Aviation’s Non-CO2 Impacts on the Climate: Programme Coordinator Call

Funding for a programme coordinator for the Aviation’s non-CO2 Impacts on the Climate programme to deliver cross-programme integration, stakeholder engagement and communication across the wider landscape to maximise the outcomes and impacts of the programme.

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is partnering with the Department for Transport (DfT) and Department for Business and Trade (DBT) to fund a programme coordinator for the Aviation’s non-CO2 Impacts on the Climate programme. The coordinator will be responsible for the delivery of cross-programme integration, stakeholder engagement and communication across the wider landscape to maximise the outcomes and impacts of the programme.

The Aviation’s Non-CO2 Impact on the Climate programme is focused on two aspects:

• Improving understanding of aviation’s non-CO2 impacts and reducing the current scientific uncertainties. This includes contrail cirrus, nitrogen oxides and other non-CO2­ emissions such as water vapour and particulates like soot and sulphur.
• Identifying and developing mitigating actions to address those impacts. This includes, but is not limited to, technology development, sustainable aviation fuel, hydrogen aircraft (both direct combustion and fuel cells), contrail prediction and avoidance, reducing aromatic content of kerosene and carbon pricing.

The programme, while managed as a whole and overseen by a single programme board, will be split across two funding lines. There will be one for academic-led fundamental research projects commissioned by NERC, and one for industry-led applied research projects commissioned by the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI). The programme coordinator will have oversight of activities across the breadth of the programme, leading integration, collaboration and maximising impacts.

The programme coordinator objectives include:

• Being responsible for bringing strategic vision to the programme.
• Keeping up to date with progress on different projects and outputs, and being responsible for reporting, as appropriate, to the programme board.
• Chairing the expert advisory group (EAG), which meets quarterly, which will provide advice and recommendations on the programme. The recipient will ensure that advice and recommendations are made in support of the programme objectives. It is envisioned that the EAG will meet three to four times annually. Until the programme coordinator is recruited, the secretariat for the EAG will sit with NERC. However, the programme coordinator will take over these roles once appointed thereafter.
• Directly interfacing with academia and industry, as well as other stakeholders (eg policy) to foster collaborations, manage expectations and alignment of stakeholder priorities, and help drive programme strategy and programme outputs.
• Leading on communications at the programme level, both internally within the programme as well as externally. This includes liaising with the programme board, which comprises senior officials from NERC, DfT, DBT and ATI.
• Working closely with the programme team who manage the strategic programme on a day-to-day basis and is made up of representatives of the funders.
• Liaising with and coordinating the funded projects, the EAG and other partners.

The role may be supported by a team to help deliver associated activities (eg administration and communication support related to the delivery of the programme coordinator objectives). However, this is not essential. It is not anticipated that the coordinator role will be a full-time position for the duration of the project. However, the candidate should fully justify their chosen approach and resource allocation in order to fulfil the objectives of the role.

Direct liaison with industry, academia, other stakeholders (eg policy users) and other relevant groups will be essential to ensure the successful delivery of the programme. The coordinator will work with the programme board and the programme team, working collaboratively and responsively to direction, as well as responsively to the changing landscape throughout the lifetime of the programme.

Applicants are required to provide evidence that they have the relevant expertise and experience that demonstrates their ability to undertake the role.

The programme coordinator will be in post from no later than December 2025 until 31 March 2028.