Fuse Research Centre Manager

Salary: £33,966 to £36,024 with progression to £44,263 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 20 October 2023

The Role

We are delighted to advertise this exciting secondment opportunity for an experienced Programme Manager to join Fuse, the Center for Translational Research in Public Health.  Fuse brings together the North East Universities of Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside, with plans to expand into North Cumbria, in a unique collaboration to deliver world-class research to improve health and wellbeing and tackle inequalities.

Working as part of the Fuse leadership team, you will manage a complex programme of Public Health Research including Fuse’s membership of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) School for Public Health Research and the NIHR Public Health Responsive Studies Team (PHIRST Fusion).

You will have excellent organisational skills and attention to detail with a proven ability to support the delivery of complex programmes of research.  You will be people focused, excellent at building relationships with key stakeholders and support a collaborative environment, fostering a culture of trust and mutual respect. You will be a team player and comfortable working with colleagues across different organisations to ensure the Fuse/Fuse SPHR/PHIRST work is carried out efficiently and effectively.

A background in Higher Education or public health research is desirable.  However, we are interested in your transferrable skills, experience in delivering programme management and how you would use these to support the delivery of the Fuse strategy.

The position is available immediately, fixed Term for 12 months in the first instance, it is offered on a full or part-time basis and we would be happy to discuss arrangements for flexible and/or blended working.  Please state your desired working arrangements in your application. To discuss this role further, please contact Laura Ritson via e-mail laura.ritson@newcastle.ac.uk 

About Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health

Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health, brings together the North East Universities of Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside, with plans to expand into North Cumbria, in a unique collaboration to deliver world-class research to improve health and wellbeing and tackle inequalities.

Fuse is a founding member of the NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR), a partnership between nine leading academic centres with excellence in applied public health research and evaluative practice in England.
The School brings together its members’ expertise in a collaborative working relationship – to ensure emphasis on what works practically, can be applied across the whole country and better meets the needs of policy makers, practitioners and the public.

Fuse also leads of one of the NIHR Public Health Intervention Responsive Studies Teams - PHIRST Fusion.  The PHIRST scheme links up academic teams with local authorities to evaluate public health interventions that are already happening in local government across the UK.

Key Accountabilities

• To provide comprehensive professional support to the Fuse Director, the Centre Strategy Board (CSB), the Centre Management Group (CMG), the Research Strategy Group (RSG), associate directors, research cluster leads and members of Fuse/Fuse SPHR/PHIRST Fusion
• Develop and implement administrative support structures for Fuse/Fuse SPHR/NIHR PHIRST to maximise quality, efficiency and continuity of the Centre’s work, and identifying, recommending and implementing improvements
• Constructing agendas and meeting papers for Fuse and PHIRST Advisory boards, Research Strategy and Management group meetings. Reporting on agenda items, advising on appropriate courses of action and ensuring action points are followed up including their own
• To be a member of the Fuse and PHIRST Communications and Public Involvement and Engagement groups to support the progress of these groups, acting as a link between the Fuse/PHIRST leadership team
• Oversee the production of key documents, plans and reports, including performance metrics and ensure that documents are prepared to a high standard and delivered on time
• Ensure ongoing monitoring against programme outputs and outcomes plans
• Ensure that the Fuse research cluster programme activities and PHIRST Fusion evaluations are identified, owned and tracked including overall management of programme reporting
• Ensure a collaborative and focussed approach in the delivery of the programmes of research and their strategic objectives
• Manage complex networks of relations with partners on financial, contractual and personnel issues across several institutions to ensure productive partnerships are maintained and to play a lead role in facilitating collaborations and partnerships. This will require a clear understanding of policies and practices in partner organisations, including Universities, Local Government, VCSE organisations and other NIHR infrastructure which will be required to facilitate collaborative working with these organisations
• Manage programme budgets controlling the expenditure and monitoring the costs against project deliverables liaising internally and externally with relevant teams within the university and Fuse and PHIRST partner universities
• Oversee the management of the programmes of research to appropriate standards, ensuring all documentation is complete and in line with programme and Funder requirements
• Work with the Fuse and PHIRST Communications Manager, Knowledge Exchange Broker and Public Involvement and Engagement Manager to establish and ensure effective communication, involvement and dissemination of research planning and research findings
• Establish and manage regular research events to engage stakeholders and the public in the Centre’s research, disseminate findings and support implementation.  These will include conferences, research meetings, spanning all partners, and other events (e.g. workshops and seminars) geared to the needs of the research programmes and research users
• Promote the work of Fuse/SPHR/PHIRST at a variety of meetings and in publications.  This will involve liaison with university managers and staff at all levels, taking every opportunity to notify others of the work of Fuse/SPHR/PHIRST
• Other duties within the scope and general nature of the grade which may be required

The Person (Essential)

Knowledge, Skills and Experience 

• Proven track record of delivering programme management in a multi-disciplinary research environment
• An understanding of the administrative and organisational requirements of a research centre and its interactions with organisations and key stakeholders
• Demonstrable experience of effective and successful leadership, with a proven track record of leading with clear direction and supporting people to fulfil their potential
• Demonstrable experience of developing operational plans, and associated resource planning;
• Able to demonstrate budgetary capability with appropriate qualifications or experience
• Proven experience of implementing activities and projects requiring novel solutions
• Success in working with, and providing advice to senior colleagues
• Intellectual capacity and strong influencing skills in complex stakeholder environments
• Analytical mind, problem-solving aptitude and demonstrable ability to apply initiative, undertake initiatives, prioritise and plan appropriately
• Understanding of a broad range of disciplines related to professional services including finance, contracting, people services
• Knowledge and understanding of the external environment within which Fuse, Fuse SPHR and PHIRST Fusion operates
• Experience of events management

Attributes and Behaviour

• Able to act objectively in dealing with complex problems, issues and decision making
• Able to manage conflicting priorities
• Creative thinker and effective problem solver
• Engages others and communicates with colleagues effectively, able to persuade and influence
• Demonstrates resilience to the demands of the role and pace of change and is able to manage criticism and challenge
• Works in partnership with others and has exceptional interpersonal and collaboration skills
• Promotes a culture of mutual respect

Qualifications

• Qualified to Degree level and/or with significant relevant programme management and leadership experience

Other information

• The role will require travel within the UK
   

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 Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.

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

Requisition ID: 26158