Research Support Officer

Key Duties
- Provide detailed advice and guidance on research grant and research ethics processes and procedures to internal and external customers, using judgement and creativity to suggest the most appropriate course of action where appropriate, contributing to the resolution of more complex issues.
- Develop detailed knowledge of University procedures in relation to research funding, research support and the Research Excellence Framework.
- Provide advice on the awarded terms and conditions of research grant budgets. Provide data on research grants using excel and both finance and reporting systems, for inclusion in a variety of management information reports.
- Advise grant holders on financial aspects of research grant awards, liaising closely with the central departments of the University.
- Support the Research Officer to review research expenditure against previously defined budgets and support production of accurate financial reports to budget holders.
- Investigate and disseminate information about appropriate research funding opportunities, conferences and other research events.
- Provide support to research assessment exercises such as the Research Excellence Framework and act as the School’s administrative contact as required.
- To support the Research Officer in providing administrative support to the Directors of Research, the School Research Committees, setting the agenda, preparing papers, servicing meetings and following up on action points.
- Take responsibility for research visitors to the School, processing initial visitor requests and co
- ordinating all arrangements for the visit.
- Maintain up to date records of staff publications, staff profile information, and ensuring open access policies are adhered to.
- Provide support, as required to the organisation of research seminars, conferences and other research events within the School.
- Collaborate with others in order to make recommendations for developments of established processes and procedures.
- Establish working relationships with key contacts to help improve service levels, developing appropriate communication links with the University’s Schools/Directorates and outside bodies as required.
- Undertake a variety of administrative duties to support the team and department.
- Gather and analyse data to inform decisions, establishing basic trends and patterns in data and creating reports as appropriate.
- Instruct and guide other employees across the University within research administration at both pre and post award stage.

**Person Specification**

**Essential Criteria**

**Qualifications and Education**
1. NVQ 3/A-Levels or equivalent.**Knowledge, Skills and Experience**
2. Substantial experience of working in an administrative role.
- 3. Specialist knowledge of research administration.
- 4. IT literate with excellent MS Excel, Outlook, Teams and Word skills and the ability to set up standard office systems and procedures and make improvements as appropriate.**Customer Service, Communication and Team Working**
5. Ability to communicate specialist and complex information effectively and professionally to a range of customers with varying levels of understanding.
- 6. Proven ability to advise and influence key stakeholders, managing a wide range of questions and issues sensitively and proactively.
- 7. Evidence of ability to explore customers’ needs and adapt the service accordingly to ensure a quality service is delivered.**Planning, Analysis and Problem solving**
8. Evidence of ability to solve problems using initiative and creativity; identify and propose practical solutions and to resolve problems where there are a range of potential options available.
- 9. Evidence of ability to analyse processes and procedures, and advise on improvements, taking action within own area of responsibility.
- 10. Evidence of ability to work unsupervised to deadlines, planning and setting priorities for own work.**Desirable Criteria**

1. Specialist knowledge of research grant administration at pre and post award stage.
- 2. Degree or an equivalent qualification or equivalent work-related experience.
- 3. Experience of working in a Higher Education environment.
- 4. Excellent working knowledge of financial processes and procedures with experience of working with financial software packages such as Oracle.
- 5. Experience of using business intelligence systems such as Business Objects.
- 6. Experience of using social media such as Facebook and Twitter.
- 7. Fluency in Welsh, written and oral.

**Additional Information**

**Job Description Continued**

**General Duties**
- As part of a team, deliver frontline services to students and staff, answering a wide range of queries, resolving issues and making referrals where needed.
- Establish working relationships with key contacts to help improve service levels, developing appropriate communication links with the University’s Schools/Directorates and outside bodies as required.
- Ensure that