Associate Director - Missions
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
Salary: £70,752 per annum.
Band: UKRI Band G.
Contract Type: Open-ended.
Hours: Full-time/ Part Time. (minimum 0.8 FTE) (flexible working available)
Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire - Hybrid working available.
Closing Date: Friday 20 March 2026.
Roles Available: 5
About Us
The R&D Missions Accelerator Programme is the Government's flagship new Mission-led R&D programme to transform people's lives and drive economic growth.
The programme has a £500m budget to galvanise the private sector, third sector and academia to develop new innovative solutions to the biggest problems facing society today. The programme will catalyse cutting-edge research, technology, service solutions and IP aligned to the UK Government's five National Missions and deliver the milestones in the Plan for Change.
The programme is currently developing its approaches across the Missions. Joining at this stage presents a real opportunity to establish and drive the strategic and operational direction of the programme and set the agenda for the UK's approach to 2030.
Mission Specific Roles
Associate Director - Safer Streets
The Safer Streets Mission is an ambitious commitment by government to tackle some of society's most enduring and complex problems; halving violence against women and girls, halving knife crime, and restoring confidence in the policing and justice system within the next ten years.
You will lead on building an effective, dedicated coalition of Government, public services, industry and the private sector, charities, and the public themselves, in order to drive a sustainable step change in these areas.
To find out more and apply, please visit Associate Director - Safer Streets (R&D MAP)
Associate Director - Clean Energy
The Clean Energy Mission is the UK's response to climate change, with its twin focus on Clean Power by 2030 and Accelerating to Net Zero.
You will be leading a team of energy and innovation experts looking at how innovation can rapidly accelerate levels of consumer-led flexibility and develop new low-cost, ultralong duration energy storage technologies.
To find out more and apply, please visit Associate Director – Clean Energy (R&D MAP)
Associate Director - Creative Content Exchange
The CCE Challenge is in its pilot phase, creating a marketplace as a commercial and investible proposition, to enable the sale and purchase through multiple mechanisms e.g. royalties and licences, for creative data, content and assets.
This is your opportunity to have a positive impact on the UK economy and drive innovation. Although the primary Challenge is on CCE, there is the potential to launch other Challenges, including one on digital IDs in the finance sector.
To find out more and apply, please visit Associate Director – Creative Content Exchange (R&D MAP)
Associate Director - Compute – Economic Growth
The UK needs to urgently develop energy-efficient, low-latency AI compute infrastructure and associated software orchestration to manage distributed edge-compute environments, enabling dynamic workload allocation, energy optimisation, and system resilience at scale.
It is envisaged that the Compute Challenge will include creating an architectural framework for delivering modular computation and processor approaches and configurations to AI inference, although there is still opportunity to work with partners to shape its direction.
To find out more and apply, please visit Associate Director – Compute – Economic Growth (R&D MAP)
Associate Director - Construction Economic Growth
The I&D Construction challenge will put into practice Focus Area 3: Addressing the need for social infrastructure using a platform approach in the Transforming Infrastructure Performance: Roadmap to 2030, including a pilot in social housing. This will include working with industry leaders, government, and beyond to develop a new digitalised and manufacturing-led operating model to deliver the next generation of British homes and public buildings.
You will be collaborating with Catapults, construction, digital and manufacturing companies, trade and industry bodies and the public and private sectors, shaping how construction becomes more efficient and sustainable, while providing new opportunities for businesses to scale and grow.
To find out more and apply, please visit Associate Director – Construction - Economic Growth (R&D MAP)
Main Outputs and Activities
Strategic Leadership:
Provide strategic leadership for the design and delivery of Safer Streets R&I, ensuring it is ambitious, independent, and trusted across research, policy, and public sectors and delivers real-world impact at pace.
Shape and implement challenge-wide approaches to commissioning, governance, and innovation funding that reflect UKRI's values, including excellence, transparency, and public benefit.
With in-depth knowledge of industry, use business acumen to engage widely to bring people together and problem solve.
Lead horizon scanning and capability development to ensure the R&D MAP helps establish a sustainable, high-quality, and interdisciplinary innovation ecosystem
Represent R&D MAP and UKRI in national and international fora.
Stakeholder Engagement & Representation:
Lead engagement with a wide range of stakeholders across business, industry, government, third sector, and policy communities to build trust, manage risk, and ensure the Safer Streets Challenges reflects diverse perspectives and public interest.
Build commercial insights into the approach from the outset to ensure that we are maximising additionality and growing the UK innovator base.
Represent R&D MAP and UKRI in cross-government and cross-sector fora related to the Missions, embedding Government priorities at the heart of our approach.
Act as a visible and credible ambassador for R&D MAP, able to navigate contested policy spaces diplomatically and assert UKRI's commitment to independent, high-quality research and innovation.
Build constructive, inclusive relationships with innovators and researchers, ensuring open communication and a shared commitment to the long-term success and integrity of the programme.
Programme Design, Delivery and Evaluation:
Lead the design and delivery of a major interdisciplinary innovation programme with a multi-million-pound budget, delivering at pace and scale with a strong focus on realising outcomes.
Ensure delivery is effective, timely and aligned with strategic objectives, with robust evaluation and risk management processes to generate insights fast and course correct.
Support the sustainable transition of investments from delivery through to completion and long-term impact.
Embed a culture of learning, evidence and continuous improvement across the programme.
People Leadership:
Build high-performing, inclusive teams through coaching, development and effective communication.
Act as a role model for collaborative, transparent and values-led leadership.
Promote staff engagement in planning, delivery and organisational development through inclusive and agile management approaches.
Line manage and oversee relevant programme staff.
Personal Specification
The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).
Essential:
Proven experience of strategic planning and delivery in complex organisational settings. (S&I)
Excellent leadership credentials with experience in managing and developing senior staff. (S&I)
Exceptional communication and influencing skills, with a proven ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders. (S&I)
Successful track record in leading major – ideally multi-million pound -- interdisciplinary programmes. (S&I)
Strong programme and financial management skills, including risk and evaluation oversight. (S&I)
Please note that some of the roles have additional criteria relating to the role, these can be found on their individual listing on the UKRI Careers Page.
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)
UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.
Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact
We do sponsor - 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