Description:
We are seeking a motivated, organised individual to become a Research Grant Administrator to join our busy Operations Team. Experience of working in an administrative, process driven or project delivery environment is essential. Knowledge and/or experience of grant administration and/or working in health or research-related environments would be beneficial but not essential.
1. Working with colleagues to organise grant funding schemes, including:
- Supporting the project management of individual funding competitions (to commission new research), including reporting in progress meetings, using an in-house tool to track progress and keeping stakeholders updated
- Acting as a key contact point for external enquiries about funding schemes
- Communicating with stakeholders involved in funding schemes including applicants, independent expert reviewers and funding committee members, and GMG colleagues
- Preparing competition information for website publication
- Working with the Systems team to set up and test each new competition on the research management system (RMS)
- Carrying out simple checks on research proposals received, and that they are not duplicating funded research
- Managing large amounts of data associated with applications received, including populating the RMS, creating reports and completing templates
- Sourcing and inviting large numbers of independent expert reviewers to undertake peer review of research funding proposals, and ensuring their input is received within deadlines
- Managing applicant responses to reviewer comments
- Producing funding committee meeting papers and related document
- Supporting virtual and in-person funding committee meetings on the day, for example by running presentation slides, managing conflicts of interest of attendees and recording scores
- Providing practice Zoom sessions for some attendees
- Preparing and dispatching outcome letters to applicants and managing follow-up queries
2. Support monitoring and management of awards made including:
- Populating contract templates for new awards and overseeing the electronic signing process
- Collecting progress reports from award holders
3. Maintain electronic records with accurate information on competitions, applications and awards
4. Support annual award data collection exercises, that enable our funders to understand and demonstrate the impact of the research they have funded
5. Operate as a flexible resource within the Operations team, e.g. providing support to projects and performing data analysis
6. Occasionally travel to attend face-to-face committee meetings
Qualifications
Essential Criteria
- Educated to a minimum of A Level standard or equivalent
- A minimum of 12 months’ administrative experience, ideally within a structured, deadline driven environment
- Strong IT skills, with proven experience using Microsoft Office and/or Google Workspace applications (including Gmail, Sheets, Docs, and Calendar) and the ability to learn bespoke research management systems
- Experience of working with accurate data handling, record keeping, and documentation, maintaining high standards of confidentiality and governance
Desirable Criteria
Key Skills and Competencies
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- An interest in health and social care research and the impact of research on patient outcomes and public health
- A background or previous experience in healthcare, health sciences, research administration, or a related field
- Exceptional attention to detail, with the ability to manage and maintain accurate records across large volumes of complex information, in line with NIHR governance and audit requirements
- Strong information management skills, including the ability to systematically gather, validate, and collate information from multiple sources (e.g. applicants, reviewers, committees, and internal systems)
- Excellent organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritise workloads, manage competing demands, and meet strict deadlines. Research Grants Administrators typically support multiple funding competitions simultaneously, often with overlapping and competing timescales
- Proactive and solution-focused, demonstrating initiative in identifying issues, anticipating risks, and proposing practical improvements to processes and systems
- A strong delivery mindset, with determination to see tasks through to completion and a commitment to continuous improvement and best practice
- Willingness and enthusiasm to learn, including the ability to quickly adapt to new systems, funding processes, and NIHR policies and procedures
- Excellent team-working skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary teams and contribute positively to shared objectives
- Strong verbal communication skills, able to communicate clearly, confidently, and professionally with a range of stakeholders, including researchers, clinicians, committee members, and NIHR colleagues
- Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise, and accurate correspondence, guidance, and documentation