Research Culture Administrator

Job Purpose

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Research Culture & Researcher Development portfolio within the University's central Research Services Directorate. The Research Culture Administrator will support the Research Culture Team to deliver a comprehensive framework of events, programmes and initiatives that underscore the ambitions of the University's Research Strategy and support our commitment to the University of Glasgow's five Research Culture Priorities that support the University of Glasgow to achieve its ambition of being the best place to develop a career for all members of the research ecosystem.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Be the Research Culture Team's key point of contact for providing appropriate, accurate and sensitive advice and responses to Research Culture queries arising.
2. Coordinate support across the Research Culture projects, events, networks, communities and programmes providing an efficient and positive attendee experience, handling the event management lifecycle (booking and preparing rooms, scheduling, managing attendance, communication of pre and post event information) and problem-solving issues for attendees.
3. Be the Research Culture Team's (and wider Research Culture & Researcher Development portfolio's) key point of contact for financial processes including maintaining accurate and up-to-date spending records, budget management and procurement process such as raising and processing purchase orders, processing of invoices for payment, sundry payee, purchase card holder and new supplier requests.
4. Support the Research Culture Team to accurately track projects, maintain comprehensive and accurate programme data and documentation for example by compiling, analysing, and writing up delivery, attendance, evaluation, and impact data.
5. Assist in the accurate and timely completion of the Research Culture Team's (and wider Research Culture & Researcher Development portfolio's) annual reporting cycle, and ad hoc reporting requests.
6. Liaise with the appropriate departments to ensure that the Research Culture Team (and wider Research Culture & Researcher Development portfolio) remain compliant with university procedures and policies are followed accurately, for example, Procurement and Finance, HR, Timetabling, Data Protection.
7. Liaise with internal and external providers, networks and colleagues, building and maintaining relationships to support the work, visibility and growth of the Research Culture Team.
8. Support the Research Culture Specialists to review initiatives and programmes, identifying provision gaps, liaising with colleagues both internally and externally.
9. Coordinate access to and support for use of UofG and third-party platforms, tools, software, applications, subscriptions and licences required by the Research Culture Team.
10. Engage in professional development activities as appropriate and in line with the UofG Values.
11. Work collaboratively with the different Operations and Administrative colleagues across the Research Services Directorate to share best practice in maintaining an effective administrative service across the Research Services Directorate.
12. Be an effective team player who is cooperative, communicative and gains the trust and support of colleagues and partners through respectful collaboration and building consensus.
13. Perform other duties as requested, consistent with the grade level of the position and agreeing appropriate prioritisation of work with line management or other relevant stakeholders as needed.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills, and ExperienceKnowledge and Qualifications

Essential:

1. A1 SCQF Level 7 (HNC, VQ3, Highers, City & Guilds or equivalent), or ability to demonstrate the competencies required to undertake the duties associated with the level of post, having acquired the necessary knowledge and skills in a similar role.
2. A2 Demonstrable knowledge of the administrative delivery processes and procedures underpinning programme delivery, event management & delivery, and evaluation.
3. A3 Demonstrable knowledge of the administrative requirements for budget management, procurement and financial processes.
4. A4 Operational knowledge of University of Glasgow systems OR equivalent experience with similar systems.
5. A5 Familiarity with digital platforms for communicating with researchers and research professional staff such as website development (such as T4), survey data collection (such as Qualtrics or Mentimeter), communication design platforms (such as Canva or Staffbase), or event management systems (such as Inkpath or Eventbrite).
6. A6 Familiarity with equality, diversity, and inclusion policies, GDPR, health and safety and broader safeguarding approaches and policies.

Desirable:

1. B1 Understanding of the Higher Education landscape of research culture and researcher development.
2. B2 Understanding of the University structure, policies, practices and procedures, and working knowledge the of activities of other areas of the University that relate to supporting researchers and research professional staff.

Skills

Essential:

1. C1 Excellent organisational skills, with a proven ability to plan and prioritise your own workload efficiently and to produce work of a high standard and to regular deadlines.
2. C2 High degree accuracy with excellent attention to detail when handling large volumes of information from multiple sources.
3. C3 Excellent IT skills including Microsoft Office 365 and relevant software skills, the ability to manipulate spreadsheet data using formulae, and confidence in picking up new systems and using them effectively in support of work activities.
4. C4 Ability to work independently, proactively using own initiative and judgement to resolve problems in a calm, creative, pragmatic, and timely way, consulting with senior colleagues as appropriate.
5. C5 Ability to work as part of a team to deliver first-class support to researchers and colleagues across the university, demonstrating the interpersonal skills, tact and diplomacy that builds positive relationships.
6. C6 A high standard of written communication for corresponding with researchers and colleagues across the institution about development opportunities.
7. C7 Ability to respond and adapt to changing priorities and systems, reviewing and improving processes and procedures in response to those priorities.
8. C8 Ability to deal professionally and sensitively with data, working in an ethical and legal manner in accordance with all relevant legislation (including GDPR).

Desirable:

1. D1 Willingness to develop new skills and knowledge and the flexibility to take on new challenges when required.
2. D2 Website maintenance and social media curation.

Experience

Essential:

1. E1 Experience of supporting a framework of provision, including events, training and other innovative deliveries, maintaining awareness of how that content meets strategic drivers.
2. E2 Experience of delivering events management, through the full process from procurement to bookings to catering to on-the-day support to follow up, working systematically to deadlines, with attention to detail.
3. E3 Experience of administrating a budget, including procurement and payments, through IT systems.
4. E4 Experience using a range of software systems and proven experience of having upskilled in new systems and developed effective new processes.
5. E5 Experience of building working relationships with colleagues, stakeholders, and key contacts, both internal and external to the immediate team or organisation.
6. E6 Experience of communications in a customer focused environment for example by maintaining a team inbox, creating newsletters, maintaining static digital information such as webpages, responding appropriately to queries, and working with a wide variety of colleagues and key contacts, both internal and external to the immediate team or organisation.
7. E7 Experience of careful and timely file-management, record-keeping, analysing data from records, extracting reports, diary/space management, and resolving related problems.
8. E8 Proven experience of independent problem solving, decision making, planning, organising and setting priorities.

Desirable:

1. F1 Significant administrative experience demonstrating the ability to drive change to improve both systems and processes in place.
2. F2 Experience of analysing data and producing pivot tables, graphs and charts in Excel.
3. F3 Experience of financial administration within a university environment.
4. F4 Experience of using Agresso or similar financial management tool.
5. F5 Experience of university accounting processes.

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 5, £25,138 - £29,605 per annum. This post is full time (35 hours p/w) and open ended. As part of Team UofG you will be a member of a world changing, inclusive community, which values ambition, excellence, integrity and curiosity. As a valued member of our team, you can expect:

1. A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.
2. A flexible approach to working.

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