Head of Strategic Initiatives

About us

UCL is London's leading multidisciplinary university, with more than 13,000 staff and 42,000 students from 150 different countries. As well as being a global leader in teaching, UCL is also recognised as one of the most successful research institutions in the world.

Our REF performance is testament to the globally significant research underway across the institution. As we develop a new institutional strategic plan that will set the direction for the next five years, we are investing in enhancing the culture that underpins our research excellence.

A healthy, inclusive and sustainable research culture is vital to UCL’s academic and societal mission. It affects how people feel about working with us. It attracts and helps us retain top talent. It influences the quality and impact of our research.

It is not enough to simply strive to keep doing more and better quality research. We need to invest in creating the conditions for that work to happen.

The newly created Research Culture Team provides institutional leadership on the development of UCL’s research culture by designing, coordinating and implementing an ambitious programme of change and by providing support to Faculties and departments for local initiatives.

The team is based in RIGE (Office of the Vice-Provost Research, Innovation and Global Engagement) which brings together a range of functions, services and resources for the UCL community and external partners. RIGE is dedicated to supporting people, crossing boundaries and enabling responsible impact – for the greater good, locally, nationally and internationally.

About the role

The Head of Strategic Initiatives is a member of the Research Culture Leadership team. They will use their considerable knowledge of the research landscape, to lead on the development and delivery of a portfolio of programmes and projects to deliver against UCL’s Research Culture Roadmap. Internally, they will increase alignment and collaboration to make delivery against the Roadmap a shared institutional endeavour. Externally they will develop collaborations with peers in the UK and globally. They will also play an active part in UCL’s engagement with funders and policy-makers with regard sector-wide research culture issues.
They will manage and coach a growing team of specialists in project management and
organisational development and effectively collaborate with key partners across UCL.

This role is open to receive applications from both external and internal candidates. It can be offered to our internal candidates as a secondment if successful.

Interviews will take place on 12 June 2024.

About you

We are looking for a candidate with strong stakeholder engagement background, with experience of influencing senior leaders and peers in a collaborative and consultative manner that enables delivery and helps embed change. Significant knowledge or lived experience of research culture, and the experience of different groups within the research community. The postholder will have knowledge of the research and innovation ecosystem and policy landscape. The successful candidate will experience of working in a project environment with an understanding of fundamental project management principles.

What we offer

Explore more about our comprehensive rewards and benefits package at UCL's Rewards and Benefits Page.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Explore more about our EDI initiative at UCL's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Page.

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