Research at the University of Bradford shapes the world through its impact on health and care, the engineered environment and sustainable societies. Your role is to provide support, constructive challenge and operational leadership in the development of Bradford's research portfolios, as we undertake scholarship of excellence and importance.

Our mission: To drive sustainable social and economic development through outstanding teaching, research and innovation.

Our vision: A world of inclusion and equality of opportunity where people want to, and can, make a difference. We want to be known as the place to be to make that difference.

Through our Research and Innovation strategy, we set out to shape future societies. Working in the central Research and Innovation Services (RaIS) department, the Head of Research Operations is responsible for executing key elements of the current strategy and for helping to shape the next one. 

With the guidance of the Associate Director, Research & Innovation, you will lead on service delivery for: research development – formulating strategies and plans with research groups and individuals; research support – fostering a culture of high-quality project design and proposal writing; researcher development – delivering skills and career development support to researchers; and impact and performance – helping researchers and the University bring about maximum benefit from the results of our research. You will also introduce and develop a new function designed to provide project quality support to researchers.

You will line-manage a substantial, capable, well-regarded team, currently numbering around 15 roles, taking responsibility for their performance and development. You will work collegiately with the Associate Deans (Research and Innovation) and research-active academic staff in Faculties to achieve shared strategic goals. The role requires you also to work effectively with colleagues across RaIS, Finance and People & Organisational Development departments to support the development of processes, plans and projects to appropriate governance standards.

You will be a highly professional team player with the passion to help us deliver our ambition. You will have exceptional management, communication and planning skills and substantial experience of supporting the research endeavour. You will bring awareness of the research funding landscape of relevance to Bradford, and the willingness to engage with key people in key funding agencies to drive alignment between our ambitions and their priorities. You will have the ability and experience to work successfully with senior academics and specialist managers (e.g. HR, finance, legal) in managing the data-driven continuous improvement of research operations.

This role is offered on a full-time, permanent basis. It is a Grade 10 role on the University's grading scheme,  substantial benefits, including a minimum of 30 days annual leave, as well as statutory and customary holidays, and the option to participate in our defined-benefit pension scheme. Informal enquiries about the role should be addressed to Dr Liam Sutton, Associate Director, Research & Innovation, at l.r.sutton@bradford.ac.uk.