EDIS Programme Manager

British Science Association

Hours
35 hours per week

About the Organisation

British Science Association (BSA) is a UK-based organization dedicated to promoting science, engaging the public, and encouraging inclusivity in scientific fields. Established in 1831, the BSA has a rich history of fostering curiosity and understanding of science among diverse audiences. Its mission is to transform the way people connect with and view science, making it more accessible and part of everyday culture.

About the role

The EDIS Programme Manager will provide the stewardship and coordination needed to translate EDIS's strategic ambitions into practical, high-quality delivery. ​ The role will lead programme planning, reporting, risk management and delivery oversight across the EDIS portfolio. It will ensure that activity is well sequenced, clearly governed and focused on practical progress against EDIS priorities. ​

A central focus will be developing and stewarding the Embedding EDI workstream. The postholder will work closely with members, partners and stakeholders to shape priorities, agree shared approaches, co-create practical tools, guidance and resources, support implementation across member and partner settings, identify learning and improvement opportunities, and help embed inclusive practice across EDIS activity. ​

Working with EDIS members, delivery partners, the Francis Crick Institute, Wellcome, and colleagues across the British Science Association, the postholder will help ensure programme activity is joined up, evidence-informed, and focused on meaningful, sustainable change across the science and health research sector. ​

This role would suit someone who combines strong programme management with collaborative leadership, systems thinking, and a clear commitment to and knowledge of equity, diversity and inclusion. The successful candidate will be confident moving between strategy and delivery, helping to shape the future direction of EDIS while ensuring that programmes, partnerships and workstreams are delivered effectively.

Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead programme delivery across the EDIS portfolio, ensuring activities are strategically aligned, effectively planned and delivered against agreed priorities, objectives, budgets and timelines. ​
• Provide programme leadership, governance and oversight, maintaining programme plans, risk and issue management processes, action tracking, performance monitoring, and financial reporting to support informed decision-making. ​
• Lead the development and stewardship of the Embedding EDI workstream, working with members and partners to develop practical tools, guidance, resources and implementation approaches that support sustainable organisational change across the sector. ​
• Coordinate delivery across EDIS workstreams and partnerships, ensuring member engagement, commissioned activity, evidence generation, communications and reporting are joined up and contribute to shared outcomes. ​
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with members, funders, delivery partners, suppliers and key stakeholders, acting as a trusted point of coordination and supporting collaborative delivery across the EDIS network. ​
• Manage the procurement, contracting and performance of consultants, commissioned partners and suppliers, ensuring high-quality delivery, effective resource management and value for money.
• Lead approaches to monitoring programme performance, impact, learning and continuous improvement, ensuring evidence and insight are used to strengthen delivery and demonstrate progress against EDIS objectives. ​
• Prepare and present high-quality reports, briefings and recommendations for the Head of EDIS, BSA leadership, governance groups, funders and other stakeholders, communicating progress, risks, opportunities and key decisions clearly and effectively. ​
• Support funder engagement, strategic partnership development and long-term sustainability planning, helping to identify opportunities for growth, influence and future investment in EDIS. ​
• Champion equity, diversity and inclusion throughout programme delivery, ensuring inclusive practice, accessibility and meaningful participation are embedded across planning, implementation, governance, learning and evaluation. 

Skills, Competencies, Experience & Attributes

Essential Criteria:

• Significant experience managing complex programmes, projects or portfolios with multiple workstreams. ​
• Experience developing and maintaining programme plans, milestones and reporting systems. This will include maintaining programme plans, governance arrangements, risk and issue management processes, delivery reporting, budget monitoring and financial reporting, ensuring accurate oversight of programme performance, expenditure, value for money and organisational accountability ​
• Substantial experience applying equity, diversity and inclusion in practice at a programme or organisational level, including using inclusive design principles, accessibility considerations and relevant legal duties to shape planning, delivery, governance and learning. ​
• Experience of facilitating collaboration between multiple stakeholders, members or partners with different insights and perspectives. ​
• Experience of maintaining programme governance, including identifying and managing risks, dependencies and delivery challenges across multiple workstreams. ​
• Experience working with multiple partners, stakeholders or suppliers to deliver shared outcomes. ​
• Ability to produce clear, well-structured written outputs, such as reports, briefings, decision papers or similar materials, that support understanding, discussion and decision-making for different audiences. ​
• Ability to take ownership of agreed areas of programme delivery, manage priorities across workstreams and make progress with appropriate support, while keeping managers and senior colleagues informed about key risks, decisions, dependencies and delivery progress. 

Desirable Criteria: 

• Experience working in science, research, health, public engagement, charity or membership settings. 
• Experience commissioning or managing consultants, suppliers or delivery partners. ​
• Experience developing practical toolkits, guidance or resources for organisational change. ​
• Experience leading complex programmes, projects or multi-workstream initiatives ​
• Programme planning, reporting, risk and issue management ​
• Experience developing, shaping or stewarding a programme, framework, workstream or organisational change initiative with stakeholders
• Knowledge of and commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, including experience applying inclusive practice in programme delivery
• Partnership building and collaborative working across organisations, sectors or stakeholder groups ​
• Ability to translate strategic ambitions into practical plans, tools, resources and implementation approaches ​
• Strong ability to convey a message clearly

Compensation & Benefits

• 27 days holiday per annum plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time employees)
• Up to two days paid leave per year for significant voluntary commitments in support of professional and personal development
• Auto-enrolment pension scheme after 3 months (4% paid by the employer).
• Up to five days’ unpaid leave per year
• Life assurance for death in service benefit from your first day (subject to scheme rules). Complementary access to a 24/7 online GP service.
• Occupational sick pay: up to six weeks’ full pay per year (pro-rata for part-time employees).
• Confidential telephone counselling service, offered by our legal insurance.
• Interest-free loan for season ticket, bike to work, and assisted study;
• Discounts may be offered on Science Museum tickets and in the shop.

Conditions of employment

• Only applicants who have a legal right to work within the UK will be considered. You will be asked to bring along proof of nationality and proof of ability to work in the UK.

Working locations

• Hybrid model, working in the London office and remotely

How to apply

• Applications should be made via this link
• Please send a CV and covering letter (each of no more than two A4 pages) that summarises your interest in the role and details your ability to match the criteria.​
• If you have further questions or would like this information in a different format, please contact: [email protected]
• The closing date for applications is Friday 2nd October 2026.

Interviews

• First interviews are due to take place online w/c 26th October 2026, with second interviews (in person in London) expected on Monday 2nd November 2026.​
• You will be informed as soon as possible after the application deadline whether you have been selected for an interview.

Policies

As part of the British Science Association’s commitment to being a Disability Confident employer, all disabled* applicants who meet the ‘essential criteria’ for this vacancy will be offered an interview under our guaranteed interview scheme. ​If you wish to apply under the guaranteed interview scheme, you will be asked to indicate this when you submit your application by selecting ‘yes’ in the relevant box when asked during the application process.

Applicants do not need to state any further information or declare their disability at the application stage.​ Whether you are applying under the scheme or not, if you are successful in being shortlisted, we will ask candidates with disabilities or long-term health conditions to let us know if they need any adjustments during the recruitment process.

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