Pre-Award Team Lead – Health Faculties

Job id: 085826. Salary: £62,696 – £ 71,587 per annum, including London Weighting Allowance.

Posted: 06 March 2024. Closing date: 27 March 2024.

Business unit: Research Management & Innovation. Department: Pre-Award.

Contact details:Laura Weiss. [email protected]

Location: Guy’s Campus. Category: Professional & Support Services.

Job description

This role will manage the research grants support function in the Health Faculties Pre-Award team (part of the King’s Research Grants and Contracts unit) The post holder will deputise for the Director of Pre-Award in certain strategic areas as needed.

The post holder will lead on strategic areas on behalf of the Pre-Award team, including but not limited to policy and process improvements and relationship building with KHP NHS Trusts on behalf of the Pre-Award team, and will be the key point of escalation within the Pre-Award team on those areas.

The role will act as a key liaison on behalf of Pre-Award with other relevant teams within RGC, RMID, other King’s professional services and the Faculties as determined and in conjunction with the Director of Pre-Award.

The post will line-manage the Pre-Award staff based both in the Denmark Hill and Guy’s campus teams and will be responsible for coordinating the overall support offered to all Health Faculties, as well as monitoring and tracking the team’s work.  

Candidates should have experience of supporting research grant submissions, preferably in a university environment, policy development expertise and be a confident and persuasive advocate with different stakeholders. Experience of costing and pricing project budgets is desirable. 

Applicants also require excellent organisational and communication and literacy skills, proven decision-making ability and be able to work well under pressure, both individually and as part of a team. 

This post will be offered on an indefinite contract.

This is a full-time post – 100% full time equivalent.

Key responsibilities

• manage the Pre-Award Health Faculties team with clear division of roles and responsibilities, in compliance with the overall Pre-Award remit and expected performance
• line manage Research Grants Associates within the Guys and Denmark Hill campuses as directed by the Director of Pre-Award
• coordinate the workload and service delivery of the Pre-Award Health Faculties team and monitor team performance, developing and motivating staff
• be the primary point of contact and representative of the Pre-Award team for the Health Faculties, as directed by the Director of Pre-Award provide application and related contractual support for strategic awards within the Pre-Award remit and as needed,
• propose and implement policy and process improvements, including changes to team structures and remits, in conjunction with the Director of Pre-Award, whilst engaging Faculty academic and other professional support staff through a One Team approach, in particular liaising with the Contracts and Post Award teams within Research Grants and Contracts
• lead on strategic projects relevant for the Pre-Award team in collaboration with other functional units within RGC and RMID and across King’s
• Disseminate information on Pre-Award updates and  new policies/procedures, including explaining them as appropriate to academic and research support staff, participating in seminars/workshops/training as necessary.
• lead process improvements and relationships with KHP NHS Trusts on behalf of the Pre-Award team, as directed by the Director of Pre-Award
• prepare detailed information and instructions as may be necessary for the financial administration of awards so they can be administered and managed properly and efficiently
• ensure quality data in research information systems and reports
• provide training for Pre-Award, academic and administrative staff, in conjunction with the Director of Pre-Award, with a particular focus on training activity for policy and process areas
• establish relevant links and relations with collaborators and peers in other institutions
• contribute to forming King’s view on broader policy and practice in his/her area and in related areas
• be personally responsible for his/her own work and to refer to his/her Director on complex matters of policy and/or legal matters.
• deputise within agreed limits for the Director of Pre-Award including acceptance of research awards and
• undertake such other duties as are consistent with the role, as required by his/her Director and to work across King’s campuses as may be required

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria

Degree or equivalent professional qualification or equivalent experience

Proven experience of research grants application support and knowledge of UK and non-UK funder requirements.

Previous experience of supervising or leading staff with proven motivational and team building skills

Analytical thinking

Excellent interpersonal skills, track record of engaging with internal and external partners and diplomacy and tact when dealing with different stakeholders and problems, whilst being capable of firmly maintaining College Polices

Experience of promotion of activity and/or policy within an organisation

Ability to manage a large and diverse workload in a timely manner.

Problem solving with a view of mediating issues from the start and proposing solutions/compromise

Empathy with the academic community, research support staff in departments and other RMID functions

Self starter, resilient in ambiguous and ever-changing working environments and able to work largely unsupervised

IT literate, knowledge of research information systems and capacity to look into details and impact of possible solutions and decisions.

Desirable criteria

Experience of working in a similar role in Health faculties

Contract negotiation skills

The interview process will consist of an interview, which may include a presentation. A second interview may also be required.