Recruiting now
| Posted: | 30/04/26 | |
| Recruiter: | UK Research and Innovation | |
| Reference: | 3103592888 | |
| Type: | Permanent | |
| Salary: | Competitive | |
| Location: | Swindon, Wiltshire | |
| Description: | Chief Financial Officer, UKRI Contract Term: This is a permanent, open-ended position. Location: London or Swindon. Please note, this role includes regular travel to sites across the UK and international travel on occasion Direct Reports: The postholder will have line management responsibility for 7 direct reports which includes roles such as Chief Information Officer, Finance Director and General Counsel & Head of Legal. Availability: Successful candidates will be encouraged to take up their appointment as soon as possible, following the successful completion of pre-appointment checks and security clearance. Security Level: The successful candidate must hold, or be willing to undergo, Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance. Please note that UKRI reserves the right to initiate or repeat security screening as required during the course of employment. Closing Date: 23:55 on Sunday 7th June 2026. About UKRI Launched in 2018, UKRI is an independent, non-departmental public body, which invests £10 billion per annum in research and innovation. We bring together nine executive council partners (the seven Research Councils plus Innovate UK and Research England) with a shared vision to ensure the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation. UKRI also provides coordinated strategic advice to the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on the balance of funding between research disciplines. Our mission is to "advance knowledge, improve lives and drive growth". There is great intent in these seven words. The three parts of this mission are all equally important. Any knowledge-driven economy must support curiosity-driven research to provide the novel ideas that underpin the application of research, which ultimately leads to innovative companies that deliver the products and services which change our lives. UKRI is at its best when we deliver mutual symbiosis between these three parts. We employ around 9,000 staff who support some of the world's most exciting and challenging research projects. We develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world and work collaboratively with industry, academia and government in exciting partnerships. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through blue sky research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research and business-led innovation. UKRI invests in research and innovation across all disciplines, from curiosity-driven research to business-led innovation. Our activities include:
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a senior strategic leader and principal adviser to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Board. As a principal decision-maker, the CFO provides organisation-wide leadership across the following UKRI functions:
The CFO is responsible for ensuring the organisation manages public money with strong governance, effective stewardship of public funds, and the highest standards of financial management, assurance and control. They should provide strategic leadership on all aspects of public sector finance. They must ensure that financial decisions are robust, evidence based, and aligned with government priorities and the organisation's statutory responsibilities. The CFO leads the organisation's engagement with Spending Reviews and wider fiscal planning, ensuring that:
The role requires a deep understanding of the political, economic and societal context in which UKRI operates, translating external drivers and risks into clear strategic priorities and operational plans. The CFO also manages a number of senior leaders across UKRI, building organisational capability and resilience. Externally, the CFO will build confidence and engage at the highest levels of Government, industry, academia and with international partners The CFO will be a member of the Executive Committee and the UKRI Board. They will:
They will lead engagement with the Government Internal Audit Agency and the Audit Committee, providing clear assurance to the Accounting Officer and Board on the effectiveness of governance, risk management and internal control. They will also serve as a non-executive director on UKRI spin-out company boards where required, offering governance, challenge and commercial insight to support growth and protect public value. They will also oversee other professional services within UKRI, to be discussed with the successful candidate. Key Responsibilities:
Your Skills and Experience UKRI wishes to attract the highest calibre of candidates with the appropriate standing for this role. The successful candidate will be able to command confidence and represent the organisation with its many stakeholders at the highest level, being able to demonstrate the following: Essential Criteria:
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