Director of Research Services

POSITION OVERVIEW

Location: Remote working and London-based (as per business need)

FTE: Full-time (job shares will be considered)

Benefits: Generous benefits package including 25 days holiday allowance pro rata (excl. Bank holidays), group life assurance, group income protection, pension schemes and private healthcare

Reports to: Associate Dean for Research and Knowledge Exchange

Start: ASAP

The role

Do you have experience of working in UK University research management? Do you enjoy creating new initiatives from the ground-up and would welcome a new challenge? Are you looking for a position with flexible remote/on-site working? Perhaps you have led an area of research management and now wish to step up to a broader role?

Northeastern University London (NU London) is expanding its research base and is looking for a knowledgeable, self-sufficient and dynamic individual to lead and develop it’s new Research Services department. The successful candidate will setup research support at NU-London. The remit will include leading a small team, developing the policies and procedures required for research management, integrity and compliance; working with the Associate Dean for Research and Knowledge Exchange, academics and professional support staff to develop a thriving research community; overseeing grant funding, maximising impact, communicating research internally and externally and helping to shape the research strategy of the campus for future growth including submission to the next REF.

The Director of Research Services will be the key point of contact for research support matters and should have experience of leadership, the UK research landscape, national research priorities, funding bodies, research management, post award, events and working with the academic community to affect measurable change in research.

You will be required to work collaboratively: liaising with academics, faculty heads, senior leadership, finance, quality assurance, HR, Northeastern University and external bodies such as GuildHE, HESA, OfS, QAA and national funders.

The position suits a self-starter who is flexible, knowledgeable, creative and who thrives with autonomy.

About Northeastern London

NU London is the European campus of Northeastern University and the UK’s newest University. Northeastern University is a large, top-tier, research intensive (annual grant income $200m+), Boston-based institution, with campuses across North America and London. NU London’s campus is situated in Devon House, St Katharine’s Dock, on the banks of the River Thames, next to Tower Bridge, and comprises seven faculties in the disciplines of humanities, social science and digital sciences. Founded in 2012 as ‘New College of the Humanities’, NU London has established itself as a prestigious higher education institution based in the heart of London. After becoming part of Northeastern University’s global network in early 2019, the University has undergone a period of rapid growth, with taught degree awarding powers granted in February 2020. The University currently has in the region of 40 research faculty, it will welcome its first PhD students this year, and has ambitions to apply for Research Degree Awarding Powers and submit to the next REF.

NU London’s interdisciplinary research clusters include Network Science, AI, Ethics and Misinformation, Cities, Globalisation, Digital Governance, Higher Education, Social Dynamics and Digital Humanities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (essential)
• Master’s and/or PhD (desirable)

Key Criteria

• Extensive experience of working in research support, researcher development and research strategy, in a leading role, at a UK higher education institution (essential).
• Understanding of UK research management, ethics and compliance (essential).
• Extensive experience of UK and international research funders, such as Horizon Europe (essential)
• Experience of reviewing proposals for external research funding (essential)
• A proven ability to develop an academic or and/or research initiative from the ground-up, using ingenuity, collaborative working and self sufficiency (essential).
• Experience of line management and leading a team (desirable).
• Proven ability to form productive working relationships with the research community, including researchers, senior management and external organisations (essential).
• Experience of researcher development through developing training programmes and running events (desirable).
• Experience and knowledge of the REF (desirable).
• Experience of developing institutional research policies (desirable).
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and oral (essential)
• Excellent time-management and organisational skills (essential)
• Excellent active listening skills (essential)

Application Process

Applications should be made via this link by 20:00 on 23rd February 2023 . Please reference your application ‘DRS0123’.

Please ensure that your application includes a CV and a covering letter. Applicants should address the selection criteria and indicate how their background and expertise align with the job role. You may use bullet points if you wish.

Candidates are welcome to make informal enquiries. Please email Dr Carolyn Barker: Carolyn.Barker@nulondon.ac.uk

Names and contact information of references should be provided through the cover letter. References will only be sought for finalists.

Participation in the equal opportunities section is encouraged, but voluntary. Applications are welcome from all sections of the community and will be judged on merit alone. We welcome applications from underrepresented groups. Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.