Role Overview
Head of Product and Design – Innovate UK
Salary: £68,525 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: Sunday 9th November 2025
About The Role
The Head of Product and Design is responsible for ensuring UKRI services are designed to effectively meet both user and organisational needs. The role holder plays a pivotal part in understanding business needs and ensuring that all platforms, whether off‑the‑shelf or in‑house, work together as an integrated digital ecosystem that serves staff, stakeholders and wider external communities.
Key focus areas include user‑centred design techniques throughout the full life cycle, application of UK Government digital standards, ensuring services are secure, compliant and accessible, and leading a team of product managers and user‑centred design professionals to deliver value.
Your Responsibilities
* Maintain an inclusive and high‑performance culture; promote a product and service mindset across the organisation.
* Advocate for UKRI’s digital standards: accessibility, website standards, cookie policies, aligning with Cabinet Office CDDO assurance standards.
* Work with the Head of Funding Platforms to align digital projects to the strategic roadmap; manage service readiness and track progress.
* Effectively manage complex interdependencies across projects, prioritise incoming digital service requests, and lead early‑stage inception activities.
* Recruit, retain and develop multi‑disciplinary teams.
* Manage resources, suppliers and procurements of tools and services to meet delivery goals.
* Control the budget for digital service tools within tight guidelines and produce business cases for additional spend.
Personal Specification
Essential
* Proven experience implementing digital services to UK Cabinet Office Digital Service standards.
* Deep technical or subject matter expertise in digital platforms, service design or funding systems.
* Demonstrable knowledge of generative AI tools and their application to automate manual tasks.
* Experience creating and managing strong communities of practice.
* Experience managing digital service policies and standards.
* Strong stakeholder management and communication skills for large audiences, both virtual and face‑to‑face.
* Strategic thinker and problem solver.
* Experience managing multi‑disciplinary teams.
* Substantial experience of user‑centred design.
Benefits
* Outstanding defined benefit pension scheme.
* 30 days’ annual leave plus 10.5 public and privileged days (full‑time equivalent).
* Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
* Employee assistance programme.
* Flexible working options.
* Other wellbeing initiatives and a supportive, learning culture.
Equality and Diversity
UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.
We celebrate diversity and are committed to equal opportunity for all.
Recruitment Process
Initial interview followed by a second‑stage interview for shortlisted candidates.
If you require sponsorship to work in the UK, please note that any costs for the Home Office application will be directly paid by you before you start. Reimbursement may be discussed after you become an employee.
#J-18808-Ljbffr