We seek an engaged, collaborative Research Development Manager (RDM) to join a thriving team, working on social science research development projects.  Candidates should hold a PhD in a social-science relevant discipline; they will join a Senior Research Development Manager already working in this disciplinary area. The role offers both disciplinary and interdisciplinary development opportunities; and scope to design and deliver targeted skills training for our academic community.  We welcome applicants who meet the criteria (below), who may have a non-linear CV.   

The RDM will help deliver University and Faculty research funding priorities, supporting the development and coordination of research funding applications to public and third sector funders. Working closely with academic staff in the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy to understand their research funding goals, encouraging and supporting applications to appropriate opportunities from concept to award offer. Supporting the coordination of responses to funding calls, in collaboration with the Senior Research Development Manager for SSPP, and line managed by the Director of Research Development for Arts & Sciences. Working with academic and professional service colleagues across the University to maximise opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, and to deliver training activities for academic staff that increase awareness of research funding streams and capability to apply. Gathering data to assess research performance and developing insight to support decision makers. Contributing to the management of internal funding schemes, relevant impact schemes, and demand management processes.

If you would like a discussion about the role before applying, please email the hiring manager at Camilla.Darling@kcl.ac.uk

This post will be offered on an indefinite contract  

This is a full-time post

Main duties and responsibilities:

1. Acting as first point of contact for a defined part of the social science portfolio 

• Working with the Senior RDM to ensure that the Faculty’s diverse research development needs are supported in a timely and effective way, maximising grant capture which reflects Faculty priorities  
• Providing a visible and responsive research development service to academics 
• Developing a high level of awareness of the research goals and funding needs of individual academics in your portfolio 
• Building and maintain strong relationships with academic leaders in relevant academic units, to understand their research funding priorities and support needs 

        2.Grant application development 

• Working with faculties and schools to promote & support applications to relevant recurrent funding opportunities such as fellowships and responsive mode applications (for example, Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships, British Academy Post-Doctoral Fellowships, and applications to funders such as the ESRC; AHRC; NERC; and the Wellcome Trust) 
• Providing application advice and support for academics, from project scoping to funding scheme selection, providing advice and feedback on application drafts, securing institutional sponsorship and preparation for interview 
• Working with the Senior Research Development Manager to disseminate and promote high impact strategic funding calls, targeting relevant academic experts across disciplines to help build effective bid teams, then support applications  

        3.Scoping new opportunities for research investment 

• Identifying new funding calls and relating these to the research expertise within SSPP or other relevant Faculties 
• Developing relationships with key sector funders and their personnel, to understand their goals and approaches to delivering them 
• Contribute to strategic projects that deliver insight and options for research development in research areas of importance to the University or individual Faculties 

       4.Provision of training 

• Providing training that increases capability to apply to specific funders and funding streams 
• Providing targeted training to faculties and schools in response to specific needs 

       5.Internal funding process management 

• Work with the Senior Research Development Manager to manage the delivery of internal funding schemes 

• Work with the Senior Research Development Manager to deliver triage processes for external funding schemes 6. Team work 

• To work with colleagues in the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy, and in the Arts & Sciences Research Development team, to agree priorities and responsibilities for new work, balance workloads and share best practice 

• To work with colleagues in the Arts and Sciences and Health Research Development team to maximise “One Team” working across academic research interactions and in our research development practice 

• Promote effective academic partnership and interdisciplinarity in all of our work 

• Contribute to management reports and the collection and analysis of performance data 

• To behave courteously, collaboratively and compassionately in every aspect of the role, in line with King’s Values 

       7.Working with others research management professionals 

• Build strong working relationships with research management staff in Faculties and the Research Management and Innovation Directorate to improve practices, systems and reporting that supports research grant applications 

        8.    To carry out any other duties consistent with the post 

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. PhD or equivalent research experience in a subject relevant to social sciences 
2. Experience of working in an academic research or research funding environment 
3. Good understanding of the relevant research funding landscape and of the research development pipeline from concept development to application, through funder review processes 
4. Excellent listening skills, able to quickly understand and explore key concepts 
5. Excellent communicator, able to interpret and explain complex information with clarity and confidence. Confident supporting individual and group conversations that deliver insight 
6. Excellent writing skills, with demonstrable experience of delivering clear, structured outputs that deliver results 
7. Excellent qualitative and quantitative analytical and problem solving skills, with a solution focussed approach 
8. An engaging and inquisitive individual who thrives on building trusting relationships with experts and stakeholders at all levels. Builds and maintains good working relationships with colleagues (academic and professional services) to foster team spirit and achievement of shared goals 
9. Comfortable working independently, knowing when to ask permission and when to inform 
10. Comfortable with ambiguity and able to work flexibly and at pace in a rapidly changing environment 
11. Ability to achieve goals through influence and negotiation in a complex organisational environment 
12. High level of work organisation, self-motivation, resilience and determination, drive for performance and improvement, and flexibility in approach and attitude 
13. Courtesy and respect for others at the heart of every element of professional conduct. 

Further information

About Research Development at King’s  

Arts & Sciences Research Development is a team in the Research Strategy & Development department, led by Dr Tom Foulkes (Director of Research Strategy & Development) under the academic leadership of the Vice-Principal, Research & Innovation (Professor Bashir Al-Hashimi). The department incorporates c.20 staff, based across the university, who are responsible for research development, strategy, coordination of large-scale submissions and related activities such as translation, impact, and public engagement. Our purpose is to enable the university to grow its research activity, exploiting synergies between research groups and helping connectivity across Faculties. This is delivered through an ambitious research strategy for the university covering income, collaborations and international relationships. Research Strategy & Development is part of the Research Management and Innovation Directorate, which delivers the full spectrum of research management functions for the university. 

The Arts & Sciences Research Development team provides strategic and operational support for research income generation activity across the five Arts & Sciences Faculties: Social Science & Public Policy (SSPP); Arts & Humanities (A&H); King’s Business School (KBS); Natural, Mathematical, & Engineering Sciences (NMES); and the Dickson Poon School of Law (DPSoL). Our Health colleagues support the four health faculties: the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences (FoDOCS); Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, (FoLSM), Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care (FoNMPC) and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN). The central importance of Arts & Sciences to KCL and the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of research means that academic staff in these five faculties have multiple collaborations with colleagues in other faculties, requiring collaborative working with professional services and academic colleagues across the university.