Head of Governance and Assurance

The Head of Governance and Assurance will be responsible for overseeing the governance, assurance and risk processes for the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

This will be a significant leadership role within the AHRC. You will be expected to be a visible leadership role model and have the confidence of the AHRC Exec Chair and Chief Operating Officer in representing the Council’s views in senior meetings and cross-organizational forums. 
You will work with the Associate Director – Planning and Governance and AHRC’s senior team to ensure that the Council has robust and effective governance arrangements, shaping the governance strategy and policy, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives and supporting the wider organisational strategies.

The role reports into AHRC’s Associate Director (AD) – Planning and Governance.

What you’ll do:

  • You will need to use well-developed judgement and experience to identify emerging issues and priorities in the context of often ambiguous situations or uncertain information
  • Oversee the workings of AHRC’s governance processes including the smooth workings and development of Council and its advisory boards.
  • Build and maintain good working relationships with internal and external stakeholders
  • Be a key point of contact with central UKRI, especially on governance and assurance related matters.


You will need:

  • Demonstrable experience of putting in place and maintaining robust governance processes
  • Proven track record of collaboration, partnership working and organising and managing complexity and ambiguity
  • Aptitude for stakeholder management
  • Sound understanding of effective governance including how policy and processes can be developed, implemented and maintained
  • The ability to work effectively with senior managers and senior stakeholders, making decisions and prioritising where appropriate and maintaining a highly organised approach
  • Highly flexible, tenacious and resilient in a time-pressured environment


Applications are handled by UK Shared Business Services, to see more details and to apply please click the apply button. Please include a covering letter outlining how you fit the role criteria.  Applicants who are unable to apply online should contact us by telephone on +44 (0)1793 867000.

The closing date for applications is 29th August 2021


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