Project Manager-Compound Semiconductor Place Based Impact Accelerator

18111BR

School of Physics & Astronomy

Managerial, Professional and Specialist Staff – MPSS

Advert

Project Manager  (EPSRC The Compound Semiconductor Place Based Impact Accelerator)
School of Physics & Astronomy
Cardiff University

Cardiff University leads the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded Compound Semiconductor Place Based Impact Accelerator (PBIAA) with Swansea University  and three public sector partners: Welsh Government, Cardiff Capital Region City Deal and Bargen Ddinesig Bae Abertawe. The PBIAA will utilise the Europe-leading facilities and expertise at the Institute for Compound Semiconductors (ICS) and the Centre for Integrated Semiconductors (CISM) working closely with the public sector and industry partners. 

Project Manager Role
As part of the PBIAA programme the School of Physics and Astronomy is seeking to appoint a Project Manager to manage the PBIAA activities. The 4 year Project will commence on the 1st March 2024 and the position is available from this date.

You will manage the day-to-day administrative activities of the PBIAA managing and reporting on a large programme budget whilst providing advice, guidance and support to the Director and PBIAA Management Board to ensure the successful delivery of PBIAA targets on time and within planned financial expectations. This will involve coordinating activity across the Universities and close cooperation with our public sector and industrial partners.
You will ensure compliance with all contractual, administrative and reporting requirements of EPSRC funding and the University. This will include organising and supporting the PBIAA Governance Board. You will be supported in this role by School administrative staff and staff working in Research and Innovation Services.

IMPORTANT NOTE TO CANDIDATES: It is the University’s policy to use the person specification as a key tool for short-listing and we only invite candidates to interview who clearly evidence that they meet (or partially meet) each of the essential criteria. During the application process you will be asked to attach a supporting statement. This statement must outline how you meet the criteria below and we recommended formatting this by using each criteria as a sub-heading and providing your relevant experience/evidence below each sub-heading. It is crucial that you save your supporting statement with the vacancy number (eg. 18111BR) in the filename as failure to do so may result in it being omitted from your application. 

This role is full-time (35 hour per week) and is fixed term until 31st December 2027.

Salary: £49,794 - £54,395 per annum (Grade 7)

Job Reference: 18111BR

For more details contact Professor Peter Smowton ([email protected] or Hazel Hung ([email protected]) 

Date advert posted: Wednesday, 31 January 2024

Closing date: Wednesday, 14 February 2024

Please be aware that Cardiff University reserves the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received.

Cardiff University and the School of Physics and Astronomy are committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity. Our inclusive environment welcomes applications from talented people from diverse backgrounds. We strongly welcome female applicants and those from any ethnic minority group, as they are underrepresented in our School. The School of Physics & Astronomy has a Juno Champion accreditation and an Athena SWAN Silver award that recognises good employment practice and a commitment to develop the careers of women and other minorities working in science. The University is committed to ensuring that we sustain a positive working environment for all staff to flourish and achieve. As part of this commitment, the University has developed a flexible and responsive framework of procedures to support staff in managing their work and personal commitments wherever possible. Applications are welcome from individuals who wish to work part-time or full time.

Job Description

Duties and Responsibilities

Key Duties
⦁    Provide day to day management of the CS PBIAA, including support for staff members, the organisation of cross university activities and the interaction with services across the public sector and industry partners.
⦁    In concert with the Management Board; manage the planning, organising and delegating of work, monitoring progress and intervening as required
⦁    Managing and reporting on a large programme budget, including financial and resource planning.
⦁    Planning and delivering a series of events, including workshops, training activities and events with industry partners and the general public.
⦁    Managing the communications and outreach activity of the CS PBIAA, including the development of a website, annual glossy report and a range of STEM outreach activity with industry and academic partners.
⦁    Support the management board, and constituent bodies with the provision of management systems and information to support all quarterly decision making, including monitoring of KPIs and risk management
⦁    Plan and deliver projects associated with the CS PBIAA that have wide impact across institutions.
⦁    Provide professional advice and guidance on CS PBIAA processes and procedures to internal and external stakeholders that will have wide impact across institutions, advising on the impact of deliverable outcomes and timing on strategic developments and plans
⦁    Take responsibility for resolving issues independently within Supervisory Teams where they fall within set role objectives, using judgement and creativity to suggest the most appropriate course of action and ensuring complex and conceptual issues and solutions are understood by the audience
⦁    Investigate and analyse specific issues that affect timely delivery of Project milestones, creating recommendation reports to inform and support Management Board action and addressing issues as necessary
⦁    Establish relationships with key contacts to ensure role objectives are met, developing appropriate communication links with internal  and outside bodies including industry partners, public sector partners, Swansea University and funding bodies.
⦁    Create specific working groups from colleagues across the University and partners to achieve objectives
⦁    Undertake a variety of  administrative duties to support the CS PBIAA
⦁    Instruct and guide other employees across the University to achieve the goals of the CS PBIAA.

General Duties
⦁    Ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties
⦁    Abide by University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity
Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role    

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Qualifications and Education
1.    Postgraduate/Professional qualification/NVQ 5 or equivalent experience

Knowledge, Skills and Experience
2.    Substantial experience of working in project management and evidence of ability to undertake and deliver specific projects and supervise project teams
3.    Able to demonstrate expert professional knowledge of project management, administration and reporting of large complex and multi-stakeholder project
4.    Proven experience in developing new management processes and procedures
5.    Excellent organisational skills with a proven ability to juggle multiple tasks and to effectively assess and prioritise activities to ensure targets are met

Customer Service, Communication and Team Working
6.    Able to influence senior decisions that have a strategic impact
7.    Evidence of ability to explore customers’ needs, adapt the service, and set customer expectations including a proven ability to liaise effectively with external partners in supporting the establishment and maintenance of successful collaborations.
8.    Well-developed communication and presentational skills, both oral and written including a demonstrable ability to interface in an effective and professional manner on a one to one and a one to many basis to develop networks and contribute to long term developments.

Planning, Analysis and Problem solving
9.    Evidence of ability to research and solve expansive problems using initiative and creativity; identify and propose both practical and innovative solution
10.    Evidence of ability to undertake and deliver specific projects and supervise short term project teams

Desirable Criteria 

11.    Experience of working in or knowledge of the Compound Semiconductor sector
12.    Experience of working in a Higher Education environment
13.    Fluency in Welsh, oral and written

Job Category

Management & Executive