Location
Primary base at Polaris House, Swindon with options for other locations (subject to business requirements), with hybrid working as well as frequent travel for key meetings.

Hours
Full Time or Part Time (Minimum 0.8 FTE).

Salary
£97,304 - £110,000 Per Annum.

About the Role
You will be NERC’s executive leader for environmental data, informing digital transformation, digital research infrastructure needs, artificial intelligence, and the responsible creation of value from these assets and other NERC investments. This newly created role offers a rare opportunity to shape a bold, future-focused agenda for environmental science data, advancing knowledge while accelerating the application of research and innovation to deliver economic and societal benefit. You will establish organisational capabilities, accountabilities, and ways of working needed to deliver the role’s responsibilities, setting and delivering NERC’s strategy and model development for data and digital aligned with scientific priorities and UKRI’s programmes.

As a pivotal leadership role at the heart of NERC and UKRI, you will harness opportunities from the UKRI strategy for resilient Digital Research Infrastructure and AI Research and Innovation Strategic Framework. You will shape business development opportunities across the NERC investment portfolio, working with UKRI teams to define commercialisation opportunities.

Your responsibilities include embedding an enterprise-wide approach to environmental data, innovation and growth, building partnerships across UKRI, government, research organisations, industry, philanthropy and international networks, and attracting external investment to support innovation and public value creation.

Working as a member of the NERC Executive Team, you will collaborate closely with Directors across NERC and UKRI to ensure coherence and optimisation of the portfolio, digital infrastructure, and commercialisation potential. You will lead strategic development of digital platforms, services, and computational capabilities, champion responsible and ethical data use, and oversee major data investments.

This role requires regular travel to NERC and UKRI offices, research centres and other sites, and offers the opportunity to lead a high-impact, multidisciplinary team driving the future of environmental data science.

Experience
- A strong record of setting strategic direction and delivering enterprise-scale data, digital or technology-enabled transformation creating measurable scientific, organisational, societal or economic value.
- Established credibility in environmental science, data-intensive research or a related field, with a strong understanding of the UK research and innovation landscape.
- Proven ability to lead major programmes, organisational change and cross-boundary partnerships in complex and fast-moving environments.
- Strong governance, assurance and risk-management capability across data, cyber security, artificial intelligence, intellectual property, investment and operational resilience.
- Strong financial and commercial acumen including managing significant budgets and investments, building strategic partnerships and translating scientific or technological capability into commercial outcomes.
- Inclusive and credible senior leadership with excellent communication and influencing skills and a record of building multidisciplinary capability and high-performing teams.

About you
You are a dynamic, creative and respected leader inspired by the opportunity to shape and fund the future of environmental data science. You engage proactively with diverse science, data and digital communities and build trusted relationships with senior academic, public-sector, industry and international leaders. You adapt at pace to emerging scientific priorities and rapidly advancing technological capabilities while supporting teams to deliver at scale. You demonstrate visible leadership and are willing to travel regularly to support the role.

Qualifications
We welcome candidates from a broad range of backgrounds including non-traditional career routes. The role requires relevant security clearance or willingness to undergo security screening as required during employment.