Senior Science Portfolio Manager: Infrastructure

Swindon, Wiltshire, United Kingdom (Hybrid)

Job Info

• Job Category Project Management and Delivery
• Apply Before 03/15/2026, 11:55 PM
• Job Identification 2027
• Posting Date 02/23/2026, 02:35 PM
• Job Shift Day
• Hours Full Time/ Part Time

Job Description Council: Medical Research Council (MRC)
Salary:£46,743 per annum
Band: UKRI Band E
Team: Infrastructure Team
Contract Type: Open ended
Hours: Full-time
Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire - Hybrid working available

ClosingDate: Sunday 15th March 2026

About the role

Senior Science Portfolio Managers provide essential project management to infrastructure projects across the entirety of the Medical Research Council (MRC)'s remit, supporting delivery of a growing Infrastructure Fund portfolio at the MRC. In overseeing the development of green book business cases, Senior Science Portfolio Managers also work extensively across UKRI, with central government and other research funders, and across the UK research and innovation community. All team members work on site at least one day per week and attend additional face-to-face meetings as required, which may be in UKRI's London office, or with external stakeholders.

Reporting to the Head of Programme for Infrastructure, this role will suit an experienced project manager with an interest in science, or scientifically trained individuals with project management experience. You will get the opportunity to manage several high-profile projects and will lead the development of proposals for groundbreaking new infrastructure investments that support the medical sciences. You will be involved in overseeing the effective peer review of applications, gathering strategic advice from a range of partners, and providing advice to internal and external collaborators.

Your responsibilities

• Lead on the project management of at least one large infrastructure project within MRC's portfolio, organising regular project board meetings and ensuring effective project delivery.
• Reporting to UKRI and other stakeholders on projects, including management of risks on clew (formally CGR) and working with FBPs on financial management of projects.
• Maintaining strong working relationships with external project teams and colleagues across MRC/UKRI, proactively managing communications, project updates and announcements.
• Management of the business case process for infrastructure projects where appropriate and contribution to scoping of new projects for funding.
• Assisting senior colleagues in the review of research fields and the development and implementation of scientific initiatives and policy.
• Assisting senior colleagues with the preparation of briefing documents and other materials for committees, responses to parliamentary questions and/or other external queries.
• Development and management of funding schemes, including management of MRC's Equip panel and delivery of funding via UKRI's The Funding Service (TFS) platform.

Contribute to ongoing MRC Infrastructure Team shared activities, such as responding to remit queries, management of shared mailboxes and leading team initiatives when required.

Personal Specification

The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).

• Experience of planning, managing, and delivering projects or programmes. (S&I)
• Understand the importance of managing and mitigating risks and issues and escalating where required. (I)
• Ability to effectively negotiate with and influence partners at all levels. (I)
• Excellent organisational and time management skills with the ability to independently plan, prioritise and progress multiple workstreams. (S&I)
• Excellent numeracy skills, with experience of handling budgets. (S)
• Effective collaborator and team member. (I)
• Experience of preparing business cases in line with HMG green book requirements. (S)
• Experience managing funding panels and delivery of funding opportunities via TFS. (S&I)

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!

A list of benefits below:

• 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!

For further information on our benefits please see:

UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.

Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact

Please note, if you will require sponsorship to work in the UK, as part of your sponsorship application, you and any dependants travelling with you, will be required to pay costs directly to The Home Office for the application before you start your role with us. UKRI is normally able to reimburse some, or all of these fees after you have become an employee and this can be discussed with the Hiring Manager. For more information, please visit or contact .

About Us UKRI - UK Research and Innovation

UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.

Supporting 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. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.

More information can be found at .

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI .

How we support EDI in the workforce

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit 'How we support EDI in the workforce'.

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, any candidate who opts into the scheme and best meets the essential criteria, will be shortlisted for interview. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

How to apply

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the 'experience' section of the application.

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion - a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.

The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

About the Team Within UKRI, the MRC seeks to improve human health by investing in world-class research, from fundamental science to early clinical trials and preventive medicine. Working in partnership with other UKRI councils, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and devolved administrations, the NHS, charities and industry, we are a dynamic organisation continually evolving and embracing new opportunities to achieve our mission first framed over a century ago. With an annual budget of over £800m, MRC provides support both to individuals, through fellowships and grants, and to institutions, such as the MRC Laboratory for Molecular Biology and the Francis Crick Institute.

Within UKRI, the MRC seeks to improve human health by investing in world-class research, from fundamental science to early clinical trials and preventive medicine. Working in partnership with other UKRI councils, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and devolved administrations, the NHS . click apply for full job details