Senior Programme Manager (Talent and Skills)

Senior Programme Manager (Talent and Skills)
Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC) 
Salary: £43,116
Band: UKRI E
Hours: Full time 
Contract Type: Fixed Term (12 months)
Location: Polaris House, Swindon - Hybrid working.
Division/Section: Research and Skills – Talent and Skills team
Closing Date: 05/05/24 

About you

As a NERC Senior Programme Manager (PM) you will join the Talent and Skills team within the NERC Research and Skills Directorate and you will engage with the academic community, business and policy makers to invest in and maintain the UK’s position at the forefront of environmental research and innovation both nationally and internationally. You will lead on the development and delivery of NERC and UKRI investments focused on responsive studentships. You will be working with the NERC community and other stakeholders from the public and private sectors and helping to maintain strong partnerships.  

You will have an aptitude for programme delivery and management across a range of aspects including specifically for this role in studentship and fellowship funding competition management and post-award monitoring and engagement. You will have strong organisational, team-working and time-management skills, and excellent attention to detail. You will be self-motivated, quick to learn and flexible enough to manage a diverse and rapidly changing portfolio of activities, and work to deadlines. 

It is essential that you have a demonstrable ability to resolve issues and work independently, whilst being part of a team. You will bring good influencing and communication skills with an ability to build effective working relationships with representatives within and external to NERC, across all levels of seniority.

What we offer

This role will broaden your skills by giving you the opportunity to manage your own projects and activities within the wider scope of the Talent and Skills team, and in the future this may expand to other areas of NERC Head Office acivity. You will help to develop and structure ideas for future activities in a strongly team-based organisation as well as working with other Government Departments, other Councils within UKRI and international agencies.

Your role will focus on building relationships with research organisations, government partners and industry, and  managing and delivering NERC processes to ensure we invest in postgraduate training of the highest quality. The exact activities undertaken by the post-holder will vary as PM portfolios change to accommodate team working, and as operational and strategic needs change in NERC Head Office. PMs may report to more than one activity manager for different aspects of their own portfolio. 

There may be the opportunity to travel within the UK and overseas depending on the role and business need. 

Key Activities of this immediate appointment base include but are not limited to:

• Leadership and management of Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTP1 and DTP2) including the financial management, Cross Council interactions, post-award relationship management and reporting and evaluation.
• Development and delivery of the new NERC-BBSRC landscape competition including strategic development of the scheme, cross-Council interactions, designing and implementing the assessment of proposals for funding and promoting good decision making through equality, diversity and fairness in funding opportunities.
• Strategic input to and development of the landscapeawards as part of UKRI Collective talent working.
• Influence and oversight to maximise NERC opportunity through studentship funding working with cross-UKRI colleagues to ensure interest and engagement of the environmental science community;
• Management and delivery of other NERC studentship activities (Research Experience Placements, Associated studentships).
• Providing high quality expertise and advice in areas of responsibility informed by the latest developments in the area, evidence and engagement with relevant external stakeholders
• Activity manage Programme Manager(s), Assistant Programme Manager(s) and administrative support staff in order to achieve NERC’s delivery goals. 

You will also contribute to strategic direction of the Talent & Skills activity and, where required, deputise for the Head of Talent & Skills.

Other secondary tasks may include: 

• Maintain awareness of developments in higher education funding policy.
• Strengthen NERC’s dialogue between and within the NERC training community (NERC, students, training providers and stakeholders).
• Respond to policy queries from the community.
• Although advertised as full time, NERC is open to considering job sharing for those seeking a part time appointment.

Essential Skills

• Graduate-level understanding of environmental science and the breadth of the remit.
• Functional working knowledge and experience of the research and innovation landscape in the UK and particularly the postgraduate training environment and/or communities supported by NERC.
• Demonstrable experience and evidence of managing complex, multi-partner grants.
• Demonstrable experience and evidence of strategic level thinking and ability to resolve complex problems, balancing a number of factors.
• Good understanding of policy and its development.
• Effective interpersonal skills, with experience of building effective working relationships.
• Effective team worker with the ability to work flexibly and collaboratively as part of a team and across organisations with people of all levels.
• Ability to absorb, evaluate and communicate complex information in language appropriate to the audience.
• Ability to prioritise, multi-task, work to deadlines, and work flexibly on own initiative.
• Demonstrable track record in influencing effectively (both verbal and written media) across teams, wider organisation and external stakeholder communities.
• Effective use of Microsoft Office applications, e-mail and internet. 

Desirable Skills

• Experience and exposure to investment case construction, writing and development in a public and/or private sector context.
• Experience of working on a research, innovation or training programme or international funding schemes.
• Experience of working with senior academics and policy makers, other public sector bodies and businesses.
• Experience of managing projects and budgets.
• Experience of partnership working.
• Understanding of Grants management systems.

Benefits

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package! We are committed to supporting employees' development and promote a culture of continuous learning!

A list of benefits below:

• An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme
• 30 days' annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent)
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities
• Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice
• Flexible working options

Plus many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!

UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.

Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact Recruitment@ukri.org