Grant Operations Manager, Systems & Data

EDUCATION/QUALIFICATIONS/KNOWLEDGE

Educated to degree standard or equivalent

Essential

A good understanding of academic and/or research activities in science

Essential

A good understanding of procedures and best practice in research funding

Desirable

Science degree

Desirable

SKILLS

Skilled team worker

Knowledge of database management and relevant programming languages (e.g. SQL or Python)

Experience with business intelligence/data visualisation tools (e.g. PowerBI)

Essential

Desirable

Essential

Excellent communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills

Essential

Excellent organisational skills

Essential

Good IT and presentation skills

Essential

Excellent influencing and negotiation skills

Essential

EXPERIENCE

Proven experience in a similar role

Desirable

Experience of funding research

Desirable

Experience of working across teams and departments

Essential

Experience of managing meetings with external participants in senior positions

Essential

Self-management

·       Works unsupervised and can motivate self

·       Produces results under pressure

·       Can manage in stressful situations

·       Pushes for the best results for self and team

·       Pursues and encourages feedback that may reveal an error in judgment or process and then makes appropriate adjustments

·       Recognises own personal biases or limitations, and uses this understanding to improve decisions and plans for action

·       Seeks out mentors and other development resources to gain additional self-awareness and personal development

·       Reflects on negative situations with maturity and seeks to understand own contribution to the situation

·       Holds things together and acts as a settling influence

Willing to continue learning within chosen field, training and developing towards the next level in both formal and informal ways

·      Works within the Royal Society Values at all times

Working with others

·       Contributes ideas and identifies opportunities to work with others both within the team and across the organisation

·       Willing to provide and receive feedback to and from sectional colleagues when requested

·       Produces succinct presentations and papers for senior colleagues

·       Understands when to seek senior advice on potentially delicate negotiations

·       Reaches a variety of audiences using an appropriate mix of communication methods and tailored messages to appeal to their unique needs

·       Creates an environment of transparency while respecting confidentiality requirements

·       Builds consensus for delivering team goals. Frequently interacts with peers, on cross-functional matters.

Resource management

·        Makes the best of internal/external resources and coordinates well with external partners to best meet the needs of the Society

·        Builds contingency into projects taking into account possible outside factors

·        Sets and monitors performance against quality and results orientated targets.

·        Focuses on both short and long-term goals

·        Creates novel solutions to problems

·        Creates a detailed design or plan to implement a new solution or approach

·        Evaluates new technology as potential solutions to existing issues. Adjusts course as new information comes to light

Executes quickly and decisively in a time-sensitive situation

·      Takes accountability to persist until opportunity is realised or problem solved

Critical thinking

·       Determines and clarifies the requirements of any situation

·       Checks information for accuracy and raises concerns if information is inaccurate

·       Extracts the key points succinctly, clearly and accurately

·       Puts forward suggestions for improvement concerning current processes or systems

·       Tries different ways of doing things to get the best results

·       Compares and evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of a variety of options

·       Formulates an opinion by considering opposing views and suggestions

·      Runs trials and models or applies statistical analysis and stress testing to confirm or disconfirm proposal

Adaptability

·       Overcomes obstacles and is not deterred by setbacks; checks assumptions and first principles and works out alternative approaches

·       Reacts proactively to new challenges and works in a flexible manner to produce solutions

·       Provides feedback and participates in discussions surrounding new ideas approaches or projects

·       Maintains focus and continues to deliver when things are not straightforward

·       Adjusts to act differently depending on the situation

·       Takes steps to understand basic risk management and importance of identifying and maintaining controls

·       Leads team and helps them to understand and cope with ambiguous situations

Managing people and relationships

·       Delegates effectively, setting clear expectations and authority

·       Monitors results and feedback to team on a regular basis

·       Recognises others’ contributions and acknowledges their limits

·       Helps others to identify ways to improve their performance

·       Prioritises supervisory responsibilities and carries them out in a timely fashion

·       Understands and can identify client/stakeholder/staff needs and looks for opportunities to improve their experiences

·       Demonstrates trust in others’ ability to accomplish tasks at acceptable levels of performance

·       Provides current, direct, complete and actionable positive and constructive feedback

·       Has a mind-set of sharing own and others’ expertise

·       Creates an environment of transparency while respecting confidentiality requirements

·       Focuses on surfacing underlying customer issues/concerns and identifying root causes

·      Increases exposure to and personal relationships with others