DMEx Project Coordinator

The University of Manchester; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Generous annual leave

Christmas closure

Staff discounts

Job summary

The University of Manchester is recruiting three PMO Project Coordinators to join the PMO supporting the Defence Materials Centre of Excellence (DMEx). You will assist with project reporting, day-to-day operations, and coordination across research groups, professional services, and external partners.

Based at the Royce Institute with hybrid working (two days on site), the role involves ensuring smooth information flow, maintaining documentation, and assisting with meetings, reviews, and events

Qualifications

• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise and manage conflicting priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build rapport and influence a range of stakeholders.
• Able to work independently using initiative under minimal supervision.
• Strong numeracy skills with budgeting understanding and ability to present financial information.

Responsibilities

• Support tracking of high-volume research activity funded through the centre.
• Participate in project review meetings, presenting information on finances and progress against the plan and risks.
• Provide non-financial project administration: files setup, monitoring reporting requirements, and changes with Research Support teams.
• Lead and manage information flow between PMO Operations, DMEx partners and the University, and external collaborators.
• Coordinate resource planning, recruitment to the centre, organise project events and reporting activities with project members and partners.

Skills

Organisational skills

Interpersonal skills

Independent working

Numeracy

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent (English and Maths GCSE)

Tools

Pure

Oracle

Job description

The Defence Materials Centre of Excellence (DMEx) is expanding as our programme continues to accelerate. We are excited to be recruiting three PMO Project Coordinators to join our existing team, supporting the next phase of growth for this major Dstl-funded national research centre.

These posts form part of a wider expansion of the PMO as the team rapidly grows to meet increasing programme ambition.

DMEx brings together world-leading researchers, specialist engineers and professional services experts to advance innovation in defence materials. As the Centre’s activity increases, these new roles will strengthen our established Project Management Office (PMO) and offer an exciting opportunity to be part of a dynamic, high-impact environment.

As a PMO Project Coordinator, you will support project reporting, and day-to-day operations across a diverse portfolio of research activity. You will coordinate work across research groups, professional services teams and external partners, ensuring smooth information flow and effective project delivery. Typical responsibilities include supporting meetings and review cycles, coordinating resource, maintaining documentation and systems, and helping to run events, workshops and communications.

You will be responsible for:

• Support tracking of high-volume research activity funded through the centre, working with internal and external staff to monitor project progress
• Actively participate in review meetings of projects, presenting information to the project team (including external partners) on project finances and progress against the project management plan and associated risks
• Provide non-financial project administration such as project files setup, formal acceptance, monitoring reporting requirements and project changes, in association with Research Support teams
• Lead and manage the information flow between PMO Operations team, DMEx partners and the rest of the University, and with external collaborators, responding to requests for information as required
• Collaborate with project personnel and external partners, overseeing support for resource planning, recruitment to the centre, organization of project events, meetings, and coordinating reporting activities with project members and partners

Based at the Royce Institute with hybrid working (typically two days onsite), you will join a supportive, fast-paced and collaborative team that is genuinely enthusiastic about what we do.

About You

Applicants must submit a supporting statement outlining how they meet the criteria below in their application. Shortlisting will be scored against these criteria, so please ensure your statement addresses each one clearly.

Essential Criteria

• Excellent organisational skills with a demonstrable ability to prioritise and manage conflicting priorities
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build rapport and influence a range of stakeholders
• Able to work independently using well developed initiative under minimal supervision, recognising when advice/input needs to be sought
• Strong numeracy skills along with an understanding of budgeting and confidence in interpreting and presenting financial information
• Educated to degree level or equivalent, or substantial relevant experience, with English and Maths at GCSE standard or equivalent

Desirable Criteria

• Knowledge of the University's organisation, governance and strategic objectives
• Experience in editing and maintaining web-based shared spaces
• Experience of working with University research projects and with administrative and financial systems such as Pure, Oracle
• Experience of servicing committees (minute taking, coordinating papers, devising agendas and progressing action points)
• Previous experience of administrative support in research administration

Successful candidates may be required to undertake BPSS and potentially Security Clearance. Due to the nature of this clearance, candidates must have sole UK nationality. DMEx has an ethnically diverse team of UK nationals.

What you will get in return:

• Fantastic market leading Pension scheme
• Excellent employee health and wellbeing services including an Employee Assistance Programme
• Exceptional starting annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays
• Additional paid closure over the Christmas period
• Local and national discounts at a range of major retailers

Our University is positive about flexible working – you can find out more here

Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.

As an equal opportunity employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. The University will actively foster a culture of inclusion and diversity and will seek to achieve true equality of opportunity for all members of its community. All appointments are made on merit.

Applications close at midnight on the closing date.

Further particulars (with person specification) linked below.