Deputy Chief People Officer

Deputy Chief People Officer, UKRI

Contract Term: This is a permanent, open-ended position.

Remuneration: £94,931 per annum.

Location: Swindon or Oxford (Didcot) based. Regular travel to London and occasional travel to UK wide UKRI locations will be required.

Hours: Full Time (37 hours). Hybrid working with two‑three days a week on average at a UKRI site is available.

Security Level: The successful candidate must hold, or be willing to undergo, the relevant security clearance. UKRI reserves the right to initiate or repeat security screening as required during the course of employment.

Closing date: Monday 10th August 2026 at 23:55

About UKRI

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is an independent, non‑departmental public body, which invests £8bn 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 mission: to advance knowledge, improve lives and drive growth.

We employ over 8,500 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‑skies research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world‑class research and business‑led innovation.

Our Values

We have four new organisational values that set out who we are, what we stand for and how we work together every day. They unite us as one organisation.

Values

• Spark curiosity – Together we’re guided by curiosity, creativity and collaboration. We work as one team to explore new approaches, take calculated risks and share what we learn.
• Play our part – We take ownership of our work as individuals. We act with integrity and do what we say we’ll do. And whatever our role, we know our contribution matters.
• Lift people up – We listen to, respect and take care of each other. We value our differences and communicate with clarity and kindness, so everyone can thrive.
• Make it count – We put our energy where it can have the biggest impact. We’re bold and decisive. We always focus on making a difference to people’s lives and livelihoods.

Delivering Our People Strategy

Our People Strategy is central to delivering UKRI’s mission. It sets out how we will build a high‑performing, inclusive and engaged organisation with the skills, leadership and culture needed to deliver for the UK research and innovation system, now and in the future.

We are transforming how we attract, develop and support our people in response to a rapidly changing environment, including evolving skills requirements, advances in digital technology and increasing expectations of modern public service organisations. Through strategic workforce planning, leadership development, organisational effectiveness and a strong focus on inclusion and wellbeing, we are creating a more agile, capable and resilient organisation.

Our ambition is to ensure that the right skills and capabilities are in the right place at the right time, enabling UKRI to respond to changing priorities while continuing to deliver excellence for researchers, innovators and the public.

The Deputy Chief People Officer will play a pivotal role in delivering this ambition. Working closely with the Chief People Officer and senior leaders across UKRI, the postholder will help shape the future organisation, lead significant transformation programmes and ensure our people services and professional expertise enable UKRI to achieve its strategic goals.

About the Role

We are seeking an exceptional senior HR leader to join UKRI as Deputy Chief People Officer. Reporting to the Chief People Officer, this role will play a pivotal part in leading the HR function, delivering our new People Strategy and supporting the organisation through an ambitious programme of organisational transformation.

Operating with a high degree of autonomy, the Deputy Chief People Officer will provide strategic leadership across the full people agenda, act as a trusted adviser to senior leaders and lead on complex organisational and workforce matters. The postholder will deputise for the Chief People Officer as required, representing the function at Executive Committee and other senior governance forums, leading UKRI’s engagement with our recognised trade unions and playing a key role in shaping organisational strategy and major transformation programmes.

The role has strategic accountability for the HR Business Partnering function across UKRI, ensuring it enables organisational performance and delivers high‑quality, commercially focused people solutions. A key priority will be to strengthen partnership working between the HR Business Partnering function and our specialist Centres of Expertise, creating an integrated, collaborative and customer‑focused HR operating model that delivers seamless support to leaders across UKRI.

As a member of the HR Leadership Team, you will lead and develop a high‑performing team of HR Business Partners, enabling them to anticipate, influence and respond to organisational priorities across UKRI. You will ensure the delivery of effective strategic business partnering to UKRI’s Councils, Centres, Institutes and Units (CIUs) and corporate functions, while working closely with the Deputy Directors who lead our Centres of Expertise to deliver joined‑up, high‑quality people services. You will also drive organisation design, development and change initiatives, coordinating the people aspects of major transformation programmes across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

UKRI HR Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership across the full people agenda and act as Deputy Chief People Officer, exercising delegated authority and deputising for the Chief People Officer as required.
• Support the Chief People Officer in setting the strategic direction, priorities, performance and reputation of the HR function, acting as a visible executive leader across UKRI.
• Be an active member of the HR Senior Leadership Team, shaping and delivering UKRI’s People Strategy and Delivery Plan and wider workforce priorities.
• Lead the continued transformation of the HR function, embedding a modern, integrated and customer‑focused operating model that strengthens collaboration across the HR Business Partnering function and Centres of Expertise and delivers high‑quality, strategically aligned people services.
• Serve as a full member of the People and Workforce Planning Committee and the Joint Negotiating and Consultative Committee. Deputise for the Chief People Officer at Executive Committee and other executive‑level governance forums and committees, representing the organisation on strategic people, workforce and organisational matters.
• Build trusted relationships with senior leaders across UKRI, including the Operational Leadership Team, Executive Chairs, Chief Operating Officers and Centres, Institutes and Units leadership teams, providing strategic advice, coaching and constructive challenge on organisational performance, leadership, workforce and culture.
• Champion innovation and continuous improvement across the HR function, ensuring HR systems, governance, processes and ways of working remain fit for the future and support organisational transformation.
• Drive the performance, capability and professional development of the HR function, fostering an inclusive, collaborative and customer‑focused 'One HR' culture that reflects UKRI's values.

Strategic HR Business Partnering

• Provide strategic leadership for the HR Business Partnering function, ensuring it delivers high‑quality, commercially focused support that enables organisational performance and successful delivery of UKRI's strategic priorities.
• Lead, develop and inspire a high‑performing team of HR Business Partners, building capability in strategic workforce planning, change leadership and strategic business partnering.
• Ensure the effective delivery of UKRI's People Strategy and Delivery Plan through strong partnerships with business leaders, translating organisational priorities into local people strategies, workforce plans and change initiatives.
• Working closely with the Deputy Director for Talent Management, strengthen strategic workforce planning capability across UKRI, ensuring workforce decisions are informed by robust evidence, future skills requirements and organisational priorities.
• Assess and develop the capability, capacity and effectiveness of the HR Business Partnering function to meet current and future organisational needs.
• Foster strong partnership working between the HR Business Partnering function and the Centres of Expertise, embedding an integrated 'One HR' approach that delivers consistent, customer‑focused and evidence‑based people solutions.
• Use people insight, workforce data and organisational intelligence to inform strategic decision‑making, identify emerging risks and opportunities, and shape people interventions across UKRI.
• Ensure consistent approaches across Councils, Centres, Institutes, Units and professional functions, promoting shared learning, continuous improvement and greater harmonisation of people practices.
• Establish high standards of professional practice, performance and accountability across the HR Business Partnering function, ensuring the delivery of high‑quality, value‑adding services.
• Enable senior leaders to improve organisational performance through effective organisational design, workforce planning, leadership development, organisational development and culture change, ensuring people strategies drive sustainable organisational performance and successful transformation across UKRI.
• Lead the strategic planning and management of the HR Business Partnering budget and resources, ensuring effective deployment of people and financial resources to deliver organisational priorities and value for money.

Organisation Development, Design and Change

• Provide organisation‑wide leadership on organisational development, organisational design and the people aspects of transformation, ensuring UKRI has the capability, structures and culture required to deliver its strategic ambitions.
• Lead the people elements of major organisational change and transformation programmes, providing expert advice on organisation design, workforce transition, change management and implementation planning.
• Shape long‑term organisational capability and workforce strategies, ensuring organisational design, leadership and workforce planning are aligned to future business requirements.
• Work with programme leaders, the Programme Management Office and senior stakeholders to ensure people implications are fully considered within business cases, programme design and transformation delivery.
• Champion evidence‑based approaches to organisational effectiveness, leadership and culture, embedding best practice across UKRI.

Trade Union Relations

• Lead UKRI's strategic engagement with recognised Trade Unions, working closely with Deputy HR Directors and their teams to build constructive relationships that support organisational change and positive employee relations.
• Chair the Trade Union Change Sub‑Committee and serve as a full member of the Joint Negotiating and Consultative Committee, deputising for the Chief People Officer as required.
• Act as the senior escalation point for complex, high‑risk and sensitive employee relations matters, working closely with the Deputy Director for HR Delivery as appropriate.

Governance, Risk and Corporate Leadership

• Ensure effective governance, assurance, risk management and compliance across the HR Business Partnering function and contribute to organisation‑wide people governance.
• Represent UKRI internally and externally, influencing policy, sharing best practice and building effective relationships across government and the wider HR profession.
• Champion UKRI's values, equality, diversity and inclusion, wellbeing and leadership expectations, acting as a visible role model for the organisation.

Your Skills and Experience

This role requires an accomplished senior HR leader with broad experience across the HR profession. While the postholder will have strategic accountability for the HR Business Partnering team, this is first and foremost a Deputy Chief People Officer role. The successful candidate will provide organisation‑wide leadership across the people agenda, shape the future direction of the HR function and work in close partnership with the Deputy Directors of HR leading the Centres of Expertise to deliver an integrated, high‑performing HR function.

The successful candidate will be an experienced, collaborative and authentic leader who thrives in a complex environment and enjoys working as part of a high‑performing, close‑knit leadership team with a shared commitment to delivering significant organisational transformation. They will be equally comfortable shaping strategy, leading change and supporting colleagues to deliver outstanding outcomes for the organisation, while acting as a trusted deputy to the Chief People Officer.

Essential Criteria

Qualifications:

• Degree‑level qualification or equivalent senior professional experience, and Chartered Member (MCIPD) or Fellow (FCIPD) of the CIPD, or able to demonstrate an equivalent level of professional expertise. (S)

Experience

• Proven senior HR leadership experience within a large, complex, matrixed and regulated organisation, leading organisation‑wide people strategy across multiple business areas and diverse stakeholder groups, with strategic accountability across the full HR agenda, including HR Business Partnering, to deliver organisational objectives and performance. (S)
• Significant experience of leading and developing high‑performing HR functions, including transforming HR operating models, delivering integrated customer‑focused HR services, and leading large‑scale organisational transformation encompassing organisational design, workforce change, cultural change and business transformation. (S&I)
• Experience of operating as a trusted adviser to Executive Teams, Boards and senior leaders, influencing strategic decisions on workforce, leadership and organisational matters. (I)
• Experience of developing constructive relationships with recognised Trade Unions and leading complex employee relations within a unionised environment. (I)
• Experience of operating within robust governance frameworks and exercising sound commercial, financial and organisational judgement. (I)

Leadership, Knowledge and Personal Attributes

• Outstanding strategic HR leadership capability, with the credibility, presence and judgement to influence Executive Committees, Boards and senior stakeholders. (S&I)
• Excellent commercial, financial and organisational awareness, using workforce insight, data and evidence to inform strategic decision making, balance organisational priorities and manage organisational risk. (S&I)
• Exceptional communication, influencing and relationship‑building skills, with the ability to provide constructive challenge, negotiate effectively and build trust with a wide range of stakeholders. (I)
• A collaborative and inclusive leadership style, with the resilience, integrity and authenticity to lead through complexity and sustained organisational transformation, build high‑performing teams and a strong 'One HR' culture, and champion UKRI's values, equality, diversity and inclusion, wellbeing, coaching and continuous improvement. (I)

(S) – assessed at shortlisting, (S&I) – Assessed at shortlisting and interview, (I) – Assessed at interview

Timescales and Selection

The selection process will include an interview and a presentation, along with additional fireside discussions. Candidates may also be asked to complete psychometric testing as part of the assessment.

Interviews will take place in London.

Advert closes: 23:55 Monday 10th August 2026

Shortlist meeting takes place: w/c 17th August 2026

Interviews take place: w/c 24th August

Please note that the timeline for this campaign is indicative and therefore subject to change.

How to Apply

Your application should be submitted in two parts.

Both parts must be submitted by 23:55 on Monday 10th August 2026 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. You will need to supply:

• A CV
• A statement of suitability

You should aim for your CV and Statement of Suitability to be no longer than two to three pages each.

Your Statement of Suitability should provide the following:

• Specific information about why you believe you would be suitable for appointment into the Deputy CPO role.
• 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.

Should you have any problem with submitting your application via the UKRI Careers Site, please do send an email to

Additional Information

For further details on our People Strategy and Senior Leadership Team, please refer to our candidate pack. You can request a copy by emailing us at

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