Further Particulars
This document includes information about the role for which you are applying and the
information you will need to provide with the application.
1. Role details
Vacancy reference:
11898
Job title:
Research Support Officer
Reports to:
Research Development Senior Manager
Salary:
£31,656 - £37,768 (depending on qualifications)
Terms and conditions:
Academic Related
Grade:
Grade 7
Duration of post:
Full-time contract
Working hours:
37 hours, Monday to Friday
Location:
Walton Hall, Milton Keynes
Closing date:
7th January 2016
Type of application form accepted:
Long version and covering letter
Number of referees required:
3
Unit recruitment contact:
RAS-Recruitment@open.ac.uk
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2. Summary of duties
Purpose Statement
Working in the Central Research and Enterprise office within the Research Academic
Strategy (RAS) Unit, the Research Support Officer will contribute to the provision of
advice and services relating to externally funded research/enterprise grants and contracts
including horizon scanning for funding and developing funder relationship, internal
approval and submission of applications and post-award administration. In addition, the
post holder provides administrative support to individual researchers and administrators
within the University’s faculties and Strategic Research Areas (SRA) and works closely
with other relevant central units.
The post holder is expected to contribute to the wider obligations of the RAS Unit,
primarily to assist in the provision and dissemination of information, training workshops,
advice on pathways to impact and data management. The post is also the institutional
account holder for the Research Fish portal, Gateway to Research and Research
Professional funding portal and has responsibility for chairing and running the internal
Award Management System (AMS) User Group.
Main Responsibilities
This is not intended as an exhaustive list of duties or a restrictive definition of the post but
rather should read as a guide to the main priorities and typical areas of activity of the postholder. These activities are subject to amendment over time as priorities and
requirements evolve and as such it may be amended at any time by the line manager
following discussion with the post holder.
Bid critique: Quality review of research/enterprise bids to external funders across
the UK, EU and internationally, providing advice and guidance to ensure bids are
developed to a high standard; meet funder requirements; university internal
approval requirements and submitted to deadline.
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On behalf of PVC–RAS, to provide oversight in ensuring proposals submitted for
external funding have been internally peer reviewed to meet necessary quality
standards and funders demand management requirements. Proactively identify
projects for impact case studies; support internal ethical review and potential for
knowledge exchange and commercialisation.
Bid approval: Provides institutional approval on behalf of the PVC-RAS for bids to
external funders within agreed thresholds in the University’s AMS e-portal.
Funding opportunities: Proactive horizon scanning and identification of relevant
external funding opportunities for research/enterprise projects. Developing funder
relationship and interpreting funder’s policy changes. Disseminates information to
internal audiences through various routes, e.g. workshops, contributing to the
Team’s intranet presence, providing advice on an application-specific basis.
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Opportunity appraisal/applicant appraisal/bid development: Advise potential
applicants, through leveraging funder knowledge, on the feasibility and desirability
issues to inform the decision of whether to bid through.
Providing advice to the applicant and Faculty administrators through the
interpretation of the funder’s requirements and conditions in the context of the
wider University’s activities; business structures/specialisms; academic strengths.
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Business relationship management: Develop, broker and project-manage early
relationships and collaborations between researchers across Faculties and with
external bodies to maximise the potential for multidisciplinary project teams to
coalesce and respond to multidisciplinary funding programmes. These activities to
be carried out in partnership with RAS offices, Faculties and others.
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Client knowledge: Contribute to continuous development of funder knowledge
within the team, including funding priorities; relevant policies; construct and style of
narrative; analysis of funder assessment to identify institutional shortfalls and
strengths.
Data production/analysis: To maintain up-to-date information on bids and awards
in the University’s AMS e-portal and use the system to provide management
information; analysis and interpretation for internal/external recipients.
Systems management: Have responsibility for internal/external IT systems relating
to research and enterprise bidding and award management. As operational
account owner, the post is the internal point of reference, undertaking AMS usergroup chair; contribution to systems enhancements; provision of training and
guidance; monitoring, compliance and liaising with internal audit.
Institutional contact point and operational lead responsibility for the Research Fish,
Gateway to Research, Research Professional.
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Post-award support: Liaise with internal stakeholders (including the applicant,
Faculty support, Finance Accounts, Legal Services, Enterprise Support) and
external stakeholders where necessary (including staff in collaborating
organisations and funding bodies), in order to ensure the execution and
coordination of (i) the development and submission of grant applications and (ii)
the post-award administration of successful applications.
Training, development and guidance: To disseminate information regarding the
University’s policies and procedures for research and enterprise activities and
support the implementation of effective administration systems and processes.
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Deliver training and information workshops for potential applicants and support
staff on topics such as bid writing and documentation, internal processes, impact,
fellowships, building collaborations and the responsibilities above.
Contribute to the team and office content on the intranet, internet and SharePoint
spaces, particularly (i) for the dissemination and presentation of funding
opportunities, (ii) to ensure related guidance, practices, processes and policies are
centrally coordinated and available to applicants and support staff.
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Office activities: Contribute to work load planning, allocation and mediation across
the team, primarily through the participation in team meetings and project
meetings. Contribute to various projects and initiatives led by or including the team
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or any other duties as may reasonably be requested by the Research
Development Senior Manager, Head of Research & Enterprise or Director RAS.
Contribute to the development of objectives and continuous development of the
team and office.
All staff are expected to:




undertake any other duties which may reasonably be required
take reasonable care of the Health and Safety of themselves and that of any
other
person who may be affected by your acts or omissions at work.
demonstrate a strong commitment to the principles and practice of equality and
diversity
have a clear commitment to OU values and the OU mission
1. Person specification
Criteria
Education,
qualifications
and training
Knowledge,
work and other
relevant
experience
Essential
Desirable
Degree, relevant equivalent
professional qualification or
relevant experience with research
projects.
Project management qualification
or experience.
Experience of providing
qualitative advice on feasibility
and desirability issues relating to
scoping and developing
bids/business cases.
Experience of working in a
research environment and/or
Higher Education sector.
Experience of developing
tenders/bids and interpreting,
contextualising and advising on
contractual terms and conditions.
Experience of organising,
coordinating and delivering
workshops and seminars,
including designing and
presenting content to various
audiences.
Experience of working within a
decision making and deadline
orientated environment.
Understanding of UK HEI
research funding landscape.
Experience with key funding
agencies (e.g. RCUK, EU) and/or
industry/commerce
Experience of quality review and
compliance.
Familiarity with the principles and
application of Full Economic
Costing (fEC).
Experience as account manager
for key funders/clients.
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Experience of filtering and
promoting opportunities.
Experience of chairing group from
different constituencies;
influencing, directing, negotiating.
Experience of using electronic
submission system (e.g. JeS,
eGap2, ECAS, IRAS).
Experience of using a document
content management
system/Sharepoint and
Powerpoint.
Experience of brokering concept
feasibility meetings between
parties with aligned interests.
Experience of using Research
Fish, Gateway to Research
and/or end-of-award reports to
maximise impact.
Awareness of ethical issues
pertaining to research.
Awareness of the exploitation and
impact of research.
Experience of independent
peer/expert review of bids.
Skills and
capabilities
Excellent oral skills, written
communication and interpersonal
skills, demonstrating discretion
and confidentiality. The ability to
communicate, deal with and
influence a wide range of people
including senior officers of the OU
and external organisations. Ability
to interact positively with
professionals in a variety of
disciplines.
Aptitude for coordinating,
analysing and disseminating
complex information. Ability to
Awareness of the external
environment, government policies
and competitors.
Work creatively to develop
innovative and workable
solutions.
Good understanding and
experience of MS Sharepoint and
database systems.
Ability to interrogate data to
produce reports.
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translate information to suit the
needs of various customers.
High levels of numeracy and
accuracy, scrutinising financial
data and ability to synthesise and
interpret data accurately.
Ability to take a creative approach
to change, which challenges
assumptions and is not based
purely on enhancing existing
practice.
Ability to make effective use of
available resources, information
and feedback to improve
efficiency, productivity and overall
performance.
Ability to adjust to unfamiliar
situations, new tasks, processes,
IT systems and demands or
changing roles and being
receptive to new ideas, whilst
ensuring minimal impact on
business activities.
Ability to identify learning needs of
other, design and deliver
appropriate learning interventions
to a wide range of staff.
Good ICT skills and experience of
using MS Outlook, Work and
Excel.
Good organisational skills and the
ability to prioritise activities and
organise information and records.
Personal
Qualities
Ability to work independently and
to tight deadlines, taking
ownership of multiple tasks,
exercising judgment and solving
problems and ensuring that they
are completed to schedule and
agreed standards.
Ability to work collaboratively and
able to influence others through
effective questioning, listening
and reflective skills.
Commitment to self-development
and that of colleagues and
services, accepting and acting
upon feedback and learning from
the process.
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Special
working
conditions e.g.
shift working
Additional
requirements
Availability on occasions to work
outside core office hours to meet
demands on the team and office.
Ability to attend external events
outside the region.
Clear commitment to OU values
and OU mission, particularly
embracing the implementation
and integration of equality &
diversity and other inclusive
policies.
Note: Essential elements are those, without which, a candidate would not be able to do the job. Applicants who have
not clearly demonstrated in their application that they possess the essential elements will normally be rejected at the
short listing stage. Desirable elements are those which it would be useful for the post holder to possess.
4. Role specific requirements e.g. Shift working
N/A
5. About the unit/department
The post will be based in the current Research Scholarship and Quality (RSQ) Unit,
which will become part of a new Research and Academic Strategy Unit later this year.
The Research, Scholarship and Quality Unit includes the Research Strategy Office
(RSO), Research and Enterprise Office (R&EO), Research Degrees Office (RDO) and
the Quality Office (QO).
R&EO supports activities for external income capture from research and enterprise,
RSO has responsibility for oversight on research strategy, research policy, governance
and performance monitoring, and the Research Degrees office supports research
students and the OU’s doctoral training programmes. The Quality Office is responsible
for the quality assurance and enhancement of teaching and learning.
6. How to obtain more information about the role or application process
If you would like to discuss the particulars of this role before making an application
please contact Graham Mitchell on 01908 655850 or email
Graham.P.Mitchell@open.ac.uk.
If you have any questions regarding the application process please contact RASRecruitment@open.ac.uk.
7. The application process and where to send completed applications
Please ensure that your application reaches the University by 7th January 2016
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You should enclose:

A covering letter, clearly indicating how you believe you meet the person specification.
Please ensure you provide relevant examples as evidence to support your statement
on no more than two sides of A4.

Your completed application form (long version).
Post it to:
Name/Job title:
Julie Hudson, Recruitment Co-ordinator
Department/Unit: Academic Strategy Unit
Address:
Room 111, Charles Pinfold Building
The Open University
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
Post Code:
MK7 6AA
Or e-mail your application to: RAS-Recruitment@open.ac.uk
8. Selection process and date of interview
The interview panel will be chaired by Graham Mitchell. The interviews will be held week
commencing 18th January 2016.
We will let you know as soon as possible after the closing date whether you have been
shortlisted for interview. Further details on the selection process will also be sent to shortlisted
candidates.
Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
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