The Schools' Observatory Project Manager (Maternity cover)

Liverpool John Moores University; Liverpool City Region; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in Liverpool is looking for a Project Manager to oversee The Schools' Observatory project. The role involves managing budgets, leading a small team, engaging with stakeholders, and promoting STEM education initiatives. Candidates should have experience in project management, excellent communication skills, and a passion for inclusive practices. Strong benefits package offered.

Benefits

Generous annual leave entitlement

Pension scheme

Induction and development support

Family-friendly policies

Qualifications

• Experience managing staff and projects.
• Excellent communication skills for teamwork and stakeholder interaction.
• High computer literacy, ideally with web development tools.

Responsibilities

• Manage the project, overseeing budgets and strategy completion.
• Line-manage project staff and communicate with stakeholders.
• Market the project to expand the registered user base.
• Organise departmental outreach and public engagement activities.
• Represent the project at UK and possibly international sites.

Skills

Keen interest in STEM education initiatives

Experience managing staff and projects

High computer literacy with MS Office packages

Excellent communication skills

Commitment to promoting equality and diversity

Willingness to travel

Job description

Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) is a distinctive, unique institution, rooted in the Liverpool City Region and with a global presence. Our students and staff, past, present, and future, are the beating heart of our city and can be found in every corner of every industry and community. We couldn't exist anywhere else and have shaped the city in which we belong. Working with the people of Liverpool to improve lives and support communities is at the heart of why we were founded and why we exist today.

The Schools' Observatory (TSO) project is looking for an enthusiastic, driven leader to join the team as Project Manager in a full-time maternity cover role. The position will include monitoring the project's progress against the current strategy, available here: https://www.schoolsobservatory.org/strategy. Good communication skills will be essential for liaising with the team, users, stakeholders, and the wider department.

TSO is a major educational website, established by Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) to provide UK and Irish schools with access to professional robotic telescopes. It enables school students and educators around the world to take real observations across a network of 26 robotic telescopes. The project aims to inspire more young people to pursue STEM careers through the wonders of space and to support educators in delivering science education in the classroom. TSO provides real data, free, user-friendly software, educator CPD resources, and interactive activities for its approximately 27,000 registered users and millions of other interested parties who visit the website every month. It provides one of the university's largest online platforms, highlighting its commitment to public engagement, outreach, and cutting‑edge research.

Responsibilities

• Take on management of the project, including oversight of budgets and ensuring progress towards completion of the current 5-year strategy.
• Line‑manage the small team of staff engaged on the project, maintaining communication with stakeholders.
• Market the project to new audiences to expand the registered user base.
• Oversee website resources and information, represent the project internally and externally, and, where appropriate, develop materials.
• Organise and participate in departmental outreach and public engagement activities, and liaise with local schools.
• Represent the project and the Astrophysics Research Institute and LJMU at UK and possibly international sites.

Qualifications

• Keen interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) education initiatives.
• Experience managing staff and projects.
• High computer literacy, with competency for all MS Office packages and website text editors; working knowledge of web development tools is ideal.
• Excellent communication skills for day‑to‑day teamwork, stakeholder interaction, and engagement with funding bodies, senior university management, teachers, and students.
• Commitment to promoting equality and diversity; passion for inclusive practices.
• Willingness to travel within the UK and possibly internationally.

You will need to display a commitment to promoting equality and diversity, which both The Schools' Observatory and the Astrophysics Research Institute are passionate about, having received the Institute of Physics Juno Practitioner and Athena SWAN Bronze award. We encourage applications from all people, especially those underrepresented in management and astrophysics.

We anticipate carrying out interviews for the post on the 16th or 18th December.

In return, we offer an excellent benefits package including generous annual leave entitlement, pension scheme, induction and development support as well as family‑friendly policies.

This is an exciting time to join the university as we deliver the LJMU Strategy 2030 and its vision of LJMU as an inclusive civic university transforming lives and futures, by placing students at the heart of everything we do.

If you feel that this is the role you have been looking for and your skills and experience can make a real difference at LJMU, we look forward to hearing from you.

LJMU is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds and communities irrespective of age, transgender status, disability, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity and religion or belief. All our appointments are made on merit. Please note all of our vacancies will be closed to applications at midnight on the advertised closing date, unless otherwise stated.