UK Research & Innovation
Salary: £46,743 per annum
Band: UKRI Band E
Contract Type: Fixed Term (Until 31st December 2026)
Hours: Full-time (flexible working available)
Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire - Hybrid working available (Min 2 days per week in the office)
Closing Date: 16th June 2026
About the role
The Risk & Assurance Business Partners work as part of the Risk and Assurance team, with the Head of Risk and Assurance, supporting the Director of Risk Assurance, and other UKRI senior leaders to ensure that UKRI operates best practice throughout its risk management and integrated assurance arrangements. The postholder may support work with stakeholders in government and other funders and partners on risk, assurance, and control framework approaches.
The team is part of the new Risk & Assurance function, working closely within the directorate as well as across the organisation. A critical element of role is to support delivery of changes and new ways of working, increasing collaboration in how we manage risk across the organisation to create and protect value through risk and assurance management.
Your responsibilities:
Excellent people skills, able to influence, build and maintain strong working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders at all levels, both internally and externally.
Enthusiastic, motivated, adaptable, and proactive with the ability to work flexibly in a changing environment and respond to shifting priorities.
Ability to innovate and challenge established thinking in self and others, and to offer insights and ideas with practical application coupled with the ability to drive change.
Insightful business awareness with the ability to understand and analyse changing business context and landscape to assess and manage risk, capitalise on emerging opportunities, make sound evidence-based judgements, promote the interests of UKRI and research and innovation.
Ability to instil confidence within stakeholders at a range of levels, acting as a trusted advisor.
Excellent communication skills including good experience of writing reports to a high standard
Strong understanding of risk, assurance, and audit activities
Excellent attention to detail and good system based and general administration skills
Personal Specification
The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).
Essential
Strong risk management experience, including operating effective risk management strategies, policy, and frameworks in an organisation. (S & I).
Experience of writing papers and delivering agenda items in relevant forums (S & I).
Experience collaborating with teams at a range of levels and being a trusted advisor providing expert professional advice to management. (S & I).
Ability to innovate and challenge established thinking in self and others, and to offer insights and ideas with practical application coupled with the ability to effectively support change. (S & I).
Experience of working with internal and external Auditors (preferably National Audit Office) (S & I).
Qualifications
Member of the Institute of Risk Management (Or equivalent experience) (S).
Or
Equivalent Risk & Assurance qualification (Or equivalent experience) (S).
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 https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs or contact .
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