Grants Officer

This role is based at Alderley Park, with the flexibility to work remotely for part of the working week.

Based at Alderley Park, Medicines Discovery Catapult is a national facility connecting the UK community to accelerate innovative drug discovery. We provide unique scientific capabilities and act as a gateway to UK resources and expertise, supporting UK SMEs to drive the development and industrialisation of new approaches for the discovery of new medicines.

By validating new ways of discovering medicines and driving key talent and expertise across the sector, we will support the UK life sciences industry, SMEs and innovators to deliver growth for the UK economy and maintain the UK’s heritage position as a global leader in medicines R&D. Ultimately, new industrialised technologies are vital for delivering new medicines to patients, faster.

We are looking for the very best people to join the Medicines Discovery Catapult team in driving the UK to the forefront of commercial success for medicines discovery, committing to place the patient at the beginning of discovery and helping the sector move faster to the patient.

The values of the Catapult are:

- Excellence - we continually strive to deliver the best solutions for our partners and for each other. In everything we do, we instil confidence.
- Integrity - Our strong commitment to what we do and why we are here drives us to do the right thing for our partners and each other.
- Community - We’re a strong team, we work well together, and we respect each other.
- Innovation - We’re driven by the need to make a difference. We constantly look for ways to drive change in our sector and how we work.

**Role purpose**

As part of the Commercial Services team, your role will be to support the Research Funding and IP Lead in identifying relevant grant funding as well as charitable and commercial opportunities. Your experience in coordinating and writing collaborative bids will be invaluable in enabling high-impact innovative R&D projects to be undertaken. Creativity and flexibility are essential, as well as being a self-starter with fantastic communication skills.

**Main duties and responsibilities**
- Support the MDC’s scientific, technical and syndicate teams by scoping opportunities and undertaking the high-quality generation and submission of Research and Development (R&D) proposals designed to lead to funded projects.
- Coordinate/write an agreed number of proposals per year as lead bid manager.
- Provide help to other colleagues in the Commercial and Discovery departments with e.g. concept generation workshops.
- Support colleagues from across the MDC in pursuing large project-specific and strategic funding bids.
- Lead the negotiation of their successful proposals through the contracting stage with the funder. May be required to work on non-grant proposals e.g. strategy documents, R&D loans, Tenders etc.), IP evaluations and exploitation plans.

**Essential qualifications, experience and knowledge**
- Strong self-starter, and completer/finisher.
- Experience in working with publicly funded R&D models, such as H2020/Horizon Europe/EIC, Innovate UK and RCUK, especially relating to the creation of proposals and contract negotiation.
- Excellent communicator: orally and in writing, internally and externally, ensuring consistency, clarity and demonstration of a full understanding of the project in discussion.
- Minimum of Honours Degree in a life sciences discipline.

**Desirable qualifications, experience and knowledge**
- Experience in charity and/or philanthropic fundraising.
- Experience using Oxford or APA style guides.

**Closing date**

Friday 9th June 2023