School Research Support Officer

Job description

The School of Global Affairs (SGA) is a dynamic hub of multi-disciplinary scholarship that seeks to address the most pressing issues facing our world today. We wish to appoint a Research Project Support Officer to play a key role in the smooth running of our School’s research portfolio. If you are a quick-thinking individual, who loves working with a variety of people, and want to learn more about research grant administration, this role is for you. 

We offer the opportunity to be part of an ambitious and encouraging team, supporting ground-breaking programmes and research, in a world-famous institution. You will work with academics, using and developing your skills on a broad range of research projects funded by the EC, UKRI and UK-based charities. You will also be liaising with different internal departments such as Finance, Human Resources and Research Management & Innovation Directorate (RMID). In particular, the individual would be providing logistical and administrative support to our large-scale EU-funded, UKRI and Wellcome Trust research projects.  

At King’s, we are deeply committed to embedding good equality and diversity practice into all of our activities so that the university is an inclusive, welcoming and inspiring place to work and study, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation. King’s offers inclusive benefits to staff including flexible working, Enhanced Parental Leave, funds for Parents and Carers and the potential to join community staff networks. At King's College London, our vision is to make the world a better place. 

This post will be offered on a full-time, indefinte contract.

Key responsibilities

• To provide comprehensive post-award support and advice to SGA staff and research projects across the School.  
• To provide specific PI support for large-scale EU-funded grants by filling out timesheets, liaise with partners, manage deliverables where appropriate, and arrange meetings (booking rooms, travel, accommodation, video conferencing). 
• To deal with any other project-specific administration queries for ReSET and POLIVERNACULARS . 
• To assist in project website editing as requested by the PI, in collaboration with external partners. 
• To provide support for other research projects within SGA by helping organise seminars/conferences/workshops, including booking travel and accommodation, booking internal rooms, ordering catering as required. 
• To be responsible for minuting meetings if required by various research projects and the Research Committee meetings. 
• To process expenditure on research budgets in the School and in each academic unit in compliance with King’s and funding bodies Financial Policies and Regulations. 
• To routinely run reports on research budget codes and transactions to ensure correct spending and remaining balances.  
• To undertake a range of procurement activity in accordance with King’s Financial Procedures 
• To support the Research Team with the submission of research proposals in accordance with policies and procedures for research grant submission 
• To act flexibly in undertaking the variety of administrative duties in the research function 
• To liaise with departments across King’s to clarify or obtain information as required by the research function 
• To provide administrative support for various HR processes, such as recruitment. 
• To assist the Research Team and School Research Manager with ad-hoc projects as required.  
• Support with impact and engagement activities within research projects and across the School  

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 

1.       Educated to A-level standard (or equivalent experience), including GCSEs in English and Maths 

2.       Excellent IT skills, including MS Office and SharePoint, familiarity with Excel 

3.       Excellent communication skills, both oral and written 

4.       Excellent organisational and time management skills 

5.       Excellent attention to detail and high degree of accuracy 

6.       Experience with research grant or project administration 

7.       Practical understanding of basic project financial processes 

8.       Ability to work both independently and as part of a team 

9.       Ability to deal with a wide variety of people in a professional and assured manner 

10.    Ability to demonstrate a commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion 

11.    Well-motivated and an approachable attitude 

12.    Proactive, methodical, flexible approach with attention to detail 

Desirable criteria 

1.       Experience of administration in the Higher Education sector  

2.       Experience with scientific grant administration