Research Environment, Development & Pre-Award Team Leader

Overview
Following a major review of the University’s research support services, a new, integrated structure has been established that creates a single, interconnected institution-wide community of practice, delivering operational research services through a line management structure that links back to the RIKE directorate. The new structure is built around three faculty-facing teams that provide end-to-end operational support for externally-funded research, throughout the project lifecycle.

The support provided by the end-to-end support team covers the following three areas of activity:

• Pre-Award (working with academics to create budgets, handling internal approvals processes and project management of submission process).
• Post-Award (accepting awards, setting up budgets and managing finances throughout lifecycle of grant).
• Environment (supporting strategic thinking around funding, helping academics to engage with new opportunities, and supporting the creation of a strong departmental research environment).

Role
Reporting to the Head of Faculty Research Operations you will be responsible for the management, performance and career development of a group of Grade 5 and Grade 6 staff who will support environment, development and pre-award activity. This will entail planning the overall work of the team so that work is managed in a timely and professional manner. The distribution of work will need to be balanced equitably between team members, with you providing supportive line management so that staff can fully contribute to the overall collective effort of the team.

In addition to team leader duties, you will also be responsible for a research environment and development portfolio. This will include supporting strategic thinking and the development of new research and related activities within departments/schools. It will also involve engaging with opportunities to maintain and develop departmental research strengths, from initial identification of possible funding, through to the preparation and submission of applications.

Key requirements

• Experience of navigating research culture, policies and processes in a complex organisation.
• Knowledge of higher education research, the mechanisms for supporting research and the requirements of major sponsors of research activity.
• A demonstrable track record of developing large scale funding bids and assisting others to secure research funding from a variety of different sources.
• Excellent numeracy skills, competent working with complex project budgets, demonstrating accuracy and attention to detail.
• Knowledge of the pathway for academic research in the faculty, from inception to translation/impact.
• Ability to communicate effectively and build good working relationships with a variety of staff, including senior staff within and outside the University.
• Ability to manage teams.
• Proactive approach to solving complex problems, including resolving issues escalated from the team.
• Familiarity with principles of change management, experience of process improvement implementation.

Interview date: To be confirmed.

For informal enquiries: Please contact Sarah Burton (sarah.burton@york.ac.uk), Head of Faculty Research Operations.

The University strives to be diverse and inclusive – a place where we can ALL be ourselves.

We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, who are underrepresented at the University.

We offer family friendly, flexible working arrangements, with forums and inclusive facilities to support our staff. #EqualityatYork

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