Innovation Development and Support Officer

Job Category: Administration and Operations

The full-time starting salary is normally £34,226.00 per annum, with progression available in post to £37,203.00 per annum.

A fantastic opportunity to join as an Innovation Support Officer has arisen for an ambitious individual to join one of the most forward thinking and progressive universities in the country as Birmingham City University drives forward its programme of external projects within research, innovation and enterprise. 

Seen as an important appointment for continuing this success, the Innovation Support Officer appointment provides comprehensive support for externally funded innovation and enterprise projects, contributing to the strategic objectives of the University and specific faculty objectives. This will be throughout a project lifecycle (from pre-award to post-award and project closure) to support the development and management of University’s portfolio of projects. The role entails working with a range of stakeholders within the University and with external project partners and funders.

A more detailed overview is found in the job description. Some of the key primary responsibilities are as follows:

Horizon Scanning

• Register with applicable tender portals for innovation and enterprise projects.
• Develop relationships with the wider team to understand key areas of interest and use this information to highlight areas of focus as part of the horizon scanning of portals including creating Continuing Personal Development (CPDs) modules, commercial opportunities such as consultancy and publicly funded projects;

Pre Award

• Use BCU’s system to create and develop projects.
• Develop an understanding of the invitation to tenders where required. 
• Support the bidding and funding process and obtain final approvals for submitting.

Post Award

• Conduct and prepare reports and documentation before and after project reviews as required depending on risk / value) supporting addressing any issues raised.
• Respond to and provide support for internal and external audits, where required.
• Act as an intermediary to provide support for the PM and link to faculty and Innovation Enterprise and Employability, such as with finance and procurement liaison.

Essential:

• A degree (or demonstrate skills, qualifications and experience at an equivalent level). 
• Demonstrable experience of supporting all aspects of pre and post award project support
• A project management qualification and/or experience of providing project support.
• Experience of running financial or project management monitoring systems 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills 
• IT skills including familiarity with Microsoft Office, Project Management software and SharePoint.

You should also be able to demonstrate:

• An attention to detail with a well organised self-managing workstyle. 
• Pragmatic approach to problem solving using own initiative 
• Ability to identify, assess and understand potential risk to project delivery and propose solutions.

What’s in it for you?

In return for your dedication and hard work, you will benefit from ongoing opportunities for personal and professional development, as well as the following key benefits:

• Opportunity for hybrid working.
• Generous annual leave entitlement of 40 days (including bank holidays and closure periods).
• An attractive direct contribution pension scheme, or the option to retain LGPS for existing and previous members.
• Wellbeing advice and support through our Employee Assistance Programme.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

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Come and be a part of the team.

Please click the below link to download the Job Description:

JOB DESCRIPTION

About Us

At the heart of our Strategy for 2030 and Beyond, it is our mission to enable our students to transform their lives and to achieve their potential. Through our education and research, and the roles our graduates go on to play in the world, we not only support individuals to transform their lives, but we also play a part in transforming society.

Located in the centre of the UK’s second city, we are a university with a long heritage of innovation and of making, dating back to our origins in 1843 when we were founded as the Birmingham Government School of Design.

Our heritage of making through innovation and its application through knowledge exchange, and of creative research and practice, today finds it expression in our STEAM agenda, in our research and enterprise, and in our commitment to challenge-based learning. Working across disciplines, and delivering impactful research and enterprise, interdisciplinarity is at the heart of the continuing transformation of our academic portfolio.

Apply Before: 02/03/2025, 23:59