Salary: Unpaid (except expenses)

Location: National

Type of Contract: Three years

Closing Date: 14 September 2026

UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) is on a mission to protect clean sport and currently has an exciting opportunity available for you to join us.

We are looking to recruit a Sport Innovation Expert to join UKAD’s Innovation Commission. The successful candidate will bring significant expertise in sport innovation, research, technology development, or performance environments, helping UKAD identify emerging opportunities, technologies and partnerships that can strengthen anti-doping research and operational effectiveness.

The role will provide strategic insight into how new ideas, technologies and research can be translated into practical solutions and impact across sport, supporting UKAD's ambition to remain at the forefront of anti-doping innovation. This includes identifying opportunities for collaboration across academia, industry, sport and government, and advising on approaches that accelerate the adoption of new knowledge, technologies and innovative practices.

The purpose of the Innovation Commission (IC) is to harness expertise, perspective, and insight from within the United Kingdom’s (UK) private and public-sector science industries to safeguard the UK’s position at the forefront of international efforts to detect, deter and prevent doping within sport.

Together with the Insight & Innovation team at UKAD, the IC play an active role in implementing UKAD’s Research & Innovation Strategy, with a particular focus on facilitating engagement and collaboration with potential external industry contacts, to help UKAD adapt approaches taken in other sectors towards embedding innovation.

In addition, the IC plays a vital role in coordinating opportunities for funding that supports the development of research and innovation prospects that enhance our evidence-based anti-doping operations.

Our purpose:

• To ensure doping-free sport, promoting and protecting clean sport through education, testing and enforcement.

Our values:

• Integrity – We do what is right for clean sport, we are equitable and ethical, ensuring everyone is treated fairly and with respect.

• Collaboration – We work together and with others, sharing knowledge and building relationships to better tackle doping.

• Excellence – We strive to achieve high standards in the protection of clean sport, evolving with the times and finding solutions.

• Passion – We are dedicated to keeping sport clean, are proud of what we do and know it matters.

Members of the IC currently include representation from high performance sport, academia (social sciences), data ethics, policy experts, and public research institutes. Commission members include representation from UKAD’s Head of Insight and Innovation, Research and Innovation Lead and Director of Education, Insight and Global Engagement, and is chaired by UKAD Board Member Prof Caitlin Notley.

Non-UKAD members of the Commission are appointed for a term of three years, with the option of extension for a second and final three-year term in the interest of preserving continuity of the Commission’s activity.

IC members are required to attend meetings 2-3 times a year, either in-person, virtual or a hybrid of the two.

For more information on the role and responsibilities of IC members, please review the Innovation Commission Terms of Reference.

Person specification

Essential Qualifications, Experience and Knowledge:

• Significant senior-level experience within sport, sport science, innovation, technology, research, or a related field.

• A strong understanding of innovation within sporting environments, including how new ideas, technologies, products or services are developed, evaluated and adopted.

• Knowledge of current and emerging trends shaping sport and high-performance environments, including technology, equipment and apparel innovation, digital transformation, data and AI-enabled solutions, and approaches that enhance athlete performance, welfare and organisational effectiveness.

• Experience leading, delivering or supporting innovation initiatives that have translated new ideas, technologies, products, services or research into measurable operational, organisational or sporting impact

• Experience building and facilitating collaborations between academia, industry, sport organisations, government departments or other relevant stakeholders.

• Ability to identify strategic opportunities and challenges and translate these into practical recommendations.

• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the ability to provide independent expert advice.

• Ability to think creatively and strategically about innovation opportunities within complex systems.

• Commitment to the principles of clean sport and ethical research and innovation practices.

Desirable Attributes:

• Academic research experience or experience working closely with universities and research institutions.

• Experience supporting research translation, knowledge exchange, commercialisation, or innovation adoption activities.

• Experience securing or managing research and innovation funding, particularly those involving cross-sector collaboration.

• Experience serving on advisory boards, expert panels, commissions, or governance groups.

• Familiarity with UK and international anti-doping frameworks, policies, or research agendas.

Please click the apply button to send an expression of interest (max. one page A4) plus your CV.

Deadline for applications is Monday 14 September 2026