Senior Strategy Advisor

Senior Strategy Advisor (Open Research)

Salary: £45,272 Per Annum

Hours: Full Time (Condensed Hours / Flexible Working)

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract (Until Mid Sep 2026 - Secondments Considered)

Location: Polaris House, Swindon or Caxton House, London (Hybrid Working)

Grade: UKRI Band E

Closing Date: Wednesday 1 October 2025

Job Overview:

The purpose of this role is to support UKRI’s ambitions for open research, by supporting and leading strategy and policy development, and implementation, across UKRI and with external stakeholders. The role is responsible for implementation and strategic progress of the UKRI open access policy for monographs, book chapters, and edited collections, and wider aspects of the open access publications portfolio, including related responsible research assessment change.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the implementation and strategic progress of the UKRI open access policy for monographs, book chapters, and edited collections.
• Develop options and advice to inform key decision making, sometimes to rapid timescales.
• Lead and support strategic stakeholder communication and engagement
• Contribute to the work of the Open Research team and wider UKRI.

The role reports to a Strategy Lead in the Open Research Team.

All members of the team will:

• Develop relationships across the R&I community to help UKRI better understand our role as steward of the sector and what that means.
• Support the development of a suite of communication tools to help UKRI to message successfully to the community our ambition and activity in this area
• Support colleagues across UKRI and the wider Executive team on matters relating to the team’s topic area
• Contribute to the broader working of UKRI
• Within the flexible work style of this organisation, individual responsibilities may evolve and change to manage the broader range of work priorities.

Person Specification:

(S) – Shortlisting Criteria (I) – Interview Criteria (S & I) - Shortlisting Criteria & Interview Criteria

Essential

• Strong understanding and knowledge of scholarly communication and open access, both within the UK context and more widely (S & I)
• Balance competing priorities and work to deadlines in a fast-paced policy environment, responding positively and often independently to shifting priorities (S & I)
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail and the ability to project / programme plan (S & I)
• Building strong collaborative relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders (S & I)
• Able to address strategic questions based on evidence and information from analysis, and support the development of policy / intervention options creatively (S & I)
• Communicate clearly and effectively, providing high-quality written and verbal advice to CEO level (S & I)
• Experience delivering and influencing through others, including through engagement with senior staff internally and externally (S & I)
• Strong teamwork and the ability and willingness to support others to meet organisational and strategic objectives (S & I)

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! We offer:

• 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! Further information can be found below:

Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as the vacancy may close before the advertised deadline.

Closing Date: Wednesday 1 October 2025