Senior Programme Manager

Central Oxford

We are seeking a full time Senior Programme Manager to play a pivotal role in helping to establish BOLD Lab, creating the operational foundations required to support long-term scientific excellence, innovation, talent development and sustainable growth. Working closely with the Principal Investigator, academic leadership, professional services teams, funders and external partners, the postholder will lead the operational, financial and organisational management of this major multi-institutional programme and help establish the structures, processes and partnerships required to support its ambitious research and doctoral training agenda. The post is fixed term to 14th December 2027.  

About The Role

This is an opportunity to join The British Open-ended Learning and Discovery (BOLD) Lab, a major new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funded initiative that will establish a world-leading AI research laboratory at the University of Oxford. Bringing together more than 80 researchers from Oxford, UCL and Imperial under one unified vision, BOLD Lab will pursue ambitious, high-risk research to advance the fundamental science of artificial intelligence and address some of the field's most important challenges. The programme will create a unique collaborative environment where researchers, students and partners work together to develop transformative new ideas, train future leaders in AI, and strengthen the UK's position at the forefront of global AI research. Through its pioneering approach, BOLD Lab aims to unlock breakthroughs that could shape the future of AI and deliver lasting scientific, economic and societal impact. Supported by an initial investment of around £8 million, with the potential to receive further £22 million extending the investment over six years, BOLD Lab represents one of the UK's most ambitious investments in fundamental AI research. BOLD also has access to national compute resources (3M GPU hours on Isambard for the first 1.5 years) and we are working hard to get to 5000 H100 equivalent compute capacity in total across industry and government support. 

About You 

You will be educated to degree level or possess equivalent experience with evidence of strong intellectual, numerical, and analytical skills. With experience of working at a strategic level in a complex environment. Demonstrable ability to manage change and to develop teams together with evidence of experience and ability to engage effectively with unfamiliar technical material. This should include a degree, ideally, though not necessarily, in a relevant scientific discipline. Excellent oral, written communication, presentation, negotiating and problem-solving skills, with the ability to gain the confidence of a wide range of people are also required.

Application Process

Informal enquiries may be addressed to sarah.hoeksma@eng.ox.ac.uk 

For more information about working at the Department, see www.eng.ox.ac.uk/about/work-with-us/

Only online applications received before midday on Wednesday 29th July 2026 can be considered. You will be required to upload a covering letter/supporting statement, (describing how past experience fit with the advertised position), CV and the details of two referees as part of your online application. Interviews are expected to take place during the week commencing 19 January 2026.

The Department holds an Athena Swan Bronze award, highlighting its commitment to promoting women in Science, Engineering and Technology. 

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