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NGI Programme Director

Competitive salary level with excellent benefits

The John Innes Centre (JIC) is one of the world’s leading research institutes in plant and microbial science. At the centre of its long‑term strategy sits the Next Generation Infrastructure (NGI) Programme, a major public and private funded capital and transformation programme with the Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL) that will redefine how world‑class science is delivered at the Norwich Research Park. JIC is now seeking an exceptional Programme Director to lead the integrated delivery of this landmark programme on behalf of the Senior Responsible Owner.

NGI is an ambitious, multi‑year £400m+ programme that brings together significant capital investment and complex organisational change. Its most substantial element is the development of a new laboratory and enabling infrastructure that will bring together researchers from JIC and TSL into a flexible, future‑ready environment purpose‑built for collaboration, discovery and global scientific impact. Enabling projects are underway and with the main laboratory project set to be delivered over the next 5 years, the programme will create facilities that support advanced research, training, teaching and learning while acting as a national and international hub for plant and microbial science.

This appointment goes well beyond the delivery of a single asset. Reporting to the JIC Chief Operating Officer as Senior Responsible Owner, the Programme Director will act as the senior integrator across construction, business change, stakeholder engagement and finance, with full accountability for delivery against time, cost, scope, quality and benefits. Operating at board level, the role carries responsibility for programme governance, commercial and financial assurance, benefits realisation and organisational readiness, while maintaining confidence among public funders, governing bodies, assurance partners and senior scientific stakeholders.

JIC is seeking an individual with a demonstrable track record of leading the programme‑level oversight of complex, major capital and transformation programmes, ideally within publicly funded or highly regulated environments. You will bring experience of operating in ambiguous, high‑profile contexts, aligning stakeholders with diverse and, at times, competing priorities while maintaining confidence in delivery. You are likely to have led large‑scale estates or infrastructure transformation projects, and to have operated successfully in a Programme Director or equivalent role with accountability for management control, reporting, commercial assurance and benefits realisation.

Success in this role will depend as much on personal traits and leadership presence as on technical expertise. You will possess outstanding interpersonal, communication and influencing skills, enabling you to operate with confidence at board, sponsor and executive level. You will be proactive, agile, resilient and highly motivated, comfortable leading through complexity and change while fostering collaboration and shared purpose.

This is a rare opportunity to lead one of the most significant scientific infrastructure programmes in the UK, make a major impact in the region and delivering a legacy that will underpin scientific excellence for decades to come.

For further information, the candidate brochure can be viewed on the following link: Programme Director – JIC

To arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our retained search advisors at MRG:

Ben Duffill – ben.duffill@mrgglobal.com

Nick Coppard – nick.coppard@mrgglobal.com

Applications should consist of a CV and supporting statement and should be submitted via the form below. Should you have any questions regarding the application process, please contact Charley McCarthy (charley.mccarthy@mrgglobal.com).

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