Panel Manager – Training and Careers

Job Title: Panel Manager – Training and Careers

Salary: £31,931

Grade: UKRI – D

Location: Swindon 

Hours: Full-Time 

Contract type: Open Ended

Closing Date: 7th November 2021

Purpose

You will contribute to the MRC mission as a funder improving human health through world class medical research, by helping to deliver MRC funding through research grants. You will work closely with other administrative support colleagues as well as wider team members in a supportive and collaborative environment to contribute to team objectives, where development and continuous improvement is encouraged and supported. The successful candidate will provide administrative support to MRC’s Boards and Panels team which delivers the peer review, funding and management of the MRC’s research. 

Specific tasks include:

• Responsibility for the end-to-end grant awarding process including oversight of the peer review process, funding meetings and post meeting activities
• Line Management of a small team (2-3) with responsibility for attendance and performance management, supporting career development and training, completing yearly appraisals.
• Working within the cross Board and Panel resourcing matrix, manage strategic funding calls and task manage a small funding call team
• Collaborate with peers to deliver a flexible approach to resource management across all MRC funding schemes.
• Ensure the team is operating in a consistent and effective manner supporting continuous process improvement
• Manage the Board/Panel’s peer review funding budget, working with senior MRC staff and Finance teams.
• Support the monitoring and evaluation of the Board/Panel’s portfolio of MRC funded research by undertaking coding and classification for relevant
• Boards/Panels/schemes
• Respond to enquiries from the research community and communicate MRC funding policies, taking decisions on exceptions.
• Ensure consistency of funding process, guidance and training, monitoring and reporting.

Close working relationships will be required with:

• Applicants for MRC funding
• Peer reviewers and those who select peer reviewers
• Board and Panel members
• MRC staff, including:
• Board and Panel Management team
• Research Funding and Policy Delivery team
• Events and Committees Team
• Head of Theme and Programme Managers within the Board/Panel teams
• Information and Analysis team
• UKRI staff

You will have:

Essential

• Education to a degree level or experience working within a research organisation or research administration environment
• An understanding of peer review in research funding
• Experience of planning projects, often leading/managing others to deliver activities, following agreed processes, within timescales
• Experience of effective working with many stakeholders inside and outside your organisation
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including experience in drafting correspondence, papers/briefings and minute taking
• Excellent interpersonal and collaborative skills with evidence of effective teamwork
• A proven ability to work with ambiguity and change, sometimes managing difficult situations by utilising excellent problem solving skills
• Self-motivation and be proactive in using initiative to deliver results
• Good analytical skills
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office – including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel.
• Literacy and numerical skills – e.g. GCSE Maths and English or equivalent

Desirable

• Degree in a science related subject
• Line management experience
• Knowledge of UKRI and grant processing
• Knowledge of Siebel, Oracle, Zoom and Microsoft Teams

About the Medical Research Council (MRC) 

Within UKRI, the MRC seeks to improve human health through world-class research. With an annual budget of over £800 m, MRC provides support both to individuals, through fellowships and grants, and to institutions, such as the MRC Laboratory for Molecular Biology and the Francis Crick Institute. The outcomes of our research span discovery science, improvements in public health and the development of new treatments for common diseases. 

For more information about MRC, please visit https://mrc.ukri.org 

About UK Research Innovation (UKRI) 

UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation. 

Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation. 

More information can be found at www.ukri.org. 

How we support EDI in the workforce 

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit ‘How we support EDI in the workforce’. 

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation. 

How to apply 

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application. 

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us. 

Additional Information

• Organisation: Medical Research Council (MRC)
• Contract Type: Open Ended
• External Closing Date: Nov 7, 2021
• Minimum Salary: Pound Sterling (GBP) 31,931
• Hours: Full-time