Job description

Job title: Head of Research

Reporting to:Deputy CEO (CEO in relation to the development of new one-off projects and research strategy)

Location:Vauxhall, London

Hours: 21 hours per week (including a Tuesday)

Salary:Circa £45,000FT (Salary will be pro rata based on a PT contract)

Overall Purpose of theJob

To take overall responsibility for the development and implementationof Pancreatic Cancer UK’s ‘smart’ research strategy and funding programme. Our ‘smart’ strategy, set out in the charity’s three year Strategy for Hope, focuses on making the most impact with limited resources, and leveraging additional investments – and development of new talent – through our own research expenditure.

Our research activities currently consists of:

-Research Innovation Fund (applications administered by CRUK)

-Future Leaders Fund(funded in collaboration the MRC) (under review)

-‘quick wins’ (one-off follow-on/project grants in line with our ‘smart’ strategy)

-targeted sponsorshipof national and international research conferences

-a collaboration with other funders and leading researchers to drive the development of a national UK pancreatic cancer research strategy (supported by CRUK)

The Charity Co-ordinator provides some administrative support for this role.

Main Duties

Application Management

  • To manage the charity’s portfolio of grant applications and research funding schemes, including new calls and peer review. Applications are currently administered by CRUK (Innovation Fund) and the MRC (Future Leaders Fund)
  • To provide the charity’s Scientific Advisory Board with high quality information in a timely fashion and to ensure the Trustee decisions on funding are implemented accurately and effectively
  • To act as designated SAB secretary, laising wioth the Chair of the SAB as required
  • To manage relationships with other organizations who provide support for the charity’s grant giving work (eg CRUK and MRC)
  • To work closely with the charity communications function to ensure that research programmes are marketed and research activities pubisiced

Portfolio Management

  • To managethe charity’s portfolio of active awards and grantholders. This will include award administration, monitoring of scientific performance, evaluation and reporting on outputs.It will also involve reporting on the award expenditure, as it relates to the charity’s overall research budget
  • Produce financial information in collaboration with the Finance Manager for the auditors related tothe portfolio
  • With support from the Charity Co-ordinator, and liaising with the Finance Manager, to co-ordinate and update all research data (including contacts, payments and reporting information) between database systems and spreadsheets in order to ensure it isall reconciled and up to date throughout the year

Stakeholder Management and Engagement

  • To manage contact with all Pancreatic Cancer UK grant holders
  • To build and maintain positive relationships with other staff relevant to the smooth and efficient working
  • To work in close partnership with colleagues in the organisation to ensure the effective delivery of strategic goals.
  • Represent the charity at meetings, conferences and in the regions as necessary and relevant to the role, and build/manage relationships

Project Management

  • To co-ordinate designated projects that arise in light of the development of the research strategy, and co-funding or one-off funding opportunities
  • Co-ordinate the development of relationships with researchers

General Duties

  • Ensure the charity’s research work is integrated across the charity and fully supports other activities (support and information, campaigning, fundraising and communications/awareness raising). In particular, to ensure that research activities enhance marketing and fundraising objectives
  • Promote and develop the profile of the charity’s research work, and contribute collaboratively to developing pancreatic cancer research both nationally and internationally
  • To produce work of high quality performed within agreed procedures.
  • To ensure that robust policies and procedures are in place and kept up-to-date.
  • Co-ordinate designated research events as required
  • Contribute to the development implementation of the charity’s research strategy, and a UK-wide research strategy particulalry (via the Pancreatic Cancer Working Group (currently administered by CRUK)
  • Provide support and information to the Deputy CEO and CEO regarding the research strategy and programme when necessary
  • To oversee the research administration work of the Charity Co-ordinator
  • Any other reasonable duty as may be assigned that is consistent with the nature of the job and its level of responsibility

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • An undergraduate science degree preferable with a biological component

Desirable

  • A PhD, MD or similar qualification or equivalent experience

Experience

  • Experience of online grants databases
  • Experience of running multiple grant application and peer review programmes, in a busy multi-tasking environment
  • Experience of conducting research and working in a research environment
  • Good experience of grant/award management gained either from working in a grant management environment
  • Experience of working with university resarchers and other research stakeholders such as funders

Skills

  • Excellent communication skills including being able to communicate complex information and requirements to a wide range of audiences
  • Excellent relationship management with the research community and other stakholders
  • Strong team working skills; the ability to understand the interaction of, and engage with, the priorities of other in relation to their own work.
  • Professional confidence; the ability to represent the organisation and their sector expertise confidently with a range of contacts.
  • Excellent organisational skills
  • Capable of using own initiative
  • Good planning and project management skills
  • A good eye for detail and able to maintain excellent standards of accuracy
  • Good time management skills
  • Competent with relevant Microsoft Office applications

Ability

  • Take a calm approach to varying workload and pressures from external and internal stakeholders
  • Set, implement, follow and review set procedures and critical paths
  • Multi task
  • Work effectively both on own (as a lone team member) and within teams, taking the lead when relevant to deliver own objectives
  • Work with large external committees
  • Work with energy and enthusiasm
  • Work well with a wide variety of people, including all levels of seniority within academia and other research settings
  • Be able to represent the team and the charity
  • Set, and achieve, own goals and deadlines

Knowledge

  • Awareness of the charity sector
  • Awareness of research funding within the charity sector
  • Awareness of all aspects ofPeer Review
  • Awareness of research governance
  • Understanding of the challenges in pancreatic cancer research (D)
  • Kowledge of the cancer research environment in the UK

Commitment

  • At times the job requires flexible working hours to meet the needs and aims of the Charity
  • To have a commitment to the principle of medical research

Circumstances

  • The post holder should live within easy commuting distance of the Charity’s office inLondon
  • The postholder may be able to work one day a week at home, but this will be subject to negotiation
  • This job description is not exhaustive and amendments and additions may be required in line with future changes in policy. Any changes will be made in consultation with the post holder

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