| Closing date | 15 March 2021 |
|---|---|
| Time commitment | Up to 5 days a year |
| Number of positions | Up to 8 |
| Length of service | Up to 4 years (for a first term) |
| Start date | 22 April 2021 |
Provide advice from a research organisation and broader research management perspective on UKRI’s policies, processes and administrative arrangements associated with grants, studentships and fellowships.
What the role involves
The Research Organisations Consultation Group gives input and advice on UKRI’s policies, processes and administrative arrangements relating to grants, studentships and fellowships, from the organisational perspective.
As a member of the Group, you will be expected to:
- engage with the wider research organisation community to develop a regional representative perspective on issues
- promote good communication between research organisations and UKRI’s councils
- encourage the further development of good working practices within research organisations.
You will also work closely with UKRI’s research funding policy team, to give suggestions, thoughts and possible changes.
Within the Group, you will provide an initial steer and act as a sounding board before we engage the wider research organisation community.
While the Group has no decision-making power, it is a valuable consultation and information source.
Time commitment
The Group usually meets for a full day up to 3 times a year.
These meetings may take place:
- physically, at UKRI’s offices at Polaris House, Swindon
- virtually, via an online web video conference.
We may also ask you to join shorter ad-hoc sessions on specific policy issues.
Remuneration
This is not a salaried position.
You will be reimbursed for any travel and subsistence expenses – see UKRI’s travel and subsistence policy (PDF, 162KB).
Who can apply
You must be working for a UK-based research organisation to be eligible for this role.
To apply for this role, you must demonstrate:
- direct involvement in research administration in a Research Organisation (RO) at operational level or above
- a commitment to consult with regional, professional, sector or other networks outside of the employing RO
- a commitment to contribute to the work of the Group, sometime on fairly short timescales mainly via correspondence but with some meetings in Swindon, usually two or three a year
- experience of dealing with research or financial administration issues at an inter-RO level, or both
- experience of research strategy and policy development within your RO
- an understanding and some knowledge of the work and operations of UKRI and individual UKRI Councils.
Desirable skills include:
- knowledge of two or more of the research councils
- knowledge of UKRI’s process for applying for funding and managing a funding award
- understanding of the wider research funding landscape
- experience with both research grants and training grants.
Your application must be supported by your employing research organisation at the level of the director of research services, director of finance, or equivalent. If an individual at that level is being nominated, they should be endorsed be their line manager.
Please note that the membership is held by the individual, not the research organisation. Membership will remain with the appointed person should they move institutions.
How to apply
To apply, you must submit an application through SurveyMonkey.
The application will ask you to provide:
- applicant details, including full name, title and position at the research organisation where you work
- contact details and information about your personal qualities and experience, outlining why you would be a suitable to join the Group
- up to 5,000 characters on your experience of strategy and policy development within your organisation
- up to 7,000 characters on what you see as the future challenges and opportunities for UKRI and the wider research funding landscape
- your current CV (no more than 2 sides of A4) on your professional qualifications, research, work and other related experience
- optional equal opportunities information, to help us monitor our policy of equality and fair treatment and ensure we are effective in meeting this aim. The information you provide here will not be used to determine appropriateness against the essential criteria: it may be used to support an appropriate balance of people across the Group.
How your application will be assessed
You will be assessed only on the information provided in the application, with the focus of the assessment on the answers provided.
Applications will be assessed by a panel of:
- UKRI staff
- the Research Organisations Consultation Group Co-Chair
- the Research Organisations Consultation Group Vice Co-Chair.
CVs will only be considered if the panel feel they require further information.
How we will handle your information
In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (EU) (GDPR):
- any personal information you provide will only be used for the purpose of administering the application. It will not be used for any other purpose without your specific consent
- aggregated anonymised data will be used for the purpose of monitoring by our advisory and decision-making bodies.
Analysis of the information will be viewed by UKRI staff only.
How you will be informed
You should expect to hear the outcome of your application by mid-April.
If successful, you will be invited to attend a meeting on 22 April 2021 as an observer.
The meeting after that on 8 July 2021 is the first where you would be expected to fully take part.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
UKRI is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. This includes being open and transparent in the appointment process and providing equal opportunities, irrespective of race, age, disability, gender, marital status, religion, sexual orientation, transgender and working patterns.
All applications will be treated fairly. We welcome applications from all.
We are keen to achieve a balanced membership in terms of diversity, geography and research organisation type. The Association of Research Managers (ARMA) is also formally represented on the Group.
Ask a question about this opportunity
Email: steve.smith@ukri.org.
Please include ‘ROCG Recruitment 2021’ in the subject heading of your email.
Last updated: 17 August 2023