Project Manager

Newcastle University; North East; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading academic institution is seeking a full-time Project Manager to oversee a regional partnership project focused on green corridors. The role involves managing project governance, financial oversight, and ensuring progress aligns with project objectives. Applicants should have strong project management skills, experience in research environments, and effective communication abilities. The position offers a hybrid working model, supporting both office and home tasks.

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge and experience of project management.
• Experience of working in a research environment.
• Ability to manage projects to defined milestones.

Responsibilities

• Act as the main point of contact for the project.
• Prepare detailed project timelines and milestones.
• Monitor individual project progress with research teams.
• Manage project finances including budget management.
• Communicate the work of the project to stakeholders.

Skills

Project management

Effective report writing

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Financial management

IT skills

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

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Green CorridorsNorth East (GCNE) is a 3-year Arts and Humanities Council (AHRC) funded research project and a pilot for the new AHRC Mission scheme. The project runs from May 2025 until the end of April 2028. The project is a collaboration between Newcastle University, Durham University, Teesside University and the National Trust. The project will work alongside an evaluation team from Durham and Northumbria Universities. The project spans more than 35 miles of three green corridors in theNorth East: The Tyne Derwent Way in Gateshead, Durham City Green Corridor, and the Tees to Topping Green Corridor running into and out of Middlesbrough. These three green corridors are part of an ambitious programme being led by the National Trust to help work in partnership to establish 20 green corridors across England, Northern Ireland and Wales by 2030, working in urban areas to address unequal access to and deliver benefits for nature, heritage, and people. Green corridors have risen to prominence as vital tools in urban planning, as well as connecting pockets of nature, they also connect people to their natural and cultural heritage.

The aim of GCNE is to develop new co-created arts- and humanities-led research practices that will contribute significantly to the transformative regeneration of green corridors in the UK and beyond. The project will develop, spread, and scale a co-produced model of placemaking.

The objectives of the project are to (i) convene exceptional teams, bringing together research, professional and community expertise to shape and deliver change, (ii) co-develop research questions and practices that are place based, cross-cutting and focused on environment, community and storytelling; (iii) co-produce research on the four themes of (1) heritage and history (e.g. exploring the well-being impact of training different age groups to conduct oral histories of one another’s memories of the corridors); (2) culture and creativity (e.g. developing inclusive creative methods to co-produce artworks that promote environmental empathy and enhance well-being); (3) nature and natural heritage (e.g. examining the well-being benefits of co-producing research that increases access to, knowledge of, and care for nature); (4) active evaluation for learning (e.g. research conducted by team members, serving as learning and evaluation); with cross-cutting ‘super themes’ of well-being and stewardship.

GCNE is seeking a full time Project Manager to provide comprehensive project management and professional support across this regional partnership project. Hosted at Newcastle University, the post holder will support the Project Lead (Professor Richard Clay) and the GCNE Project Board who are comprised of a diverse and inclusive membership. The Project Manager will be responsible for project governance, financial management and reporting as well as ensuring that progress is monitored against the project objectives. The Project Manager will work closely with three Project Administrators across the green corridors.

The position is available from as soon as possible for up to 32 months and will be a hybrid role, balancing office and home working with site visits. The Project Manager will occasionally need to work evenings and be happy to travel across the region.

To apply please include a CV as well as a covering letter detailing how you meet the essential criteria for the role.

To request a more detailed job pack about the project and/or for any informal enquiries, contact Richard Clay –and Alex Bulmer

Key Accountabilities

• Act as the main point of contact for the project, communicating with the Project Lead, project partners, stakeholders and University professional services colleagues on a regular basis, as well as managing the relationship with the AHRC
• Prepare detailed project timelines and milestones, monitoring progress on a continuous basis, with a clear understanding of any impact or risks on the projects’ outputs and outcomes
• Co-ordinate and contribute to reports e.g. to Project Board and funder, as required
• Actively monitor individual project progress in association with research teams to ensure financial and project milestones are achieved within set timescales
• Management of project administrators’ workflow
• Develop and support project governance, including facilitating Project Board meetings (e.g. organising meetings and preparing agendas and associated project intelligence/data)
• Manage the project finances including forecasting; budget management; liaison with the University’s Contract Financial Management Team to ensure financial transactions and reporting are managed in line with the contract and reporting requirements; and liaison with partners’ finance teams
• Communicate the work of the project to relevant external and public audiences. Responsibilities may include co-ordinating marketing, communications and online activity, handling PR enquiries, and speaking at workshops and events
• Support the project’s Deliberative Learning Sessions across the themes and corridors. This may include shaping sessions and supporting the organisation, delivery and facilitation of events

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Advanced knowledge and experience of project management with a proven ability to manage projects to defined milestones and deliverables
• Experience of working in a research environment
• Experience of working across multiple organisations and/or partnership projects
• Effective report writing skills and the ability to research and present information clearly
• Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to communicate clearly and concisely in writing and verbally
• Excellent organisational, time management and financial management skills
• Knowledge and experience of carrying out risk assessment and risk management
• Excellent IT skills, including competent use of Microsoft Office

Attributes and Behaviour

• An ability to work to deadlines, organise own workload and work independently
• The ability to work across department and organisational boundaries to build effective relationships both internally and externally
• An ability to make decisions on a daily basis, with consideration of when appropriate to involve other appropriate senior managers
• Plays a positive role in teams and establishes and grows relationships across the organisation where different skills, expertise and opinions are valued
• A proven ability to be flexible, adaptable, innovative, proactive and work collaboratively
• A positive and supportive attitude; ability to work flexibly and cooperatively with others
• Ability to work independently where needed
• Enthusiasm to undertake training and learn new skills.
• Willingness to travel outside of the Newcastle area to all three green corridor regions

Qualifications

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silver award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.