Research Development Manager

Job Title:   Research Development Manager        
Department:  Research Development, Research and Innovation Services   
Grade: 7 
Salary range:  £35,333 - £42,155 (per annum/pro-rata)      
Working arrangements: 2 posts are 1FTE which is 35 hrs/wk. The remaining 2 posts are 0.5 fTE which is 17.5 hrs/wk, although these posts may be offered as 1 full time position (depending on candidates and their preferences). All posts are eligible for hybrid working. 
   
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. 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. We focus on the ideas-formation and relationship building end of the spectrum and work with individuals and groups to explore ideas with a view to developing these into strong research funding applications.

Durham has ambitious plans to grow our institutional research income and are therefore investing in these new posts to help support our academic community. We are advertising 4 posts in total, including in Biosciences (1FTE), Engineering (1FTE), Geography (0.5FTE) and Sociology (0.5FTE). Depending on candidate preference, we may appoint 1 FTE to cover both the Geography and Sociology posts.

Reporting to the relevant Senior Research Development Manager, the Research Development Managers will increase the quality and value of funding applications at Durham University, embedding good practice in the identification of opportunities and development of successful proposals. You’ll work closely with the Director of Research, Senior Research Administrator and the wider academic community for the relevant department, as well as with colleagues from the Research Operations team and other professional service units in the university. 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.

We believe this role presents an excellent opportunity for candidates to begin a career in research development. We welcome applications from individuals with strong transferable skills and experience from different careers and sectors. You may have worked in research management for a number of years and be looking for another opportunity. You may have recently finished a PhD and wish to explore an alternative career path to academia. You may work outside of HE but have experience of proposal development and fundraising. We welcome applications from individuals who feel they meet the below essential criteria, regardless of background or experience. Training and support will be provided if successful in being appointed.

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 – please include or delete if not applicable. 
•    We offer a generous pension scheme, As a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled  into the 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, inclusion and values

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.  

Where a criteria has an asterix* next to it, it may be given additional weighting when your application is considered.  Your application should cover the following criteria:

Essential Criteria  

Desirable Criteria

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
• Covering letter outlining your interest in the role and a table/bullet points showing how you meet all of the essential criteria within the Person Specification (above) (and where posible the desirable criteria).

Contact details   
For a chat about the role or any further information please contact contact Eleanor Glenton [email protected]

Typical Role Requirements

Role Delivery

• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and the University’s values.
• Contribute to development of operational service activities to ensure excellence in the stakeholder experience.
• Ensure the review and improvement of systems and procedures in line with University, School, Department or unit frameworks.
• Distribute service information and provide advice to stakeholders regarding compliance and regulations.
• Contribute to the updating of regulations and procedures to take account of internal and external changes.

Planning and Organisation

• Implement changes to the design and development of service processes, techniques and deliverables for one or more service strands or project streams.
• Collect and analyse stakeholder feedback to help define needs and requirements and the design and planning of services.
• Analyse service data and provide reports to Service Heads making recommendations for improvement as appropriate.

Teamwork

• Contribute to operational leadership teams and decision making to shape the nature and level of support services.
• Work flexibly with colleagues to achieve the Team’s agree goals.

Communications and Networking

• Internal and external relationship development and partnership working, networking and participation to engage and influence future services and the University reputation.
• Deliver training, teaching and/or development sessions delivery for stakeholders.
• Contribute to and lead business meetings, working groups and sub-committees at departmental and operational service levels.
• Provide proactive and comprehensive input and support to Head of Services, School and/or Department to achieve strategic and operational priorities.
• Provide advice to stakeholders in relation to University, School and or Department policy, procedures and regulations.
• Coordinate and oversee committee working and deal with complaints.
• Provide training and/or instruction to stakeholders.

Knowledge and Experience

• Recognised professional practitioner and service specialist.
• Provide specialist expertise and support with complexity of data and information sources, interpretation and analysis.
• Identify and design activities to meet learning objectives and outcomes.
• Maintain an awareness of current policy for University business goals such as widening participation and access, and provision of advice using specialist knowledge.
• Awareness of the external environment and sector best practice to support high quality services.  
• 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 https://www.durham.ac.uk/about-us/governance/information-governance/privacy-notices/privacy-notices/job-applicants/ 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.