Pre-Award Research Manager

Durham University; North East; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Part-time job share

Job summary

Durham University invites applications for a Pre-Award Research Manager in the Research Operations Team. The role is part-time (17.5 hours/week) with hybrid working and on-site presence 40% of the time. It supports academic staff in preparing, submitting and negotiating external research grants.

You will coordinate budgets, ensure compliance, and act as a liaison between departments and RIS to foster robust project management.

Qualifications

• Experience coordinating external research funding proposals.
• Ability to review budgets, approvals and regulatory requirements.
• Pro-active, highly organised with strong communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Project manage the submission process for bids and budgets.
• Collaborate with Research Development on funding opportunities.
• Lay review applications for compliance and funder requirements.
• Coordinate contract negotiations and due‑diligence checks.
• Maintain accurate project information in central systems.
• Deliver related training and information sessions.

Skills

Project management

Budgeting

Contract negotiations

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder engagement

Training delivery

Organisational skills

Job description

The Role and the Department

The Research Operations Team is part of Research and Innovation Services (RIS) and provides comprehensive support to academic and PSS colleagues across the lifecycle of a research project. The team comprises pre- and post-award services, contracting and consultancy support. Support includes tailored financial and contractual advice and management to all researchers at Durham, from planning, costing, and pricing the initial proposal to ensuring that contracts and agreements are negotiated effectively and efficiently, to ensuring robust financial management and compliance of awarded projects. Research Operations works alongside the various teams which make up the Research and Innovation Services and in partnership with Professional Support colleagues across the University to help facilitate research-related planning, reporting and development and to meet the needs of both the individual researcher and the wider institution.

As a Pre-Award Research Manager within the pre-award team, you will play a key role in supporting and developing externally funded research grant activity by providing high quality support and advice to academic staff in the preparation, submission and contractual negotiation of research grants and awards. You will join an enthusiastic and supportive team of Pre Award Research Managers based in the central office but will also be expected to spend time in the academic departments you support, to provide a key link role between the academic community and RIS.

The Pre-Award Research Manager will be a key point of contact for an academic wishing to apply for external research funding and will provide support and expert advice in a number of essential activities including:

• Project managing the submission process of the bid (including responsibility for budget development and seeking internal approvals).
• Working closely with the Research Development team on strategic funding opportunities.
• Lay reviewing applications for regulatory and funder compliance.
• Ensuring timely acceptance of successful awards including contract negotiation and ensuring all ethical and due diligence checks are completed.
• Working closely with post-award and contracting colleagues to ensure accurate project information is captured and shared in a central project management system.
• Delivering training and information events.

It is essential that the Pre-Award Research Manager is highly organised, pays close attention to detail, and has a pro-active approach to problem-solving. The capability to prioritise and manage a busy and varied workload is crucial. The ability to work across a number of concurrent projects at different stages of development is essential. A confident communicator, you will form close working relationships with the other members of the Operations Team, Research Development Team, Faculty Officials, Heads of Department, Directors of Research, Department Managers and other members of Professional Support Staff.

Working Pattern

This post is a part time job share working 17.5 hours per week.

Subject to business need, the working pattern can be arranged to suit the successful applicant.

We operate hybrid working and are on site 40% of working time per week and remainder can be worked from home.

Dependent on experience, the successful applicant may need to work on site for the majority of the time for the first three months.

The base location for this role is Boldon House, our exciting new professional services hub. Boldon House is situated on the outskirts of Durham near the Arnison Centre in Pity Me. Boldon House brings a number of professional services teams together in a vibrant office environment which supports collaborative working and is designed to embrace hybrid working. To find out more, visit the project webpage: .

Further information about the role and the responsibilities is at the bottom of this job description.