Research Relationship Analyst

About Arup University

Arup University sits at the heart of our firm and is dedicated to expanding our knowledge, strengthening our collective capabilities, and accelerating our progress towards a sustainable future. Established in 2009, Arup University is home to the firm's strategic foresight capability, applied research and innovation programmes, as well as our communities of experts working to develop our skills and capability to better meet the needs of our clients and drive continuous innovation across the firm.

Arup University works to raise standards across our industry, on issues spanning health and safety, technical advancements, sustainability, and social value. We believe in a better future for all, and we are committed to achieving it. Our pursuit of excellence keeps Arup at the forefront of our industry and helps us to challenge the status quo.

Every member of Arup has the freedom to do research, pursue new ideas and harness our collective imagination. This includes developing specific solutions for our clients, the generation of new knowledge, and the exploration of longer-term trends and drivers. Each year, we invest in research in partnership with others to push the boundaries of our industry and to develop solutions to some of the world's most complex problems. Research drives our culture of innovation and curiosity across regions and markets.

Is This Role Right for You?

In this role, you will be responsible for monitoring, coordinating and enabling Arup external research relationships. You will support and provide insights on existing relationships and input to horizon scanning exercises to identify future collaborators. You will monitor and support research projects and teams throughout their lifecycle, from initiation of relationships and management of agreements with external collaborators to closeout and beyond. Additionally, you will be tasked with designing and maintaining data capture and reporting requirements to give both internal and external visibility of Arup research relationships and identifying opportunities to improve and automate processes. You will collaborate with internal stakeholders to implement these improvements. The research programme is substantial in scale, encompassing approximately 200 projects each year and involving close to 200 external collaborators globally.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to development of a research relationships strategy aligned with Arup's purpose and strategic priorities.
• Capture, assess and evaluate past and ongoing research relationships in Arup's research portfolio.
• Manage horizon scanning exercises to identify potential collaborators, aligned to Arup Global Research Challenges and priority research themes.
• Monitor and report regularly on external collaborative research funding globally and other related opportunities.
• Collaborate to produce shared resources, training and communications to support researchers, including guidance on preferred modes and mechanisms for effective collaboration.
• Work closely with other Arup teams to guide a consistent and coherent approach to creation and management of research contractual relationships.

Skills and experience

• Strong administration, organisation, analytical and coordination skills.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills to establish productive working relationships with stakeholders at all levels of seniority.
• Experience in using CRM or other software tools for relationship tracking.
• Experience in providing advice, training, and practical support to researchers, preferably in relation to initiation and management of collaborations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to translate complex data and insights into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (or equivalent experience); postgraduate qualification desirable.