Job description
The Cancer Prevention Group led by Professor Peter Sasieni, includes around 30 researchers (with annual grant income of approximately £1.2million) working on a range of mainly Cancer Research UK funded projects in cancer screening and prevention.    
The post holder will be a member of the School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Science’s professional services team and will be expected to provide high quality grant management, finance and HR support for the Cancer Prevention Group and their  portfolio of projects, including a 5-year Cancer Research UK Programme, the Cancer Research UK & King’s College London Cancer Prevention Trials Unit (CPTU) core award and a Senior Fellowship.  
 
The postholder must take a proactive approach and possess exceptional organisational, prioritisation and communication skills with the ability to use their own initiative to manage a varied workload with complex tasks. The post holder will be confident in working independently but also adept at working within a team, including working closely with the CPG group leads.   
 
Specifically, the role will involve:  
 
Financial management - support for research grant applications and other pre-award activities; oversight and overall responsibility for the day-to-day tasks associated with post-award management including the preparation of budget reconciliations and re-forecasts, liaising with funding bodies and advising the principal investigators on resource allocation across the group
Stakeholder management – developing good working relationships with other KCL departments, funding bodies and other stakeholders
Facilitating research – research administration such as supporting the set-up of data transfer agreements, collaboration agreements and sub-contracts
Human Resources – responsibility for recruitment of staff and PhD students, processing contract renewals and terminations, and supporting visiting workers
Data and information management to enable the preparation of annual reports, grant applications and quinquennial reviews
Day-to-day management of operations of the Cancer Prevention Group that is: professional, well-executed and timely, compliant with university policies and promotes best practice in the group
Line mana
Applicants will be educated to degree level or be able to demonstrate relevant experience with proven Professional Services skills gained within the Higher Education sector.   
 
This post is full time but applications for part time working (0.6 FTE or more) will be considered.  This contract is fixed term for 12 months (in the first instance). 
 

Key responsibilities

• Research support for CPG staff, including costing grants and preparing grant applications and scientific milestone reports.  
• Responsible for post-award processes, on-going management and reporting for grants held by staff in the Cancer Prevention Group, liaising with the School’s Senior Operations Officer (Research) as required.  
• Prepare annual budget reconciliation and re-forecasts, modelling financial options to advise the Director on resource allocation across the Group.  
• Work with the Research Management, post award team and Information Directorate to monitor spending, and reconcile and approve accounts.  
• Working closely with grant-holders to ensure grant income is appropriately and fully committed.  
• Developing and managing grant funding pipelines, integrating with recruitment and contract renewals options.  
• Prepare communications, draft presentations, briefing documents and background materials as required including input into, organisation and editing of the annual reports and quinquennial reviews (non-scientific aspects).  
• Support the establishment of enabling agreements such as Data Transfer Agreements, collaboration agreements and subcontracts, which may involve two or more parties.  
• Support compliance with regulations and research ethics approval processes, promoting an environment of good conduct in research.   
• Forge relationships with colleagues in the School, Faculty and University, in order to contribute to process development and adoption of best practice. 
• Build strong working relationships with key partners beyond the university, including but not limited to Cancer Research UK, Guy’s and St Thomas NHS Trust, research collaborators at other universities. 
• Responsible for the recruitment of staff, including temporary assignments, working closely with the School’s Senior Operations Officer (HR & Finance), who is the School’s main point of contact with King’s HR Services.  
• Monitor the groups visa renewals, contract end dates for staff on fixed term contracts and support processes for the resolution of these.  
• Raise awareness of and support Cancer Prevention Group staff with the annual processes, including PDR, pay recognition, academic probation and promotion.  
• Support line managers in understanding and implementing HR policy e.g. visa compliance, poor performance reviews, occupational health referrals etc.  
• Coordinate and initiate the staff and student induction to the Cancer Prevention Group.  
• Enable cross-institution working by ensuring that the appropriate approvals and contracts, which may be non-standard, are in place and staff have appropriate access.   
• Record, collate and complete all non-scientific data and information in reports.   
• Assist with the local dissemination of information issued by the School’s core team and university central teams to the relevant staff and students 
• Work closely with Schools Communications & Engagement Officer and Faculty Communications & Marketing team to promote and raise the profile of the academic work of the Group  
• Support the School’s core team in providing data requested by Faculty and university teams for inclusion in appropriate submissions, surveys and annual reporting processes.  
• Oversee the workload and effectively line manage the Cancer Prevention Group Operations Assistant ensuring an appropriate delegation of responsibilities. 
• Have a broad and in-depth knowledge of Faculty and university policies, processes and systems, and work with all School/Faculty staff to solve problems and provide solutions, efficiently and effectively.  
• Undertake any other reasonable duties and projects as requested by the post holder’s line manager/s.    

 
Skills, knowledge, and experience 

Essential criteria 

1. Educated to degree level or relevant experience 
2. Proven Professional Services skills gained within the Higher Education sector 
3. Highly numerate with proven financial management and analytical skills to underpin strategic financial strategic decisions and procedure  
4. Excellent communication (written and verbal), negotiation and influencing skills at all levels  
5. Experience of financial planning and implementation, including preparing budget, financial profiling, preparing business cases and plans, and monitoring key performance indicators, budgets (including reconciliations) and risks 
6. Experience of building an effective network across a complex organisation and with external stakeholders  
7. Ability to work under pressure 
8. Excellent task management skills both for self and others, meeting tight deadlines  
9. Commitment to good practice and following process/ procedure  
10. Ability to maintain confidentiality  

 
Desirable criteria 

1. Experience of pre- and post award grant management support 
2. Knowledge of research practice and policy in health (bioscience/ medicine)  
3. Knowledge of Human Resources processes  
4. Experience of using complex databases and management information systems  
5. Experience of managing staff  

 
Further information
Please note this post is remote working until otherwise directed by the King’s Return to Campus Plan. This post is full time.  The contract is fixed term for 12 months (in the first instance).