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The University

At Durham University we are proud of our people. A globally outstanding centre of educational excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other. We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things professionally and personally.
Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is a key hub of activity within our region and nationally. We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thriving University. Further information about the University can be found here

The Role and Department

Research and Innovation Services (RIS) provides guidance, expert advice and hands-on support for all aspects of research and research-related work, including securing funding, working with partners, undertaking knowledge exchange, demonstrating impact, commercialising outputs, ensuring good research practice and supporting professional development.

The Research Development team is a small unit of research funding specialists dedicated to supporting academic colleagues to develop their research from inception to application.

The team focuses on the ideas-formation and relationship building end of the spectrum and work with individuals and groups to explore ideas and help develop them into strong research funding applications. To achieve this, we work closely with colleagues across the professional support services including those in university research institutes, Development and Alumni Relations (DARO), Partnerships and Engagement, and the Research Operations team. We are also involved in the delivery of academic professional development, including in grant writing, and support other training and information activities aimed at helping individuals develop their research portfolios.

Our team covers all four Faculties across the breadth of mainstream funding remits and we are active in providing funder intelligence and working with academic colleagues to keep abreast of future trends in the funding landscape. At a strategic level, we engage with external Funders to build relationships, whilst working with senior colleagues across the institution, including departmental Directors of Research and Faculty Management to develop research strategies. The Research Development Team are members of several decision-making bodies including Faculty Boards, Funder Liaison Groups and Faculty Research Committees.

The Research Development Manager will increase the quality and value of funding applications at Durham University and embed good practice in the identification of opportunities and development of successful proposals.

The successful candidate will be expected to work closely with academic staff and to nurture strong links with funders, including Research Councils, the European Commission, charities and international funders, as well as partners and relevant intermediaries. To succeed in this role, it will be necessary to assimilate a very wide brief and to rapidly gain an understanding of a broad spectrum of academic knowledge.

Further information about the role and the responsibilities is at the bottom of this job description.

Working at Durham

A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University: you will also receive access to the following fantastic benefits:

• 30 Days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 42 days per year.
• The University closes between Christmas and New Year
• We offer a generous pension scheme, As a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into this University Superannuation Scheme (USS).
• No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies.
• There is a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities.
• Lots of support for health and wellbeing including discounted membership for our state of the art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
• On site nursery is available and children’s clubs in the summer holidays.
• Family friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, which are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
• The opportunity to take part in staff volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community.
• Discounts are available via our benefits portal including; money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, the cinema and days out at various attractions.
• A salary sacrifice scheme is also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits.
• If you are moving to Durham, we can help with removal costs and we have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools. If you need a visa, we cover most visa costs and offer an interest free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas.

Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion

Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work. As a University equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. It’s important to us that all of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.

We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. If you have taken time out of your career, and you feel it relevant, let us know about it in your application. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

What you need to demonstrate when you apply/Person Specification

When you apply it is important that you let us know what skills/experience you have from a similar role and/or what skills/experience you have which would make you right for this role. Further information about the role and responsibilities is at the end of this job description.

Essential Criteria

• Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally.
• Excellent digital competence with demonstrable skills in using core digital tools including internet, email, digital communication tools, Microsoft 365 applications, digital booking system, project planning, financial systems, recruitment tools.
• Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience).
• Experience of strategic planning in order to target relevant funding opportunities.
• Continuing professional development required to maintain professional recognition.
• Knowledge and experience of current issues in higher education, including (for example) research assessment, impact, sustainability and research funding.
• Proven ability to analyse data and produce reports based on data trends.
• Experience of being able to network effectively and develop strong and productive working relationships, to influence perceptions of the University.
• Demonstrable experience of leading, managing and motivating others to deliver objectives.
• Proven experience of securing research funding from a variety of different sources.
• Experience of supporting interdisciplinary, multi-partner, collaborative funding applications.
• Demonstrable effective personal and workload organisation and prioritising skills with the ability to manage conflicting priorities

Desirable

• Direct experience of working for a funding body of relevance to UK higher education.
• Knowledge and experience of working with academic researchers and funders of research.

How to apply

To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification above. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria. Please don’t forget to check if there is any weighted criteria (see above).

While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.

Submitting your application

We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates.

What you need to submit

• A CV;
• A covering letter which briefly details your interest in the role, relevant experience, strengths and potential; and
• A document detailing, in table format, evidence of how you satisfy the essential and desirable criteria associated with the role.

Contact details

For more information regarding this post, or an information discussion, please contact Eleanor Glenton, Deputy Director of Research Development - [email protected].

Typical Role Requirements

Service Delivery

• Act as a recognised practitioner in Research Development, identifying and securing new external research income for the University from relevant funding sources.
• Lead on the design, implementation and monitoring of policy and quality standards, procedures and systems to ensure effective working and continuous improvement.
• Ensure all activities, processes and transactions are accounted for accurately and promptly to meet regulatory and professional service and policy standards.
• Implement processes to manage the integrity and security of all commercially and professionally sensitive and personal data.
• Responsible for allocating and monitoring financial budgets and resources.
• Produce communications for promotion and reporting purposes, designing and structuring information and fact, applying creative and innovative principles to influence and engage.
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and the University’s values.
• Promote the improvement and efficiency of departmental services by implementing and managing review and improvement procedures.
• Take responsibility for operational activity across different areas.
• Contribute to operational leadership teams and decision making to shape the nature and level of support services.
• Lead and deliver research funding opportunities and support initiatives that would apply across the University.
• A willingness to travel in the UK and internationally.

Planning and Organising

• Significant input into the scoping and resource planning across a range of activities at operational and possibly strategic level.
• Maintain an oversight of the service and performance metrics to provide reports for higher level managers and committees.
• Carry out project scoping, initiation, planning and implementation for large scale/University wide research bids.
• Proactively manage the development of high-quality research proposals, providing hands-on support for applicants, particularly in relation to high value bids, including planning timelines for submissions, project managing the overall development of the proposal and supporting the process of information gathering from funders, project partners and investigators.
• Proactively scan funding opportunities to identify those that best align with the academic priorities and strengths of Durham University.

Teamwork and Team Development

• Manage and develop service, infrastructure and people performance within the Faculty Team.
• Devolve responsibilities to team members to ensure continuity of service provision and encourage skills development.
• Ensure all stakeholder-facing staff provide an accessible, friendly and professional service by shaping processes for inducting and developing staff.
• Provide feedback on team and individual performance and identify development needs, conducting regular staff ADR and performance reviews.
• Recruit, induct, train and develop new team members.
• Responsible for shaping the development and learning of others outside of the team, through the design and delivery of training sessions
• Handle the vast majority of HR issues within a team, referring more complex HR issues to appropriate support services/senior management.
• Oversight of short term or temporary project reams/strands, taking responsibility for decision making as appropriate.

Communication/Networking

• Engage with funders and partners during the development of research collaborations to influence opinion, delivery and reputation of Durham University, and ensure priorities/challenges are understood and addressed.
• Act as specialist point of contact dealing with complexity of data and information sources, interpretation and analysis
• Lead internal business meetings, working groups and sub-committees at operational service level to influence governance, organisational policy and standards for the service.
• Work with team members and stakeholders to build and maintain excellent working relationships internally with key academics, research institutes and departmental and faculty management teams, and externally with key partners and funders (UK Research Councils, charities, UK government agencies and other relevant bodies).
• Provide professional guidance to stakeholders, good practice in department, with an emphasis on increasing the value and quantity of successful research proposals, working closely with funder liaison groups.

Knowledge and Experience

• Provide expert professional subject and use problem-solving skills to address the detailed requirements of specific proposal sections, with the goal of maximising the chance of success.
• Promote and develop a deep understanding of organisational policy and external developments.
• Deliver professional expertise with investigative and service methodologies, make recommendations and identify priorities to develop business plans aimed at maximising Durham's success in securing external funding to support research.
• Represent the service and University at promotional events and contribute to the delivery of presentations at conferences.
• Develop external relations, identify and develop opportunities for research conversations and increased levels of participation.
• Any other reasonable duties.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Privacy Notices - Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.