An opportunity is available to lead the University’s new Integrated Research & Impact Support team, covering the pre-award, post-award and knowledge exchange portfolios.
This post is one of four management posts in which Bangor is investing in its new research and impact support team.
This is a new role which offers an exciting opportunity for someone with considerable enthusiasm for, and experience of, research and impact support operations and the development of improvement strategies. The University has high ambitions for the future, and you will lead a team dedicated to supporting the University's research growth and development agenda, developing the quality and value of the University’s research and impact portfolios, and ensuring that robust systems and processes are in place to support the research community.
You will lead the team to deliver, support and foster a culture of good service, innovation and collaboration, and take ownership of strategically significant and/or complex matters. You will promote a collaborative approach incorporating research leaders across our academic Schools and Colleges, and key colleagues across Professional Services to ensure seamless business processes and support are in place across all aspects of research and impact activity.
Candidates should be educated to degree standard (or equivalent) and will possess excellent interpersonal and influencing skills and the ability to build relationships and engage proactively and effectively with staff and stakeholders at the most senior level. You should demonstrate expertise and understanding of the HE Sector and of the external research funding environment, and how this relates to strategic research investment decisions and the development and delivery of research and impact strategy, including commercialisation of research and outward-facing business and skills developments.
This is a full-time, permanent position.
The successful candidate will be expected to commence as soon as possible.
The ability to communicate in Welsh is desirable for this post.
This role will be located on campus at Bangor. Through our Dynamic Working framework, there will also be the option to spend some time working remotely (although remaining in the UK) to support work life balance, which will be discussed further with candidates at interview.
Applications will also be considered to carry out this role on a part-time or job share basis.
Applications will only be accepted via our on-line recruitment website, jobs.bangor.ac.uk. However, in cases of access issues due to disability, paper application forms are available by telephoning 01248 383865.
Closing date for applications: Friday 15th July 2022
Committed To Equal Opportunities
Overview
The Integrated Research & Impact Support team covers the pre-award, post-award and knowledge exchange portfolios, and sits within the University’s Corporate Services directorate, which also has responsibility for strategy, performance, business planning, strategic projects and partnerships, governance, and compliance. The postholder will report to the Director of Strategy, Performance & Research.
Purpose of the Job
The post holder will:
- lead the University’s Integrated Research and Impact Support (IRIS) team;
- provide leadership for, and support delivery of, the University's research and impact ambitions;
- build and maintain excellent professional relationships with the research community and maximising the value of the University’s research;
- lead and develop the Integrated Research & Impact Support team to deliver a proactive, strategically driven support function across the pre-award, post-award and knowledge exchange portfolios;
- provide insight into the University’s research portfolio and the external research funding environment that supports research investment decisions and the development and delivery of the University’s Research & Impact Strategy;
- respond to the external knowledge exchange and research strategies of the Welsh and UK Governments, and other major funders.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Provide leadership for, and support delivery of, the University's research and impact ambitions:
- Support the Pro Vice Chancellor (Research) in the development, implementation, and monitoring of the University’s Research & Impact Strategy and the University’s Research Wales Innovation Fund (RWIF) Strategy;
- Build strong working relationships with College Directors of Research to improve research bid quality and pipeline, and overall research management and performance;
- Provide leadership for the development and implementation of relevant researcher and research-leadership centred infrastructure and services that maximise opportunities to secure external funding.
- Analyse the University’s research and impact performance with a view to designing and implementing practical measures to improve volume, quality, success and diversity of grant application activity.
- Provide information and insight into the University’s research and its impact, in support of communication and fundraising goals.
- Provide direct bid writing support for major research related initiatives.
Lead and develop the Integrated Research & Impact Support team to deliver a proactive, strategically driven support function across the pre-award, post-award and knowledge exchange portfolios:
- Identify and deliver continuous performance and efficiency improvements across the service;
- Ensure effective service delivery that places researchers at the heart of the service, actively seeking opportunities to develop the quality and value of the University’s research and impact portfolio;
- Devise and deliver a programme of research and impact training workshops and use a variety of communication tools to disseminate information to researchers and University management;
- Manage the development of business processes and systems to support research and impact; directing the definition of requirements, procurement, implementation and further development of such systems as necessary;
Promote a collaborative approach with other Professional Services to ensure seamless business processes and support across all aspects of research and impact activity, including:
- research governance and legal/contract matters;
- the development of internal and external research and impact performance data;
- business planning and REF preparation;
- financial and management accounting, including contributing to the University's financial forecasts;
- contribution to staff induction and development to support key, research related initiatives such as the Athena Swan Charter and the Research Concordat (for Early Career Researchers);
- ensuring that the University’s online and physical media research collateral and presence, is optimised to deliver maximum benefit to student recruitment and attraction of industry partners.
Build and maintain professional working relationships with relevant external bodies:
- oversee development of strategies and reports to external bodies;
- maintain an active knowledge of the research, knowledge exchange and enterprise policy and funding landscape, translating this into proactive and opportunistic targeting of strategically aligned Institutional ambition;
- effective networking to identify future opportunities for research and knowledge development to ensure the University is appropriately positioned to take advantage of these, where they fit with core strategic aims.
Take responsibility for Policies, Guidelines and Procedures to support research, innovation and impact and ensure these are promoted, adhered to and regularly reviewed.
Other Duties and Responsibilities
- The post holder will be expected to participate in performance review and developmental activities.
- The post holder will be expected to comply with the University equal opportunities policies, Dignity at Work and Study Policy and the University’s Welsh Language Policy and the Welsh Language Standards.
- The post holder has a general and legal duty of care in relation to health, safety and wellbeing and must take all reasonable steps to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for him/her self and for other members of staff, students and visitors affected by his/her actions or inactions. The post holder is also required to comply with all applicable health and safety policies, procedures and risk assessments.
- The post holder must comply with relevant legal and financial policies and procedures and be aware of their responsibilities in terms of the legal requirements of their posts.
Person Specification
Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Educated to postgraduate degree level (or equivalent)
- Professional qualifications relevant to the role
- Demonstrable commitment to Continuous Professional Development
Experience/Knowledge
Essential
- Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the current issues in Higher Education including the policy and funding environment as they relate to research and impact.
- Significant experience of working in Higher Education either in an academic research role or a senior pre-/post-award research management, development, or support role.
- An understanding of grant application processes including costing and funder guidelines, the full economic costing methodology.
- An understanding of the issues and process involved with the management of an active research grant portfolio.
- Experience of collating and analysing qualitative and quantitative data and information, drafting reports, briefing materials and delivering presentations with a high standard of accuracy for a range of audiences.
- Experience of working closely with senior management in a HE environment.
- Experience of managing staff effectively in a high-volume and deadline-driven environment, promoting a culture of excellence, and maximising the performance and development of individuals.
Desirable
- Experience of preparing contributions to policy consultations.
- Experience of implementing business systems relevant to the research and impact portfolio.
- Experience of the Worktribe research management solution.
- Experience of supporting a knowledge exchange portfolio (commercialisation, business and skills)
- Experience of influencing and coordinating the activities of senior academic and University service managers.
Skills / Abilities
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills and the ability to build relationships and engage proactively and effectively with staff and stakeholders at the most senior level.
- Excellent organisational skills, and the ability to prioritise a diverse portfolio of work and deliver to agreed deadlines.
- Excellent communication skills both written and verbal.
- Ability to identify relevant policy and operational improvements and how these could be practically delivered within the University.
- Excellent analytical skills including the ability to rapidly and effectively interpret and summarise complex documents and datasets.
- Good political awareness and understanding of the internal and external needs of the institution.
- Excellent problem-solving skills and an ability to deliver creative and innovative solutions
- Excellent numerical and IT skills (Microsoft Office, Excel, PowerPoint).
Other
Desirable
The ability to communicate through the medium of Welsh is desirable for this role. If applicants are not able to speak / write in Welsh at present, there are many opportunities to learn if the successful candidate wishes to do so.