Research Performance and Data Officer

Position Details

Research Strategy and Services

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822

Grade: 7

Full Time, Permanent

Closing date: 12 January 2025

Our offer to you

People are at the heart of what we are and do.

The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.

We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.

Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham

Background

The University of Birmingham

The University of Birmingham is a global institution working within a diverse and vibrant City, offering an inspiring education to our students, and undertaking critically important research. We are a place of open, critical thinking, and the creation, sharing and dissemination of knowledge. As part of our professional services team, you'll provide outstanding support to our researchers and help the University to grow its influence regionally, nationally, and globally. We ensure the University's resources are used wisely, manage and improve the infrastructure which sits at the heart of the institution, and support decisions to be made quickly and based on sound evidence. Our Birmingham Professional programme operates across the University, supporting colleagues to network and collaborate, offering opportunities to learn and develop, contributing to the delivery of the University's objectives, and helping everyone to understand the broader context within which we work.

Research Strategy & Services Division

The Research Strategy & Services Division (RSSD) was established to provide a cohesive, expert and agile research support ecosystem for the University of Birmingham. Since 2022, the Division has evolved into a vibrant, high-performing community that supports all aspects of research, innovation and business engagement across the institution.

The Research Performance & Systems Innovation team is newly formed and plays a critical role in developing an integrated, insight-driven approach to research performance, REF planning, research systems oversight, and data governance. The team supports the PVC-Research, Director of RSSD, REF Board and senior academic leaders through high-quality analysis, systems support, and coordinated planning. .

Role Summary

The Research Performance & Data Officer will provide high-quality data reporting, analysis, and operational support across key areas of institutional research performance. Working closely with colleagues in the Research Performance & Systems Innovation team, they will support statutory and internal research income reporting, REF 2029 data and modelling, and a range of research performance activities across the University.

The postholder will deliver accurate and timely data analysis, respond to data queries, prepare reports and dashboards, support training and guidance for colleagues, and contribute to the continuous improvement of research data processes. Although the role does not involve line management, the postholder will lead defined projects and workstreams, coordinating activity across RSSD and wider Professional Services.

This role is an excellent opportunity for an analytically-minded professional who enjoys working with complex datasets, supporting institutional reporting, and playing a key role in improving the quality, reliability and use of research information.

Main duties

Research Income Reporting

• Produce accurate and timely data reporting and analysis to support the University's statutory research income submissions (including OFS and HEBCI).
• Support quarterly internal research income reporting, working closely with Research Finance, Planning and College Research Offices.
• Prepare data for internal and external audits, ensuring completeness, traceability and compliance with audit requirements.
• Contribute to process improvements to enhance the quality and consistency of income-related data.

REF 2029 Data and Analysis

• Provide research performance data and analysis to support the University's People, Environment and Culture elements of the REF 2029 submission.
• Produce output data reporting using Pure to support College Directors of Research, Unit of Assessment Leads and Output Leads.
• Generate datasets and analysis to support institutional REF modelling, including reports and dashboards used by the REF Board and the Senior Research Leadership Team.
• Maintain robust documentation and quality assurance processes for REF-related data.

Support to Research Performance & Systems Innovation Activities

• Prepare ad hoc data queries and bespoke analysis to support colleagues across RSSD, the Colleges, and senior academic leaders.
• Support the development and delivery of training, guidance, and virtual sessions for academic and Professional Services colleagues on research data, Pure reporting and related processes.
• Support administration and data preparation for the annual institutional Researchfish submission
• Contribute to the development of consistent and efficient data procedures, including documentation, data quality checks, and feedback mechanisms.

Project Support and Continuous Improvement

• Work collaboratively with the Research Systems & Data Manager and Research Data & Reporting Manager to identify opportunities for improving data flows, enhancing reporting and simplifying processes.
• Assist in testing new or updated reporting tools or system enhancements (e.g., Pure, Worktribe), providing feedback and supporting implementation.
• Contribute to the development of standard operating procedures for research performance data and reporting.

Relationships, Communication and Stakeholder Engagement

• Develop effective working relationships across RSSD, College Research Offices, Planning, Finance and IT Services.
• Present data, findings and analysis clearly and accessibly to non-specialist audiences.
• Respond professionally and helpfully to data queries from colleagues, ensuring a high-quality customer service approach.
• Represent the Research Performance & Systems Innovation team in relevant working groups and meetings when required.

Person Specification

• Educated to degree level (or equivalent) OR substantial relevant experience in a data-focused role.
• Advanced Excel skills, including experience of managing and analysing complex datasets.
• Ability to interpret, analyse and present quantitative and qualitative data clearly for a range of audiences.
• Strong organisational and planning skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities.
• Experience of working with research-related systems or datasets (e.g. Pure, research income, REF, or similar).
• Excellent attention to detail and a commitment to data quality and accuracy.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively and build effective working relationships.
• Experience of solving problems using judgement, initiative and analytical reasoning.
• Ability to lead defined projects or pieces of work, coordinating contributions from different colleagues.

Desirable

• Experience of using Pure, WorkTribe, or other research information systems
• Experience with data visualisation tools (e.g. Power BI)
• Knowledge of the UK research funding landscape and associated reporting requirements
• Understanding of REF processes and data requirements

Role context

Roles at this level require a strong understanding of administrative or specialist operations, involving the use of judgement to interpret information, solve problems and recommend improvements. Postholders at Grade 7 plan and deliver services, lead defined projects, and work collaboratively across multiple teams, contributing to the development of processes and systems in their specialist area.

The postholder will liaise with a wide range of colleagues and will often work under time pressure to deliver accurate and reliable data to inform decision-making.

Core competencies/transferable skills

Planning and organising

• Plan and deliver services and projects within agreed deadlines and standards.
• Contribute to the development of service improvements and data standards.
• Provide advice, training and guidance to colleagues on systems and data processes.

Problem solving and decision making

• Identify data issues and propose solutions to improve accuracy and efficiency.
• Apply specialist judgement to interpret data and recommend appropriate actions.
• Respond effectively to changing priorities, unexpected problems or incomplete datasets.

Organisational understanding

• Understand how the University's research systems and processes interrelate across RSSD, Colleges and central Professional Services.
• Demonstrate a developing understanding of research strategy, REF requirements and institutional reporting processes.

Relationships and communication

• Communicate complex data clearly to non-specialist colleagues.
• Build strong working relationships with internal stakeholders.
  Support collaborative problem-solving across teams and functions.

Informal enquiries to Conor McKenna, email:

Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website .