Project Director
Project Lifecourse
Institute for Lifecourse and Society
NUI Galway
Post reference no. NUIG 075-15
Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for the position of Project Director of Project Lifecourse with the Institute for Lifecourse and Society (ILAS) at NUI Galway. The position is available from 1st September 2015 with funding provided initially for five (5) years.
About us:
Project Lifecourse is the flagship project of an exciting collaboration between three internationally recognised research centres at NUI Galway: the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre (CFRC), the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology (ICSG), and the Centre for Disability Law and Policy (CDLP). By combining strengths in the fields of children and youth, older people and persons with disabilities, and in collaboration with other partners in NUI Galway’s new Institute for Lifecourse and Society, Project Lifecourse seeks to make a substantial and enduring contribution to the growing international field of lifecourse studies. Housed in new purpose-built premises on the University campus, Project Lifecourse aims to become a catalyst for policy innovation, translational research and practice learning of national and international significance.
Post details:
Project Lifecourse is seeking to recruit a Project Director to lead the implementation of its work programme and to continue to shape the University’s strategic vision in relation to lifecourse research. The Project Director will ensure that Project Lifecourse’s ongoing work programme meets its stated objectives and achieves its intended impacts. Working in close collaboration with the Director of the Institute for Lifecourse and Society and the Institute’s Executive Management Team, she/he will play an active role in facilitating effective co-ordination of the Institute’s research activities and in developing the Institute’s national and international profile.
Suitable applicants will be high-calibre individuals with excellent research credentials, strategic vision, experience of leadership in a research environment, and project management expertise. Applicants should be able to demonstrate an ability to connect readily with national leaders working at the most senior levels of public policy and professional practice. The successful applicant will be able to provide evidence of a capacity to work in partnership with senior stakeholders at national, and preferably international, level to shape public policy and research agendas. With a doctoral degree in a relevant area, the successful applicant will have recent experience of leading an interdisciplinary research team and of working collaboratively with senior staff in an academic or policy-related environment. Applicants should possess a proven track record of working for or with Government agencies and/or NGOs relevant to the sector.
The Project Director will work closely with the Directors of the Centres that are most heavily invested in Project Lifecourse and in line with the relevant governance arrangements relating to the wider Institute for Lifecourse and Society. Working in partnership with existing supports at NUI Galway, the Project Director will build on initial success in securing funding for Project Lifecourse to seek new sources of income to extend the Project’s duration and reach. The Project Director will be responsible for reporting to, and maintaining, relationships with national and international funders. The successful applicant will provide leadership in relation to Project Lifecourse’s communication functions will act as the Project’s ‘public face’ and will be able to engage at the highest level in relevant social policy debates.
Job Description
· Manage and conduct the Project Lifecourse programme of research.
· Carry out substantive, original and significant research which supports research activity in the Institute for Lifecourse and Society.
· Play an active role in facilitating effective co-ordination of the Institute’s research activities and in developing the Institute’s national and international profile.
· Make a significant contribution to the Institute’s research income:
o Securing research funding and executing research programmes;
o Contributing to major research grant applications to support research projects;
o Attracting, through reputation, sources of income as appropriate.
· Lead/co-lead research teams in conjunction with the Principal Investigator(s).
· Contribute to the co-supervision of post-graduate and doctoral students.
· Identify independently and proactively research projects to be carried out individually or by a team.
· Act as the driver of research projects and outputs.
The postholder must
· Have an established reputation for the quality of their research work.
· Demonstrate extensive experience of initiating, designing and implementing research projects.
· Possess sufficient breadth or depth of specialist knowledge in their area of expertise to act as a research leader and have the ability to project manage major projects.
· Have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the policy, practices and procedures, relevant to the role, provision of advice to junior colleagues on policy and standards, which may include broader University/ sector/ external sponsor or funder (e.g. Research Ethics, Knowledge Transfer, Health and Safety, Equal Opportunities & Diversity).
· Know the legal requirements regarding data protection and confidentiality data protection requirements.
· Have independently secured significant funding to conduct a research project as the Principal Investigator.
Research Management
· Able to manage and oversee research projects and to take responsibility for their overall success. Take responsibility for, manage and conduct administrative and management tasks associated with a programme of research.
· Organise and conduct meetings with research staff to clarify objectives, develop team work plans/timetables for research and support staff, communicate progress.
· Participate in the selection of staff working on their own projects.
· Contribute to the development of research strategies within the Research Institute.
· Peer review manuscripts for publication and/or research bids.
· Develop and implement quality assurance measures.
· Play a leading role/be active in external networks or professional organisations, to identify sources of funding, generate income, obtain consultancy projects, or build collaborative relationships for future activities.
· Will have full operational responsibility for a major project.
· Participate fully in the wider research and scholarly activities of the School, Institute and University.
Dissemination
· Write up research work for publication.
· Disseminate the outcomes of this research, including peer-reviewed academic publications of international standing.
· Successfully communicate research findings nationally and internationally as well as developing an international research reputation and contribution.
Research Supervision & Teaching & Training
· Where appointed to do so by the University, supervise graduate research students as co-supervisor or be a member of a supervision panel.
· Mentor and assist students and early stage researchers in your group, School and Institute.
· Co-ordinate and supervise the work of research staff.
· Provide training, expert advice and / or assistance to new members of the team and to research students.
· Help to create networks of researchers and opportunities for their junior researchers, advising them on possible sources of research funding, providing expert advice on their projects, and generally overseeing their career development.
The postholder will be accountable to the Academic Director of Project Lifecourse at NUI Galway.
NB: Gárda clearance is a requirement for this post
Salary range: €70,000 - €84,000 fixed per annum, increases linked to performance.
Start date: 1st September 2015 or as soon as possible thereafter.
For informal discussion about this post please contact Professor Thomas Scharf, Academic Director of Project Lifecourse, . Additional information is available on www.nuigalway.ie.
To Apply:
Applications to include a covering letter, CV, and the contact details of three referees should be sent, via e-mail (in word or PDF only) to Project Lifecourse e-mail:
Please put reference number NUIG-075-15 in subject line of e-mail application.
Closing date for receipt of applications is 5.00 pm on Friday 31st July 2015.
It will not be possible to consider applications received after the closing date.
National University of Ireland, Galway is an equal opportunities employer.
Project Lifecourse, Institute for Lifecourse and Society, NUI Galway
Introduction
Initiated in 2013, Project Lifecourse is the flagship project of NUI Galway’s newly established Institute for Lifecourse and Society (ILAS). ILAS has the strategic goal of developing its international reputation as a site for excellence in applied social research and education. Within this context, Project Lifecourse draws on the internationally recognised expertise and track record of three existing research Centres at NUI Galway: the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre (CFRC), the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology (ICSG), and the Centre for Disability Law and Policy (CDLP). Other ILAS partners include the Health Economics and Policy Analysis group, the Irish Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Research, the Community Knowledge Initiative and a range of other scholars.
By combining strengths in the areas of children, youth, older people and persons with disabilities, Project Lifecourse seeks to make a major contribution to the growing international field of lifecourse studies by improving scientific and practical awareness of human capacities and capabilities across the lifecourse. Housed in ILAS’s attractive new purpose-built premises, Project Lifecourse has the ambition to act as a catalyst for social policy innovation, translational research and practice learning of national and international significance.
Project Lifecourse sets out to:
· Re-think major questions confronting both society and individual citizens;
· Stimulate innovative and integrated approaches to addressing major social challenges;
· Deliver effective research, policy design and learning that can shape and change social policies and services;
· Promote collaboration across disciplines and institutions, both nationally and internationally.
Project Lifecourse: work programme
Reflecting its ambitions, since 2013, Project Lifecourse has sought to achieve outcomes in two key areas:
Firstly, Project Lifecourse is developing Models and Practice Tools aimed at testing a new model of citizen engagement, which will enable supported decision making across different lifecourse groups. This entails, for example, establishing a ‘citizens as researchers’ programme, developing new models of service design that give voice to children, youth, older people and persons with a disability. Change management tools and training curricula are being developed to support integrated working for local services staff serving overlapping populations. Focusing on primary-, second- and third-level education, Project Lifecourse will utilise intergenerational programmes to enable communities to design and implement new approaches to support more active forms of citizenship.
Secondly, Project Lifecourse has initiated a major 3-City Demonstration Programme aimed at translating research into innovative policies and practices around the broad theme of community participation. Working in partnership with local authorities and other statutory and non-statutory bodies, it has been pursuing a participatory work programme in the cities of Limerick, Dublin and Galway aimed at securing better outcomes for citizens regardless of life stage or perceived level of ability. Learning from the evaluation of project innovations will be disseminated both nationally and internationally.
National University of Ireland Galway
Established in 1845, NUI Galway is one of Ireland's foremost centres of academic excellence. With over 17,000 students and more than 2,200 staff, NUI Galway has a distinguished reputation for teaching and research excellence. NUI Galway has earned national and international recognition as a research-led community with a commitment to top-quality teaching. At NUI Galway, we have a strong connection to the Irish language. Plus, volunteering and community outreach play a strong role in academic life. From Queen's College to National University of Ireland, the University's past is intertwined with the history of Galway and Ireland. http://www.nuigalway.ie/about-us/
Institute for Lifecourse and Society
The Institute represents a significant and innovative development in that, for the firsttime in Ireland, it brings together the fields of children, youth, older people and disability into onedomain of research, teaching and policy. It thus provides greater focus, coherence anddirection to applied social science research at NUI Galway.The Institute’s core function is to achieveinternational excellence in social policy and practice development through the pursuit ofinterdisciplinary research in the social sciences by creatively integrating the rich and diverseintellectual resources from within NUI Galway and beyond. The Institute’s focus is on supporting applied research that informs policy development and practice that makes a positive difference to people’s lives. Project Lifecourse, supported initially by The Atlantic Philanthropies, is the Institute’s flagship initiative.
http://www.nuigalway.ie/ilas/
UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre
The UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre (CFRC) is involved in research, education and training in the area of children and families. The Centre is committed to better outcomes for disadvantaged children and youth through family support. It works in collaboration with national and international centres of excellence for child and family welfare and provides research and evaluation expertise to public, private and voluntary organisations with a particular focus on brokering between theory, policy and applied practice. The Centre undertakes research, education and training in the area of Family Support and Youth Development with an emphasis on prevention and early intervention for children and young people experiencing adversity. The Centre is equally focused on knowledge creation around ‘what works’ in the real world of practice and on utilising community-based approaches to working with and for young people. With the support of UNESCO, CFRC works on a range of international collaborations in relation to education programmes and policy initiatives. http://childandfamilyresearch.ie/
Irish Centre for Social Gerontology
The Irish Centre for Social Gerontology (ICSG) was established in 2006 at NUI Galway as a multidisciplinary research centre onageing. The Centre focuses on research, education and training in the field of social gerontology in Ireland and internationally. The Centre’s mission is to develop and promote social and economic aspects of ageing in Ireland to support a holistic and positive view of ageing and act as a source for all involved in ageing in Ireland. Research undertaken at ICSG explores many of the key issues associated with ageing and later life. Underpinning the Centre’s research is recognition of the diversity of ageing populations and the increasing need to adopt interdisciplinary perspectives and novel methodological approaches to address the questions raised by population ageing. Research at ICSG focuses on such areas as the economics of ageing, social policies for ageing societies, ageing and place, health and well-being in later life, and ageing and the lifecourse.