Please note that this vacancy is only open to current University of Glasgow employees.

Job Purpose

The role of Strategic Research Initiatives Manager is a key leadership role within the Strategic Research Initiatives team. The role will provide professional expertise and strategic support for the development, delivery, evaluation and continuous improvement of a portfolio of initiatives that support the potential for collaborative research (typically interdisciplinary, multi-partner and cross-sectoral) agendas to take root, to thrive within the complexity of the research funding landscape, and to endure in vibrancy and ambition.

The remit and activities of the Strategic Research Initiatives team are responsive to the research funding landscape and this shapes how we support our researchers to adapt and flourish. The role holder will play a critical role in ensuring we apply a responsive and nimble approach to all of our activities and initiatives.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Accelerating Research Collaboration

1. Deploying creativity and drive, lead the development, delivery, facilitation and evaluation of initiatives designed to stimulate and support the nurture of research collaboration across the University and beyond, working closely with College Research Support Offices, University Services colleagues and external partners.

2. In partnership with College Research Support Offices, support collaborative research teams with continual fore-sighting activity to sustain their research agendas over the long term.

3. Coordinate the review and evaluation of proposals submitted in response to internal calls for new research projects and initiatives and make recommendations for proposals to be supported.

4. Manage internal ideation/pump-priming funds designed to nurture and catalyse emerging and novel cross-disciplinary research collaborations.

Enhancing Support for Strategic Bids

5. Lead the coordination and project management of cross functional bid support teams, drawing together research professional expertise from the Colleges and University Services, to provide specialised support to academics preparing strategic research bids. Contribute to cross functional bid support teams led by others, as required.

6. Provide expert advice, guidance and professional support for the development of strategic interdisciplinary research proposals.

7. Work closely with University and College senior management, to ensure institutional support for projects of major strategic importance is secured, with accountability for ensuring all internal processes are met.

8. Lead on monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the support provided by cross functional bid support teams, identify areas for improvement to service quality, effectiveness, and efficiency, incorporating project management and sector-wide best practice to continuously enhance bid development support to the academic community.

Intelligence gathering

9. Maintain oversight and intelligence of key developments across the University’s main funders (including UKRI, Wellcome, etc) and key international funders and keep up to date with developments in the research funding and policy landscape.

10. Act as a credible advisor to analyse and interpret funding and policy developments, map future trends, and use evidence-based intelligence to propose and test approaches that help ensure the University’s interests are protected and it continues to align with the changing research funding and policy landscape.

11. Develop awareness and understanding of College research portfolios and strategic priorities and provide specialist research management expertise to broker cross-disciplinary research alliances and support the formation of consortia.

Service Excellence

12. As a professional leader, maintain a culture of service excellence within the SRI team, ensuring that the service user experience is optimised as they interact across the institutional research support ecosystem, and that the service is appropriately visible.

13. Take a leading role in shaping team practice to be methodologically grounded, robustly monitored, and demonstrably sector-leading.

General

14. Plan and organise individual activity and line manage a small number of research management specialists to ensure work across the team is integrated and co-ordinated and complements the priorities of the institutional research strategy.

15. Take a leading role in the management of internal and external relationships to include all who are contributing to/have an interest in strategic research initiative projects, proactively resolving conflicts should they arise.

16. Support the co-ordination of key funder visits to the University and contribute to an internal research development community of practice to support knowledge sharing and exchange of best practice.

17. Represent the Research Services Directorate at meetings, external groups, conferences, and seminars to keep up to date with developments and gain and share across the team information/knowledge of working practices in the higher education context. Take on leadership roles as appropriate in sector projects and groups, promoting Glasgow’s often sector-leading good practice.

18. Perform other duties as requested, consistent with the grade level of the position and agreeing appropriate prioritisation of work with line management or other relevant stakeholders as needed.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Knowledge/Qualifications

Essential:

A1 Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 9, 10 or 11 (Ordinary/Honours Degree, Post Graduate Qualification) or equivalent, with a broad range of professional experience in a similar management level role or, in the absence of specific relevant qualifications, a track record in a similar or number of relevant specialist roles.

A2 Authoritative knowledge and awareness of the national and international research funding environment and agenda, including a well-developed understanding of the funding priorities and motivations of relevant agencies, as well as an awareness of broader future developments and the implications of these for research activity in the higher education sector.

A3 Authoritative knowledge and understanding of research development best practice gained in an academic research setting and/or funding agency.

A4 Extensive knowledge and understanding of the research funding application process and procedures, and an awareness of sector-wide best practice relating to the coordination and development of major funding initiatives and bids in collaboration with others.

A5 Knowledge and experience of the Higher Education research environment.

Skills

Essential:

C1 Outstanding interpersonal skills: high level verbal and written communication skills; capacity for and commitment to collaborative teamwork, demonstrable partnership management skills, and an ability to negotiate, influence and persuade a wide variety of contributors.

C2 Excellent facilitation skills with an aptitude for facilitation of interdisciplinary research discussions.

C3 Proven organisational skills (including managing the activities of self and others and working independently and as part of a team), demonstrating creativity, drive, enthusiasm, and a high degree of personal effectiveness to cope with a diverse and changing workload in a complex environment.

C4 Well-developed project management skills, including the demonstrated ability to plan, research, monitor and manage multiple projects simultaneously, deliver work to timescales with competing demands, maintain high attention to detail and drive continuous improvement.

C5 Aptitude for data analysis and proven problem-solving capability with the ability to work logically through a wide variety of challenges, from information-gathering, through analysis and interpretation of the situation, to identification and recommendations for solutions, and to decision-making leading to a satisfactory outcome.

C6 Ability to relate to all parts of the University and its aims.

Experience

Essential:

E1 Relevant and significant professional experience of providing specialist support in a research management environment within a complex organisation, including project, people and process management and influencing and coordinating the activities of senior academic and University service managers.

E2 Proven track record of working collaboratively across organisational boundaries to build credible relationships and apply a collaborative leadership approach to achieving shared goals.

E3 Experience of facilitating interdisciplinary research interactions and successfully brokering new research collaborations.

E4 Demonstratable experience of critically evaluating the potential of new research ideas and providing constructive feedback to support the further development of ideas.

E5 Proven track record of successfully supporting the development of strategic high-value bids for competitive funding, providing expert advice, guidance and professional research support.

E6 Experience of managing large and complex projects of high strategic importance, designing and delivering operational plans that contribute to the achievement of overarching strategic objectives and developing and implementing new policies and processes.

Desirable:

F1 Personal experience of conducting rigorous research activity.

F2 Personal experience of working for a funder of academic research.

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 8, £50,253 - £58,225 per annum pro rata.

This post is part-time (17.5 hours per week), and is fixed term for up to 12 months in the first instance.

Please Note: The University would consider a secondment opportunity for this post. Applicants should seek clearance for release for secondment from their employers / line manager before making a formal application. 

As a valued member of our team, you can expect:

1 A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.

2 An excellent employment package with generous terms and conditions including 41 days of leave for full time staff, pension - pensions handbook https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/payandpensions/pensions/, benefits and discount packages.

3 A flexible approach to working.

4 A commitment to support your health and wellbeing, including a free 6-month UofG Sport membership for all new staff joining the University  https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/staff/healthwellbeing/.

We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/.

We endorse the principles of Athena Swan https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/ and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.

We are investing in our organisation, and we will invest in you too. Please visit our website https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/jobs/ for more information.

Closing Date:  6 November 2025