Research Support Officer

Job id: 086247. Salary: £37,332-£39,980 per annum, including London Weighting Allowance.

Posted: 13 March 2024. Closing date: 03 April 2024.

Business unit: Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care. Department: NMPC Faculty Services.

Contact details:Sadaf Qureshi. [email protected]

Location: Waterloo Campus. Category: Professional & Support Services.

Job description

We are pleased to offer this excellent opportunity to join our team in the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care as a Research Support Officer providing ‘cradle to grave’ support to achieve our research aims.

The postholder will provide high quality and comprehensive administrative, budgetary and research project support to the three research divisions and Institute as well as ensuring the successful delivery of key research initiatives across the Faculty.

The Research Support Officer will work closely with researchers to support the grant lifecycle – from bid development through to the day-to-day administration of awards – supporting their group of projects.

The post will be based in the Faculty’s Research Support Office and will work closely with the Research Support Manager, Institute Business Manager, Faculty Research & Impact Manager, as well as central services.

As a busy and successful research team, the role would be suited to someone who is able to manage multiple competing priorities, good attention to detail and is able to build and maintain effective working relationships across the Faculty and the university.

Within this role you will become rounded and experienced at costing research projects, reviewing applications in line with King’s finance policies, as well as providing support once the project is live.

The postholder will have the opportunity to work as part of King’s hybrid working model, where you can work between your home and the office (Waterloo) throughout the week. In addition to this the postholder will be expected to visit the Cicely Saunders Institute in Denmark Hill one day a month.

This post will be offered on an indefinite contract.

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

Key responsibilities

• Provide high-quality ‘cradle to grave’ advisory and support service for staff looking to apply for research funding and consultancies, ensuring these are compliant with the funder and KCL’s guidance and policies
• Prepare costs for research grant applications advising on the optimal treatment of non-standard costs, and ensuring appropriate cost recovery in line with Faculty and KCL guidance
• Develop and maintain up-to-date knowledge of funder schemes, eligible costs and terms and conditions of awards to maximise research grant income
• Ensure the Faculty is complaint with university and external regulations and policies surrounding research grant administration, funder’s terms, and explaining and interpreting these to research staff as required
• Manage and maintain oversight of active grant applications using the university’s research management system (Worktribe) following up with central and academic colleagues as appropriate to inform post-award activity
• Provide effective support for new research staff joining the Faculty, acting as a point of contact for the transferring of grants, liaising with central colleagues to ensure a timely transition
• Produce research management information reports (Pure and Worktribe) for division staff to review
• Act as a Faculty professional services champion for all research-related processes, policies and systems including Pure, Business World and Worktribe
• Work closely with Research Support Manager, Institute Manager and Faculty Research & Impact Manager to understand the Faculty’s portfolio of activity, maximise opportunities to obtain funding and promote the exploitation of knowledge transfer partnerships
• Regularly monitor research grant budget using systems including Worktribe and Business World
• Support the Research Support Manager in the Faculty’s REF preparation plans
• Take responsibility and monitor publications listed on Pure, ensuring they are accurate
• Work flexibly and in collaboration with other staff, including the teams within the Divisions and across the Faculty. This will include cover and collaboration during holidays and other absences
• Undertake any other duties as assigned by the Research Support Manager/ Institute Business Manager/Faculty Research & Impact Manager

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

Educated to degree level or significant relevant experience

Experience of supporting research activity within HEI (or related sector) and a strong understanding of the research funding landscape

Experience of financial planning, implementation, preparing budgets, plans and monitoring key performance indicators

Clear task management and organisation skills; ability to work under pressure with competing and shifting priorities, deadlines and workload

High standard of numeracy with proven financial management and analytical skills

Experience of building an effective network, working effectively with external and internal stakeholders

Familiarity with research grant procedures and compliance requirements

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Excellent IT skills (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, databases, and internet browsers)

A commitment to a culture of equality, diversity, and inclusion, actively addressing areas of potential bias

Desirable criteria

Knowledge of administrative platforms used by research staff and students (e.g. PURE, ethics databases, Worktribe)

Knowledge of financial and accounting processes

Understanding of Academic Research Strategy

Candidates are strongly encouraged to specifically address the essential criteria outlined in the Person Specification in their covering letter.

We strongly encourage applications from underrepresented groups including those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups, the LGBTQI+ community, those who are neurodiverse and those with a disability.

King’s considers the professional and personal development of our staff a priority and we offer an inspiring range of opportunities for training and career progression. Our Organisational Development team provide in-house and bespoke learning.