Research and innovation are central to King’s College London’s mission as a leading research-intensive university. The Research Management & Innovation Directorate (RMID) provides expert advice, infrastructure and services across the research lifecycle. Within RMID, the Research Governance, Ethics & Integrity department supports the University’s approach to research governance and compliance, helping to enable responsible and internationally engaged research.

The Head of Research Security is responsible for leading King’s College London’s institutional approach to research security, ensuring the University can support secure, responsible and internationally engaged research whilst effectively managing security, regulatory and geopolitical challenges.

 

The postholder will lead the Research Security Team and be accountable for the delivery, development and continuous improvement of the University’s research security and Trusted Research framework. Reporting to the Director of Research, Governance, Ethics & Integrity, the role provides senior specialist leadership across the institution, ensuring that research security risks are effectively identified, assessed and managed while supporting the University’s strategic ambitions for research, innovation and international collaboration.

 

Working across the full research lifecycle, the postholder will oversee the development and implementation of policies, processes, guidance, assurance mechanisms and risk management activities that enable compliance with relevant legal, regulatory and funder requirements. The role will help ensure that research is conducted in a manner that protects the University’s people, assets, reputation and strategic interests whilst maintaining an open and collaborative research environment.

 

The role is responsible for leading and coordinating the University’s Trusted Research and Research Security function, providing strategic oversight of institutional research security activities and ensuring the effective operation of the Trusted Research Framework. Acting as Secretariat to the Trusted Research Committee and Chair of the Trusted Research Working Group, the postholder will work collaboratively across Faculties, Professional Services Directorates and King’s Health Partners to develop, implement and continuously enhance policies, processes, guidance and assurance mechanisms that support research security objectives. The role provides expert advice on research security, compliance and risk management matters, maintains the University’s trusted research governance framework, identifies and escalates emerging risks, and supports informed decision-making to safeguard the integrity, security and compliance of the University’s research activities.

 

The postholder will be accountable for the leadership and performance of the Research Security Team, ensuring the delivery of effective guidance, monitoring, assurance and reporting arrangements across the University. They will oversee research security and compliance activities relating to international regulations, export controls, third-party due diligence, sanctions compliance, research data protection and emerging research security requirements, ensuring that institutional responses are informed by appropriate expertise and delivered in a coordinated and proportionate manner.

 

This is a full time (35 hours per week) post, offered on an indefinite contract.