Programme Manager (Grand Challenges)

About us

Led by the UCL Vice-Provost (Research, Innovation & Global Engagement), RIGE brings together 700 staff delivering a highly diverse portfolio of support services and resources for the UCL community and external partners. Two of its flagship programmes include the UCL, Grand Challenges (GC) Programme and the Integrative Cross-Faculty Investment Fund (IxFI)

About the role

This is a pivotal role, as part of the pan-RIGE Operations team, you will work closely with GC programme colleagues, Finance colleagues and others, and you will be responsible for setting up, developing, and mentoring a small team, (the Programme Officer for IxFI, the GC Events Officer and the GC Communications Officer), to support the effective management and delivery of these flagship programmes.

This diverse role covers all aspects of programme management and operations.

This role is an open-ended contract with a funding end date of 31st July 2031.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Planning, finance and resources: Work with the GC Director/Head of Planning and lead GC’s/IxFI input into the annual budgeting and planning cycle, reviewing, forecasting and reporting on GC/IxFI plans and finances.
• People and culture: Contribute to a ‘one-RIGE’ culture of effective service delivery and to RIGE’s talent management programme. Promote a culture of collaboration and trust within the GC programme and across RIGE teams; support GC/IxFI to recruit, develop and retain excellent people and to enhance diversity and inclusiveness.
• Frameworks, processes and innovation: Contribute to the development and documentation of a portfolio of policies and frameworks to support common approaches to GC programme delivery, and improvements in funding disbursement, including implementation of new technology, e.g., a new Customer Relationship Management System (CRM).
• Evaluation and reporting: Work with RIGE Directors and GC delivery partners to agree processes for tracking and evaluating GC/IxFI grants, projects, outputs and outcomes.

This role is eligible for hybrid working with a minimum of 2-3 days on site presence.

About you

You have a strong commitment to excellence and customer service with a successful track record in: developing and delivering business operations in a complex, not for profit or knowledge-based organisation; engaging multiple internal stakeholders, influencing and attracting support; delivering major projects, programme or portfolio management, including change management.

You are:

• highly organised and resourceful under pressure, able to prioritise in the face of competing demands, with proven success in achieving objectives to tight deadlines and within budget;
• comfortable with managing multiple projects, leading regular reviews and making changes where necessary to deliver agreed outcomes;
• an excellent communicator and negotiator, adept at managing complex and nuanced stakeholder relationships;
• innovative, opportunistic, responsive, resourceful and resilient;

A job description and person specification can be accessed by clicking on 'Apple' button above. Please use the attached cover letter upload option to tell us how you meet the person specification criteria.

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