Job Purpose
To provide comprehensive high-level research and administrative support to Professor Petra Meier and her team to facilitate the delivery of a wide-ranging portfolio of research, engagement and impact activities. This will include working with both internal and external partners, researching and drafting reports, presentations and speeches; strategically supporting activity across all phases of research including horizon scanning and grant writing; representing Professor Meier where necessary; and proactively managing projects and budgets across the portfolio.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
1. Provide high-level specialist project and portfolio management across a range of complex research and engagement activities using judgement and discretion to drive performance and organisational efficiency, engaging with others from across the University and externally as appropriate. This requires the role holder to establish an in-depth knowledge of Professor Meier’s thematic remit of health equity, and to work closely with a range of different academic and non-academic partnerships and stakeholders.
2. To lead the strategic oversight of all research grants, bids, strategic partnerships and externally-facing activities within Professor Meier’s portfolio and provide comprehensive portfolio management support, including (but not limited to) ensuring positive working relationships, and planning and monitoring of progress against targets for delivery of processes, outputs and outcomes, financial management, reporting and co-ordination of academic and non-academic partners.
3. Research and draft papers, briefing notes, reports, presentations, grant proposal sections, and speeches across the full spectrum of Professor Meier’s responsibilities and priorities, undertaking substantive background research from appropriate sources, and using a high level of awareness of academic, partner and research funder expectations and priorities.
4. Proactively and independently contribute across the different research and engagement projects, from initial idea to final impact delivery, often involving multiple stakeholders with conflicting priorities and time pressures, using strong interpersonal negotiating and influencing skills to secure the input of other colleagues and services internally and externally, so that objectives and outputs are delivered in a timely manner.
5. Liaising with managers and administrators of specific projects and initiatives, ensuring effective support is in place for event, meeting, diary and email management across the portfolio. This will also involve reviewing and collating papers, reports and presentations, following up and leading on the delivery of actions on behalf of Professor Meier, drafting responses to emails and other communications, and preparing plans for meetings and events. This requires the role holder to be aware of immediate priorities and pressures and to be sensitive to the strategic direction of the various research programmes.
6. Liaise with People & Organisational Development, Finance and Research Support teams to discuss new and existing posts and budgets within the research group, and obtaining projected costs for the preparation of future grant applications.
7. Taking a leading role in the direction of the multiple research and engagement programmes, drawing on specialist knowledge and experience to inform and formulate strategy to integrate and progress the aims of the various funding streams underpinning the group.
8. Use ongoing horizon scanning to consider upcoming opportunities for research directions, strategic bids and engagement activities, and facilitate appropriate responses to the most promising directions.
9. Contribute towards the development of funding applications to external funders by providing specialist bid writing support to academic leads within the group to enhance the quality and strengthen the chance of each application being successful.
10. Take a leading role in the collation and preparation of responses to policy consultations and similar activities, ensuring these are managed to deadline, allowing for any necessary internal engagement and approvals.
11. Undertake any other relevant duties as directed by the line manager or Head of School.
Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience
Knowledge/Qualifications
Essential
A1 Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 9, 10 or 11 (Ordinary/Honours Degree, Post Graduate Qualification)
A2 Experience in a subject discipline relevant to Professor Meier’s research portfolio (e.g. health, social policy), with a broad range of professional experience in a management role(s) OR
A3 Ability to demonstrate the competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post having acquired the necessary professional knowledge and management skills in a similar or number of different specialist roles.
Skills
Essential
C1 Excellent oral and written communication skills with an ability to research and write reports and presentations for a variety of audiences and to draft and edit strategic documents
C2 Excellent interpersonal skills with an ability to promote positive working relationships and to motivate, influence and negotiate inputs from diverse partners
C3 Ability to work across a range of collaborating organisations from academia, policy and third sector and community organisations.
C4 Ability to understand and interpret complex information and take lead responsibility in briefing colleagues accordingly.
C5 Numerate with excellent IT skills and advanced ability to interpret management information and manipulate data.
C6 Ability to produce appealing content for university websites, and traditional and social media platforms
C7 Excellent knowledge of project and research management techniques and methodology
C8 Proven analytical, organisational, project planning and problem-solving skills with the ability to act on own initiative and be proactive.
C9 Demonstrable ability to act calmly and methodically, to set priorities, work with diplomacy and efficiency in a highly pressured environment.
C10 Ability to generate innovative solutions, demonstrating a clear understanding of the strategic aims of the related area of work.
C11 Ability to spot and respond to internal and external risks and issues that may affect area of work
C12 Familiarity with the Higher Education sector, specifically understanding of the funding landscape, research and impact agendas
C13 Ability to contribute to the writing and editing of multi partner, complex research proposals and other academic texts
Desirable
D1 Have sufficient understanding of the thematic and methodological research concepts of the relevant projects to permit informed decision making.
Experience
Essential
E1 An established track record of providing advice, influencing and implementing strategy and long-term goals.
E2 An established track record of project and portfolio management in complex environments involving multiple stakeholders.
E3 Experience of engaging and working with professional project teams and ensuring delivery of projects to achieve key targets
E4 Experience of managing budgets and resources across several projects, preparing and presenting financial management reports.
E5 Experience in multitasking, working efficiently under pressure, and adapting to changing environments and requirements.
E6 Experience of managing the activities of self and others
Desirable
F1 Experience of working at the research/public policy interface.
F2 Experience of liaising with major research funders.
Terms and Conditions
Salary will be Grade 8, £49,250 - £56,921 per annum pro rata.
This post is part time (24.5 hours per week, 0.7 FTE) and open ended with funding up to 30 November 2027.
The University of Glasgow has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK. If you require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK, you will be required to meet the eligibility requirements of the visa route to be assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship.
Please note that this post may be eligible to be sponsored under the Skilled Worker visa route if tradeable points can be used under the Skilled Worker visa rules.
For more information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa
As part of Team UofG you will be a member of a world changing, inclusive community, which values ambition, excellence, integrity and curiosity.
As a valued member of our team, you can expect:
1 A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.
2 An excellent employment package with generous terms and conditions including 41 days of leave for full time staff, pension - pensions handbook https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/payandpensions/pensions/, benefits and discount packages.
3 A flexible approach to working.
4 A commitment to support your health and wellbeing, including a free 6-month UofG Sport membership for all new staff joining the University https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/staff/healthwellbeing/.
We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/.
We endorse the principles of Athena Swan https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/ and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.
We are investing in our organisation, and we will invest in you too. Please visit our website https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/jobs/ for more information.
