Research Development and Impact Manager

Job Summary

As a key member of the senior management within RGU’s Research Office, this post will contribute to the ongoing development and implementation of RGU’s research strategy. You will provide strategic leadership across the university’s entire academic community, enhancing our research development and impact culture to deliver sustained growth in our research income.

You will work closely with the Vice Principal (Research), the Head of Research Strategy, Culture and Performance, academic school research leads and senior researchers. You will have line management responsibility for a team who manage the portfolio of research proposal submissions from RGU academics.

This role is pivotal to the continued strategic development of our research culture, part of a major multi-million pound investment in research that underpins our new Research Strategy launched in 2022. You will join the RGU Research Office in a key leadership role supporting our academic schools to obtain research funding within one of four themes: Environment, Energy and Sustainability; Living in a Digital World; Health and Wellbeing and Inclusive and Creative Societies.

Our research is focused on addressing some of the major societal and environmental challenges of our time, from work on the energy transition and sustainability through to issues of health and well-being. As a university we are in the business of changing lives through impactful research. This is your opportunity to be part of that amazing journey. You will join a progressive university, with a masterplan to continue developing state-of-the-art facilities in a vibrant riverside campus community.

For informal enquiries, please contact Grant Davidson, Head of Research Strategy, Culture and Performance by email: g.davidson6@rgu.ac.uk

In keeping with RGU's commitment to work/life balance you will have the opportunity to work from home for a portion of the working week and also benefit from a generous pension scheme, 46 days annual leave (including statutory days) an onsite nursery and sports centre, as well as a range of voluntary health and travel benefits. 

RGU's ultra-modern campus, located on the outskirts of the vibrant and prosperous city of Aberdeen, offers a superb place to live, work and develop your career. A relocation package is available to assist with your transition to RGU, where you’ll enjoy working in one of the most impressive university settings in the UK, with first-class educational infrastructure and outstanding sporting and leisure facilities, all set against a stunning rural backdrop on the banks of the river Dee. Further information can be found here

Salary on first appointment is normally to the bottom of the scale, although in exceptional circumstances an appointment further up the scale may be considered. 

Job Description

RESPONSIBLE TO: Head of Research Strategy, Culture and Performance

RESPONSIBLE FOR: Research Development Coordinators (4), Research Development Administrator

PURPOSE OF POST: Contribute to the ongoing development and implementation of RGU’s research strategy and provide strategic leadership across the university’s entire academic community

PRINCIPAL DUTIES:

• To work with the Vice Principal (Research), Head of Research Strategy, Culture and Performance and School research leads to support growth in research income by providing professional expertise and support for the development and implementation of activities that deliver RGU’s strategic research objectives.

• To proactively lead and coordinate networks and communities of practice, bringing together research development and impact roles at the University to develop and deliver shared objectives, maintain oversight of a pipeline of strategic opportunities and impact, build knowledge, coordinate training and drive continuous improvement.

• To cultivate relationships with key research funders and organisations ensuring regular, structured executive level contacts that enhance our ability to influence and improve outcomes with these funders.

• To lead the development of RGU’s Impact Strategy and manage our impact accelerator fund, ensuring delivery of significant regional, national and global impact from the University’s research.

• To keep up to date with developments in the UK external research funding and policy landscape through horizon scanning, intelligence gathering, identifying funding opportunities and monitoring for changes which may influence and inform future direction and delivery of RGU’s research strategy delivery plan.

• To coordinate the mobilisation of interdisciplinary expertise and formation of research consortia in response to preparing University-led strategic research bids for external research grant applications.

• To provide timely and accurate management information on activities that support the strategic planning process for research.

• To prepare for internal and external research assessment submissions.

• Working with our Marketing and Communications team to ensure the research strengths and impact of the University’s research is communicated and highly visible internally, locally and globally.

• Line-manage the Research Development Coordinator team.

• Providing guidance, with a sector-wide perspective, to develop an engaging and relevant programme of research and impact training opportunities.

• To participate in and support team-wide deliverables and responsibilities as required, as well as project manage specific initiatives and undertake any other tasks that might be reasonably requested by the Head of Research Strategy, Culture and Performance.

 

Person Specification

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications and Professional Memberships

• Degree level qualification or equivalent education, training or professional experience.

Knowledge and skills

• Knowledge of the UK and international research funding and impact landscapes, with demonstrated recent experience in a relevant role.

• Ability to plan, prioritise and undertake a demanding and complex programme of work with the ability to work under pressure, achieve targets and respond quickly and flexibly to changing demands and new opportunities.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to engage and influence staff at all levels to convey complex information clearly and concisely, identifying the key messages for the audience.

• Understanding of the project management techniques required to assist the strategic management of research proposal writing.

Experience

• Experience of working with and influencing senior management.

• Track record of leading teams and facilitating activities across organisational boundaries, working flexibly and collaboratively with the ability to motivate others.

 

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

Knowledge

• In depth knowledge and understanding of the funding mechanisms of major research funding organisations, and how those funding organisations work with government to prioritise research and innovation funding.

• Knowledge of the Research Excellence Framework.

• Knowledge of Worktribe.

Experience

• Experience of playing a substantive role in the preparation of large, complex grant proposals that delivered an increase in research funding.

 

Behaviours

Behaviour 1: Analysis and Research - Experience of identifying or designing data gathering and analytical methods appropriate for each

Behaviour 2: Communication - Ability to receive, understand and convey information requiring careful explanation and information of a complex or conceptual nature, in a clear and accurate manner

Behaviour 3: Service Delivery - Experience of exploring and adapting a service to meet customers’ expectations and also identifying ways of improving standards

Behaviour 4: Planning and Organising Resources - Experience of being responsible for the operational planning and organisation of large projects or the coordination of a number of teams or projects, including setting performance standards and monitoring procedures

Behaviour 5: Liaison and Networking - Experience of circulating information in an accurate and timely manner, working across team boundaries to build and strengthen working relationships, leading and developing internal networks to pursue a shared interest and leading and building external networks to enhance the work of the organisation

Behaviour 6: Decision Making - Experience of using own judgement to make decisions, making collaborative decisions with others to reach conclusions and providing advice or information that will influence the decisions of others