Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Lead (Hiring Immediately)

Salary: £85,000
Bonus: Discretionary
Location: Kings Cross, London(Tuesdays-Thursdays - 3 days at HQ, Monday + Friday - home ) Employment Type: Permanent, full time
Closing Date: 11.10.26

About ARIA

ARIA is a R&D funding agency created to unlock technological breakthroughs that benefit everyone. We fund scientists and engineers to pursue research at the edge of the possible.

From climate change to AI, society faces enormous challenges and opportunities that can be uniquely addressed by science and technology. ARIA was created to activate the UK’s world-class R&D in new ways, so we can meet these head on.

Our success is shaped by one question: how will ARIA transform the lives of the UK’s future generations? Whether that’s a life-changing new technology or a burgeoning new industry, it should be obvious that ARIA played a catalytic role.

Learn more about how we work here.

Role Summary

ARIA's mission is to pursue scientific breakthroughs that benefit everyone. Delivering on this mission comes down to the people and ideas we back — the strongest possible pool of programme directors, researchers and technologists we can empower. That talent is not concentrated in any one place, institution or demographic, and unearthing it is crucial to our success.

This role will partner with teams across the organisation to continue and deepen that effort, acting as a strategic advisor to our programmes, governance, partnerships, events and our internal people practices – ensuring that the opportunity to work with and within ARIA is open to the best talent wherever it sits.

What you'll do

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and lead ARIA's ED&I strategy and implementation plan, including delivery of ARIA's commitments under the Women in Research charter and our approach to extending engagement across every region and nation of the UK.
• Monitor emerging best practice, legislation, and sector developments relating to diversity, equality and inclusion and evaluate how to embed them within ARIA’s unique mandate.
• Lead the established highly collaborative, ED&I working group with stakeholders from across functions and provide expert advice and challenge to senior leaders, managers and teams.

Inclusive Funding Approach

• Work with senior management and the special projects team to ensure ARIA's outreach delivers on our public commitments on reach and access - surfacing the strongest ideas and teams wherever they sit - including through the discovery work led by programme directors.
• Review funding criteria, application processes, and decision-making frameworks to remove sources of bias including looking at the impact of AI in bias.
• Help ARIA understand where potential applicants are being missed - geographically, institutionally and demographically - and shape targeted engagement to close those gaps.
• Design and run experiments to widen the pool of people ARIA reaches.
• Evaluate pay and conditions (stipends / payscales) across early career funding recipients / researchers and PhD students funded by ARIA and make recommendations for improvements that are still in line with MPM (Managing Public Money) principles.

Events & External Engagement

• Work with the Events team on ARIA's approach to events, conferences and public-facing activities - both our own and those we participate in - so they help widen awareness of ARIA among scientists, engineers and communities who might not otherwise encounter us.
• Ensure owned events consider accessibility, representation, participation, safeguarding, affordability and cultural inclusion from design through to delivery, in collaboration with our Events team.
• Gather and act upon participant feedback to improve experiences for diverse audiences.

Empower Internal Operations

• Identify structural barriers and recommend practical improvements across recruitment, progression, procurement, communications, governance and workplace culture.
• Develop tools, frameworks, and guidance that help colleagues embed inclusive practice in their day-to-day work, so those processes support, rather than narrow, the pool of talent ARIA needs to deliver on its mandate

Data, Learning & Accountability

• Develop meaningful approaches to measuring progress on ED&I commitments, including our commitment to increasing our diversity in programme discovery.
• Evaluate data and feedback from across the programme and operational cycle to identify trends, opportunities and areas for improvement — and produce reports and recommendations for Programme Directors and Operational Leads.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning, reflection and accountability.

Culture & Capability Building

• Design and deliver training, workshops and learning opportunities.
• Promote a culture of belonging, curiosity and continuous improvement.
• Facilitate difficult conversations with sensitivity, credibility and pragmatism.

Who you are

We expect the successful candidate to bring many of the following:

• You have significant experience designing and running outreach, discovery or engagement work that has measurably broadened who an organisation reaches — including reaching people and communities historically underrepresented in research or public-sector funding — ideally in a research, funding or public-sector context.
• You have measurable experience reviewing systems, policies, and organisational practices to improve diversity outcomes.
• You have significant experience embedding diversity, equality and inclusion principles within R&D funding, including in the design, assessment, or delivery of funding programmes and processes.
• You have strong facilitation, stakeholder engagement and influencing skills.
• You can deliver at pace with unshakable composure, ensuring that professional respect remains a constant regardless of the stakes. You lead by example, setting a clear institutional standard for how you interact and navigate friction.
• You have the ability to balance strategic thinking with practical implementation.
• You have excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• You have the ability to challenge constructively and build trust across different teams and levels of seniority.

How to apply

Please submit your current CV and a cover letter detailing your suitability. We pride ourselves on reviewing every application personally.

Note: A cover letter is required to be considered.

Benefits

• 27 days annual leave provision, with the option to buy/sell additional days
• Hybrid working arrangements; 60% in office / 40% at home
• Discretionary bonus
• Supportive environment for learning and development opportunities
• Enhanced family leave arrangements
• A free and confidential 24/7 employee assistance programme
• Life Assurance
• 2 days of paid volunteer days
• 5% defined contribution pension scheme with Smart Pension
• Cycle to Work scheme
• An excellent office location in Kings X, London

Not sure you meet 100% of our criteria? Don’t worry! If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We want to attract the broadest array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. Whether you’re new to the field, returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interests and what you hope to bring to this role.

If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process, please notify us and we will make every effort to accommodate you. Disclosing any requests are intended to provide ARIA with the best opportunity to support candidates and will have no negative impact on your recruitment process.

ARIA adopts a highly considered approach to ethical and social responsibility. You can read our policy here . Our research and development activity will abide by the 3Rs principle. You can read about those here .