by the best evidence available’.
You’ll be organised, flexible and collaborative, as comfortable leading a project alone as working as part of the team on a wider programme of work. You will be happy to get stuck in to identify and run specific projects to further our policy impact, as well as keeping oversight of and reporting on the policy impact of our wider network (i.e. research fellows or partners). Identifying, measuring and reporting our impact is anticipated to take place through a range of methods to be developed by the successful candidate.
ADR UK is a well-paced, supportive environment with ambitious future plans, offering an exciting opportunity for someone looking to take on a role they can own and shape.
Please note that the ADR UK programme funding currently runs until 31 March 2031. Details can be discussed further at interview stage.
About ADR UK
ADR UK (Administrative Data Research UK) is a partnership transforming the way researchers access the UK’s wealth of public sector data.
By linking together data held by different parts of government, and by facilitating safe and secure access for accredited researchers, ADR UK is creating a sustainable body of knowledge about how our society and economy function. The resulting datasets are tailored to give decision makers the answers they need to solve important policy questions.
The partnership is coordinated by a UK-wide Strategic Hub, where this role will be located, which also communicates the benefits of administrative data research to the public, the wider research community, and policymakers and influencers. The Strategic Hub is embedded within ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council).
Shortlisting and Interview Criteria (Person Specification)
* Strategic planning:Bring a strategic approach to your work, connecting the dots between ADR UK’s policy impact objectives and the opportunities available to us to produce a compelling strategic approach to guide this area of our work. (S&I)
* Management and organisational skills:Effective management, planning, and organisational skills across time-bound activities such as projects or campaigns, including working collaboratively with others to lead or participate in shared projects. (S&I)
* Partnership management expertise:Proven experience in building and managing partnerships, including within a policy engagement context (or transferable sector). (S&I)
* Political awareness and institutional understanding:Political awareness and understanding of the context in which UKRI and ADR UK operates. Knowledge of the functioning of UK Parliament, Whitehall, Devolved Governments, and the policymaking process. (S&I)
* Evaluation and monitoring:Experience monitoring the outcomes and impact of workstreams and/or specifically research programmes, to monitor, report on, and tell the story of outcomes and impact to internal and external audiences. (S&I)
* Communication:Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the experience to adapt communication style for different audiences and translate complex information into compelling narratives, including policy briefs. (S&I)
* Continuous Learning:Commitment to staying informed about industry trends, content marketing best practices, and emerging technologies in the data landscape. (S)
* Creative content production:Familiarity with using content templates through software such as Canva or Adobe Creative Suite to create branded content that looks professional (i.e. for social media posts and/or event materials). Familiarity or willingness to develop skills with producing content such as short-form videos or podcasts to contribute to wider team shared projects. (S)
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! Benefits include:
* 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.
Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.
Find out more about the role and start your application:
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