Strategic Research Executive

We are looking for an exceptional, motivated individual to join the Edinburgh Research Office’s Strategic Research Development Team. The successful candidate will deliver analysis of the funding and academic landscape informing design and delivery of strategic initiatives. These initiatives will align with the new Research & Innovation Strategy and will position the University to deliver outstanding quality in research and research funding success.

The Opportunity

The Strategic Research Development team enables the University of Edinburgh to position itself proactively to win research funding, rather than simply acting reactively to funding opportunities. The post holder will find routes for delivery that enable the Institution’s academic community to respond to new opportunities effectively.

The Strategic Research Executive will have a facility for synthesising quantitative and qualitative information, extracting analysis and developing recommendations. The post holder will analyse the research and research funding landscapes, looking for opportunities at scale for the University of Edinburgh to improve its research portfolio. Taking a project-based approach, they will scope the scale of the opportunity and the challenges to realising it before designing modes of support that will enable the Institution’s research community to respond effectively.

We want you to bring your enthusiasm, creativity, proactivity and communication skills to the role. We need your extensive ability to interpret ‘big picture’ information and use that evidence to make recommendations for research development, which you will then be able to translate into a viable delivery plan. Your ability to build relationships and communicate your work to colleagues from senior leadership, researchers and professional services will be vital.

Examples of work the Strategic Research Executive will lead on: 

• Realising elements of the University’s Research and Innovation Strategy that the Edinburgh Research Office holds responsibility for.
• Lead on the design and delivery of the Edinburgh Research Office’s response to the UK’s Concordat for the Environmental Sustainability of Research and Innovation Practice.
• Lead on the Edinburgh Research Office’s support for interdisciplinary research.

Your skills and attributes for success:

• Demonstrable experience of analysing complex issues and designing recommendations for progression based on the analysis.
• Experience of writing strategic reports applying both quantitative and qualitative skills
• Significant experience of both project design and delivery, with demonstrable highly developed, detailed organisation and planning embedded in it.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence wide ranging types of stakeholders, and establish varied networks.

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