Important

You cannot apply for this role

The application deadline has passed or the role has been closed for applications.

Role details

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) UKRI, Executive Chair

Application deadline 8 May 2023

Summary

• Organisation: UK Research and Innovation
• Sponsor department: Department for Science, Innovation & Technology
• Location: South West
• Sectors: Professional, Scientific and Technical
• Skills: Technology / Digital
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: 5 day(s) per week
• Remuneration: £135000 to £148000 per annum
• Length of term: Fixed Term (4 - 6 years, to be discussed at interview)
• Application deadline: 11:59pm on 8 May 2023

Share this page

The following links open in a new tab

Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   30 March 2023

2. Application deadline

   11:59pm on 8 May 2023

3. Sifting date

   14 May 2023

4. Interviews expected to end on

   4 June 2023

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the role

Introduction

We are seeking an inspirational individual with international standing and a proven track record to lead UKRI’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) as its Executive Chair and to contribute to the senior leadership of UKRI.

This is a unique opportunity to lead the UK’s primary public funder of engineering and physical sciences research; champion, train and support the current and future UK science workforce; and help shape the UK’s research and innovation system.

EPSRC funds research, infrastructure, training, and partnerships over a wide field covering chemistry, engineering, information and communication technologies, advanced materials, mathematical sciences and physics. EPSRC also plays a leading role in the delivery of the cross-UKRI technology programmes.

As the Executive Chair of EPSRC you will have responsibility for annual budgets of approximately £800m and lead a dedicated team of circa 230 staff based in Swindon and remotely, shaping strategy for UK engineering and physical sciences.

The Executive Chair, advised and challenged by EPSRC’s Council, is responsible for setting and implementing the strategic vision for EPSRC. As a visible and credible leader of both EPSRC and the wider engineering and physical sciences research community, you will provide direction ensuring delivery of world-class research, innovation, skills development and infrastructure investment.

You will be a core member of the UKRI Executive Committee, providing leadership across UKRI to develop and deliver on its vision, mission and strategy.

Role description

EPSRC is one of nine councils that make up UKRI. The Executive Chairs of the nine councils have two overarching responsibilities.

First, they have a responsibility to ensure the health and vibrancy of their domain. To achieve this, Executive Chairs have delegated responsibility for a budget awarded by the Secretary of State. The budget is set through recommendations to the Secretary of State from the UKRI Board, which is in turn advised by the UKRI Executive Committee. Executive Chairs have freedom to operate to deliver this budget through their council, including through collaborative programmes with other councils, with advice from their council’s Council and aligned with the UKRI Strategy.

Second, as members of the UKRI Executive Committee, Executive Chairs have a responsibility for the health and vibrancy of the entire UK research and innovation system, recommending strategy to the UKRI Board. This includes making recommendations about and holding responsibility for the UKRI Strategy, for collective UKRI budgets, and for the leadership and delivery of collective UKRI programmes.

These two responsibilities overlap. Often, they will be fully aligned and synergistic, with collective working delivering clear domain-specific benefits. But occasionally, there will be trade-offs to be made. Executive Chairs must work to ensure domain-specific impacts are understood, while ensuring maximum benefit for the UK Research and Innovation system as a whole.

The following responsibilities are key to the role:

Leadership:

• Lead and manage the EPSRC and its staff in the successful delivery of its objectives, providing the inclusive leadership and vision to develop the quality, outputs and impacts of its research, skills and capital investment portfolio

• Lead and develop the capacity and capability of the EPSRC Executive team

• Work closely with the rest of the UKRI senior executive team and Board to provide overall leadership and direction to UKRI, modelling the culture and behaviours required to bring to life UKRI's values

• Act to ensure UK Research and Innovation provides a strong, unified voice for science, research and innovation in the UK and globally, both in facilitating the dialogue with government and partners on the world stage

Programme Delivery:

• Work with the Senior Independent Member (SIM) of EPSRC and other Council members to lead and develop EPSRC’s strategic approach to supporting its area of expertise. This will include directed and responsive-mode programmes; the funding of postgraduate and skills training; investment in major longer term infrastructure projects; building collaborative arrangements with industry and others; and ensuring that the UK retains and develops its world-leading position in the engineering and physical sciences

• As a core member of the UKRI Executive Committee, working to deliver the best value from the overall research and innovation funding system and actively contribute to delivery of the mission of UKRI

• Chair the Programme Board of the National Quantum Technologies Programme

• Act as SRO of the Technology Missions Fund

• Chair the cross-UKRI AI programme

• Work collaboratively across UKRI to foster interdisciplinary work and build on collective capabilities, providing support and challenge when required

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Actively engage and consult with the academic community, charities, government and industry to develop and catalyse new ideas and communicate the strategic outputs. This will involve close engagement with stakeholders in the full range of industries interested in engineering and the physical sciences, including the chemical and pharmaceuticals industries, information technology, communication and electronics industries, construction and process industries, and others. 

Finance, Planning and Analysis:

• Maximise efficiency and ensure value for money from public investment

• Work closely with the UKRI CFO to ensure robust budget planning and financial control

• Work closely with the UKRI Executive Directors for Strategy to ensure robust analysis underpins decisions and evidences outcomes; and ensue synergy 

between EPSRC’s objectives and overall UKRI strategy

Regulation of appointment

This post is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. For more information, please refer to the Commissioner’s website 

Person specification

Essential criteria

The successful candidate will be able to command confidence and represent EPSRC and UKRI at the highest level, and be able to demonstrate the following criteria:

Essential:

• A highly respected engineer, mathematician, or physical scientist of international standing with a proven track record and with a firm grasp of developments across the spectrum of the engineering and physical sciences and their application.

• Politically astute, excellent interpersonal skills, able to influence, build and maintain strong working relationships with a wide range of partners including industry; and be collaborative and consultative.

• An ability to develop, lead and manage the delivery of a clear and strategic vision for engineering and physical sciences research through the development of high quality, value for money programmes and collaborations built on a detailed understanding of and engagement with the stakeholder landscape - both public and private sector.

• Demonstrable inclusive leadership and management skills with experience of leading and managing a large and complex organisation to be high performing while tackling issues of equality, diversity and inclusion; evidence of having successfully led cultural change and organisational development.

• Commitment to the overarching goals of UKRI, and the health of a wider and more integrated R&D landscape.

Application and selection process

How to apply

Your application should be submitted in two parts.

Both parts must be submitted by 23:59 Monday 8th May 2023 in order for your application to be considered complete. Applications received after this date will not be considered.

Part one: CV and Statement of Suitability

Please submit your application via the UKRI Careers Portal (click here to be taken through) by 23:59 Monday 8th May 2023. You will need to supply: • A curriculum vitae; and,

• A supporting statement

Your curriculum vitae and supporting statement must each be no longer than two A4 pages in length. Please ensure your documents are named as ‘Surname, first initial – URN607 – EPSRC Executive Chair – CV/Statement of Suitability’.

Your Statement of Suitability should provide specific information about why you believe you would be suitable for appointment into the EPSRC Executive Chair role and a flavour of what you would want to do in this role, if successful. Think about your knowledge, skills, experience, personal attributes, and vision for the organisation, and take full advantage of the space available. Use practical examples where possible and ensure you refer to the essential criteria for this role. Please include a section that sets out what you believe the main challenges and opportunities to be for EPSRC and how you might address them. Again, please aim for no more than 2 A4 pages.

Please note, you will only be assessed on the content of your CV and supporting statement, and not the ‘experience’ section of the application. Should you have any problem with submitting your application via the UKRI Careers Portal, please do send an email to publicappointments@ukri.org with ‘URN607 – EPSRC Executive Chair’ in the subject heading. A member of our team will then be in touch.

Please note, to apply via the UKRI Careers Portal you will receive a notification confirming your profile has successfully been created (if you have not previously set up an account) and a second notification confirming your application for this role has been submitted. If you do not receive the second notification confirming your application for this role has been submitted, please contact publicappointments@ukri.org, so we can ensure your application has been received.

Part two: Diversity Monitoring and Conflicts of Interest Form. Please click here to complete this form.

Overview of the application process

Public appointments are made on merit following a fair and open competition process which is conducted in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments. We will deal with your application as quickly as possible and will keep you informed at key stages. We aim to conclude the appointment process within three months of the deadline for applications – this is in accordance with the Governance Code.

The assessment process

1. Ministers are responsible and accountable to Parliament for the public appointments made within their department. As a result, they must be consulted at every stage of the appointments process.

2. An Advisory Assessment Panel (“Panel”) is appointed by Ministers to assist them in their decision making. The role of the Panel is to decide, objectively, which candidates meet the eligibility criteria for the role.

3. At the shortlisting meeting the Panel will assess applications against the eligibility criteria and decide which candidates have best met the criteria, who should be recommended for interview. Ministers will then be consulted on the Panel’s recommended shortlist. If you have applied under the Disability Confident Scheme and you meet all the essential criteria, then you will also be invited for an interview.

4. Once the shortlist has been agreed by Ministers, you will be advised (by e-mail) whether you have been shortlisted. Those shortlisted will be invited to an interview.

5. The Panel will meet again to interview candidates and determine who is appointable to the role. The Panel may invite you to make a brief presentation at the start of the interview and will go on to question you about your skills and experience, including asking specific questions to assess whether you meet the criteria set out for the post. The Panel will also explore with you any potential conflicts of interest or any other issues arising from your personal and professional history which may impact on an appointment decision.

6. Details of the panel’s assessment of interviewed candidates are provided to Ministers, including whether they have judged a candidate to be appointable to the role. It is then for Ministers to determine merit and decide who should be appointed. In some circumstances, Ministers may choose not to appoint any candidates and re-run the competition.

7. Ministers may choose to meet with candidates before deciding the outcome. Candidates should therefore be prepared for a short time gap between interview and a final appointment decision being made. Candidates who have been interviewed will be kept informed of progress.

8. Once the decision on the appointment has been made, interviewed candidates will be advised of the outcome of their application, including whom they may approach for feedback. Successful candidates will be issued with their Terms & Conditions and a letter of appointment should they agree to take up the position.

Further information about appointments, including tips on applying, can be found on our guidance pages on gov.uk.

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

The members of the Advistory Assessment Panel are:

Alexandra Jones (Director, Science, Research and Innovation)

Dame Ottoline Leyser (CEO)

Professor Mark Smith (EPSRC Council - Senior Independent Member)

Professor Iain Gray (Director of Aerospace & member of the University Executive - Cranfield University)

Professor Mark Smith (EPSRC Council – Senior Independent Member)

To be confirmed 

Dame Ottoline Leyser (CEO)

Advisory Assessment Panels (AAP) are chosen by ministers to assist them in their decision-making. These include a departmental official and an independent member. For competitions recruiting non-executive members of a board (apart from the Chair), the panel will usually include a representative from the public body concerned.

AAP’s perform a number of functions, including agreeing an assessment strategy with ministers, undertaking sifting, carrying out interviews in line with the advertised criteria and deciding objectively who meets the published selection criteria for the role before recommending to ministers which candidates they find appointable. It is then for the minister to decide who to appoint to the role.

Pre-appointment scrutiny

Pre-appointment scrutiny by select committees is an important part of the process for some of the most significant public appointments made by Ministers. It is designed to provide an added level of scrutiny to verify that the recruitment meets the principles set out in the Governance Code on Public Appointments. This scrutiny may involve the relevant select committee requesting and reviewing information from the Department and the Minister’s preferred candidate. The select committee may also choose to hold a pre-appointment hearing.

If you are confirmed as the government’s preferred candidate for this role, the department will be in touch to confirm next steps. In most cases your name and CV will be provided to the relevant select committee in advance of the hearing.  Following a date being agreed for a pre-appointment hearing with the committee you will be asked to complete a questionnaire in advance of that. Following the hearing, the government will review and respond to the Committee’s report before confirming the appointment. 

Full information can be found in the Cabinet Office’s guidance here. 

Eligibility criteria

In general, you should have the right to work in the UK to be eligible to apply for a public appointment.

There are a small number of specialist roles that are not open to non-British citizens. Any nationality requirements will be specified in the vacancy details.

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. 

You cannot be considered for a public appointment if:

• you are disqualified from acting as a company director  (under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986);

• have an unspent conviction on your criminal record;

• your estate has been sequestrated in Scotland or you enter into a debt arrangement programme under Part 1 of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 17) as the debtor or have, under Scots law, granted a trust deed for creditors.

When you apply, you should declare if:

• you are, or have been, bankrupt or you have made an arrangement with a creditor at any point, including the dates of this. 

• you are subject to a current police investigation.

You must inform the sponsor department if, during the application process, your circumstances change in respect of any of the above points. 

When you apply you should also declare any relevant interests, highlighting any that you think may call into question your ability to properly discharge the responsibilities of the role you are applying for. You should also declare any other matters which may mean you may not be able to meet the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Board Members (see Outside interests and reputational issues section below)

If you need further advice, please contact  [ADD CONTACT DETAILS]

Security clearance

The successful candidate will be required to undertake Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks in line with the Civil Service guidelines. Additional Security Clearance may also be required for certain roles. However, where this applies, candidates will be notified during the appointment process. Further information on National Security Vetting can be found on the Gov.uk website here.

Additional information for candidates

Equality and diversity

We encourage applications from talented individuals from all backgrounds and across the whole of the United Kingdom. Boards of public bodies are most effective when they reflect the diversity of views of the society they serve and this is an important part of the Government’s levelling up agenda.

We collect data about applicants’ characteristics and backgrounds, including information about people’s educational and professional backgrounds, so that we can make sure we are attracting a broad range of people to these roles and that our selection processes are fair for everyone. Without this information, it makes it difficult to see if our outreach is working, if the application process is having an unfair impact on certain groups and whether changes are making a positive difference.

When you submit your application, your responses are collected by the Cabinet Office and the government department(s) managing your application. The data is used to produce management information about the diversity of applicants. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. The information you provide will not be seen by the Advisory Assessment Panel who review applications against the advertised criteria and conduct interviews.

Disability confident

We are a member of the Government’s Disability Confident scheme. We use the Disability Confident scheme symbol, along with other like-minded employers, to show our commitment to good practice in employing people with a disability. The scheme helps recruit and retain disabled people. 

As part of implementing the scheme, we guarantee an interview for anyone with a disability whose application meets the essential criteria for the role, set out in the advert, and who has asked that their application is considered under the scheme. Indicating that you wish your application to be considered under the scheme will in no way prejudice your application. By ‘minimum criteria,’ we mean that you must provide evidence which demonstrates that you meet the level of competence required under each of the essential criteria, as set out in the job-advert.

When you apply you will have the opportunity to select if you would like your application considered under this scheme.

Reasonable adjustments

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to make sure applicants with disabilities, physical or mental health conditions, or other needs are not substantially disadvantaged when applying for public appointments. This can include changing the recruitment process to enable people who wish to apply to do so.

Some examples of common changes are:

• ensuring that application forms are available in different or accessible formats;
• making adaptations to interview locations;
• allowing candidates to present their skills and experience in a different way;
• giving additional detailed information on the selection / interview process in advance to allow candidates time to prepare themselves;
• allowing support workers, for example sign language interpreters;
• making provision for support animals to attend.

When you apply you will have the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments to the application process.

Principles of public life

Holders of public office are expected to adhere to and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life. These are:

1. Selflessness - Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.
2. Integrity - Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.
3. Objectivity - Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.
4. Accountability - Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
5. Openness - Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.
6. Honesty - Holders of public office should be truthful.
7. Leadership - Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour and treat others with respect. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.

Code of conduct for board members

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. In support of this, all non-executive board members of UK public bodies must abide by the principles set out in the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. The Code sets out the standards expected from those who serve on the boards of UK public bodies and will form part of your terms and conditions of appointment.

Management of outside interests and consideration of reputational issues

Holders of public office are expected to adhere and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life and the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. Before you apply you should consider carefully: 

• any outside interests that you may have, such as shares you may hold in a company providing services to government; 
• any possible reputational issues arising from your past actions or public statements that you have made; 
• and/or - any political roles you hold or political campaigns you have supported; 

which may call into question your ability to do the role you are applying for.

You will need to answer relevant questions in relation to these points when making an application. Many conflicts of interest can be satisfactorily resolved and declaring a potential conflict does not prevent you from being interviewed. If you are shortlisted for an interview, the panel will discuss any potential conflicts with you during that interview, including any proposals you may have to mitigate them and record that in their advice to ministers. Alongside your own declaration, we will conduct appropriate checks, as part of which we will consider anything in the public domain related to your conduct or professional capacity. This may include searches of previous public statements and social media, blogs or any other publicly available information. The successful candidate(s) may be required to give up any conflicting interests and their other business and financial interests may be published in line with organisational policies. 

Details of declared political activity will be published when the appointment is announced, as required by the Governance Code (political activity is not a bar to appointment, but must be declared).

Status of appointment

As this is an office holder appointment, you will not become a member of the Civil Service. You will not be subject to the provisions of employment law.

Appointment and tenure of office

Appointments are for the term set out in this advert, with the possibility of re-appointment for a further term, at the discretion of Ministers.  Any re-appointment is subject to satisfactory annual appraisals of performance during the first term in the post. There is no automatic presumption of reappointment; each case should be considered on its own merits, taking into account a number of factors including, but not restricted to, the diversity of the current board and its balance of skills and experience. In most cases, the total time served in post will not exceed more than two terms or serve in any one post for more than ten years

Remuneration, allowances and abatement

Remuneration for this role is treated as employment income and will be subject to tax and National Insurance contributions, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid. 

You can claim reimbursement for reasonable travel and subsistence costs which are properly and necessarily incurred on official business, in line with the travel and subsistence policy and rates for the organisation to which you are applying. However these payments are taxable as earnings and will be subject to tax and national insurance, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid.  

Pension and redundancy

This is an office holder appointment and does not attract any benefits under any Civil Service Pension Scheme. You will not be eligible for redundancy pay as you are not an employee. No other arrangements have been made for compensation upon the end of your term of appointment because an office holder who is appointed for a limited duration would have no expectation of serving beyond that period.

Application feedback

We will notify you of the status of your application. We regret that we are only able to offer detailed feedback to candidates who have been unsuccessful at the interview stage.

How to complain

We aim to process all applications as quickly as possible and to treat all applicants with courtesy.

Please contact the public appointments team in the first instance if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application at publicappointments@ukri.org. They will acknowledge your complaint upon receipt and respond within 15 working days.

How to complain to Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA)

If you are not content with the appointing department’s response you may wish to further complain to the Commissioner at publicappointments@csc.gov.uk.Further information on how the Commissioner handles complaints can be found on the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ website https://publicappointmentscommissioner.independent.gov.uk/regulating-appointments/investigating-complaints/

Data protection

The Cabinet Office will use your data in line with our privacy policy.

Contact details

Should you have any problem with submitting your application via the UKRI Careers Portal, please do send an email to publicappointments@ukri.org with ‘URN607 – EPSRC Executive Chair’ in the subject heading. A member of our team will then be in touch.

Attachments

• Candidate Pack

• Privacy Notice