Supercluster Coordination Lead

UK Atomic Energy Authority; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 43,621 - 59,016; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Bonus scheme

Relocation allowance

Flexible working

EAP & mental health support

Generous annual leave

Career development

Inclusive culture

Job summary

UK Atomic Energy Authority is seeking a Supercluster Coordination Lead for STEP Fusion within the Trent Supercluster. You will coordinate people, ideas and opportunities across partners, shaping regional work programmes that support skills, supply chain and research needs.

You will report on progress, manage senior relationships, and drive collaborative, inclusive delivery for STEP’s regional initiatives with a strong emphasis on governance and strategic alignment.

Qualifications

• Qualification or experience equivalent to degree in a scientific or engineering discipline.
• Experience coordinating activities with multiple internal and external partners, sometimes very senior.
• Experience in cross-partnership work with key departments and STEP communications teams.
• Several years organising and delivering STEM outreach activities with ability to explain complex issues clearly.
• Confident public speaker and presenter to diverse audiences; strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organisational and influencing skills with senior partners.

Responsibilities

• Develop a framework for defining STEP programme requirements across supply chain, skills and research.
• Manage relationships with Supercluster leads and advocate for STEP within the Supercluster.
• Translate programme requirements into actionable work packages across skills, supply chain and R&D.
• Partner with local authorities, industry, education providers and academia to deliver regional programmes.
• Establish reporting on progress, benefits and impact; contribute to delivery plans and risk registers.
• Support continuous improvement by capturing lessons learned and governance resolution.
• Lead by example with integrity, professionalism and collaboration; foster an inclusive culture.

Skills

Public speaking

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Organisational skills

Influencing skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Multi-tasking

Collaboration

Education

Degree in a scientific or engineering discipline

Job description

The UK Government has established UK Fusion Energy (UKFE) Ltd, a subsidiary of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), to deliver the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) prototype fusion plant. UKFE is establishing its mandate, attracting talent, engaging with industry, developing the investment supply chain, and planning and constructing the STEP prototype.

Fusion energy, essential for combating climate change and ensuring energy independence, is expected to be commercially viable by mid‑century. The UK, led by UKFE, aims for a prototype fusion plant with first operations around 2040.

As an employee of UKFE you will benefit from:

• Outstanding defined‑benefit pension scheme, details of which can be found at the end of this advert.
• Corporate‑bonus scheme up to 7% and a relocation allowance (if eligible).
• Flexible working options, including family‑friendly policies and the right to request flexible working from the start of your employment.
• Employee Assistance Programme and trained Mental‑Health First Aiders.
• Generous annual leave allowance starting with 25 days, plus 3 days Christmas closure and 2.5 privilege days, in addition to UK bank holidays.
• Wide range of career‑development opportunities.
• A vibrant, inclusive culture committed to being 100% inclusive.

A full list of our benefits can be found here https://careers.ukaea.uk/life-at-ukaea/employee-benefits/.

The salary for this role is £51,317 + outstanding pension benefits.

This position is based at West Burton, Nottinghamshire and onsite working is expected for three days each week.

For more information on UKIFS, visit https://careers.ukaea.uk/wp-content/uploads/download/UKIFS_CandidateRecruitmentPack.pdf.

The Trent Supercluster brings together regional partners to support growth, innovation and economic development. This role plays a vital part in connecting STEP Fusion’s programme needs with regional ambition, translating insight into practicable work programmes that develop skills, strengthen the supply chain, and advance research locally in the West Burton area.

Supercluster Coordination Lead

As Supercluster Coordination Lead, you will act as STEP Fusion’s primary point of contact within the Trent Supercluster, helping bring people, ideas and opportunities together.

You will gather programme intelligence across skills, supply chain and research, shaping it into clear, coordinated work programmes that support sustainable regional economic growth.

This role involves senior‑level partnership working across local authorities, education providers, industry and internal STEP teams, requiring a collaborative and inclusive approach to building strong, trusted relationships.

You will provide clear, timely and insight‑rich reporting across STEP Fusion, bringing together complex regional intelligence, transforming Supercluster activity into concise programme updates, and producing briefs, dashboards and narrative reports to support informed decision‑making. You will highlight risks, opportunities and emerging trends from the regional landscape, ensuring that leadership maintains clear oversight of delivery, alignment and strategic progress.

Mandates

Mandate 1: Develop a framework for defining STEP programme requirements

• Identify and clearly articulate STEP’s priority needs across supply chain, skills and research.
• Produce structured requirement sets to support Supercluster planning.
• Ensure regional strategies reflect STEP’s core priorities and maximise economic and community benefit.

Mandate 2: Manage relationships with Supercluster leads

• Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with Supercluster leaders and stakeholders.
• Act as an effective advocate for STEP within the Supercluster, and for the Supercluster within STEP.
• Enable open collaboration and ensure shared strategic alignment.

Mandate 3: Develop work packages that deliver strategic requirements

• Translate programme requirements into clear, actionable work packages.
• Shape purposeful workstreams across skills, supply chain and R&D.
• Work in partnership with local authorities, industry, education providers and academia to design and deliver regional programmes.

Mandate 4: Stakeholder reporting, governance and assurance

• Establish reporting that clearly tracks progress, benefits and impact.
• Contribute to key programme documentation, including delivery plans and risk registers.
• Support a culture of continuous improvement by capturing lessons learned and helping resolve issues through governance processes.

Mandate 5: Embody a leadership mindset

• Demonstrate leadership at all levels by role‑modelling behaviours aligned with our culture, values and mission.
• Help create a positive, inclusive and supportive working environment where everyone can contribute and thrive.
• Actively contribute to a respectful, collaborative workplace that values diverse perspectives.
• Represent our organisation’s values and professionalism in all interactions.
• Encourage problem‑solving, collaboration and a shared sense of purpose.
• Use sound judgement to support long‑term programme outcomes.
• Lead by example, demonstrating integrity, professionalism and ethical behaviour.

Not intended to be an exhaustive list of activities – you may be asked to undertake other reasonable duties required.

Mandatory Qualifications

• Qualification or experience equivalent to degree in a scientific or engineering discipline.
• Experience and demonstrable ability to co‑ordinate activities with multiple internal and external partners (sometimes very senior).
• Experience in cross‑partnership working – to enable the job holder to work effectively with key departments, who have a strong stake in this work – notably with the UKAEA communications and senior teams.
• Several years of experience organising and delivering STEM outreach activities, with an ability to grasp complex technical issues and deliver them clearly.
• Must be a confident public speaker and presenter to a wide variety of audiences – from primary schools to U3A groups, university students to community events.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Excellent influencing skills, with senior external and internal partners (e.g. local politicians, council officials, senior staff in STEP, outreach and communications teams and OAS).
• Understanding of social value opportunities and requirements relevant to large infrastructure projects.
• Proven ability to prioritise tasks effectively.
• Must be a good team player.
• Must show flexibility – willingness to multi‑task and help others.

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience in evaluating science communication activities.
• Prior knowledge of monitoring and delivering social value or capturing programme benefits in a complex environment.
• Good knowledge of UKAEA programmes, activities, mission and strategic goals.

Professional Development and Collaboration

Actively engage with APM and other external bodies as part of continuous development. Support the wider STEP PPM community via contributions at STEP meetings and events, contributions at Community of Practice or conferences.

We welcome applications from under‑represented groups, particularly women in STEM and individuals from black or ethnic minority backgrounds, and individuals with disabilities. Our Executive team, supported by an EDI Partner and Inclusion Ambassadors, actively promotes diversity and takes steps to increase representation within our organisation. Mandatory mandatory mandatory Mandatory mandatory Mandated mandatory Mandated mandatory Mandated mandatory mandate mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory Mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mand