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View Vacancy -- Head of Research Funding (maternity cover) - NC3Rs 1676
Science-led and evidence-based, the NC3Rs is the UK’s national organisation for the 3Rs, established in 2004 to accelerate the development and uptake of new models and tools that replace, reduce or refine the use of animal in research and testing. We have shown that science and technology focused on minimising animal use or improving animal welfare, can deliver benefits to human health, protection of the environment and business opportunities.
The NC3Rs is primarily funded by Government and has an annual budget of approximately £10 million. Its activities are divided between its role as the UK’s major 3Rs research funder and programmes led by its own team of scientists. Further information can be found at www.nc3rs.org.uk.
We provide a range of funding mechanisms to support 3Rs method, technology and career development. The awards we make deliver 3Rs benefits, as well as advancing the scientific field across a breadth of subjects such as improving the understanding of human diseases, developing efficacious and safe medicines, and protecting the environment. We are the main funder of 3Rs research in the UK, with over £66 million committed through our funding schemes, since the Centre’s establishment in 2004. Further information on the awards we have made to-date can be found at https://www.nc3rs.org.uk/our-science.
The role of the Head of Research Funding is responsible for overseeing progress against the Centre’s mission to replace, refine and reduce the use of animals in research through response mode funding schemes. Building strong relationships both internally and externally is an integral part of this role.
The post holder is responsible for overseeing the strategy and delivery of the Centre’s response mode funding schemes. The role involves working collaboratively with the Head of Innovation to maximise both programmes’ strategies and outputs to best deliver the NC3Rs mission. It also involves developing collaborative relationships with other funders (e.g. to seek co-funding opportunities), overseeing grant holder interactions and relationship building, and ensuring the outputs of response mode funding are proficiently captured, analysed and reported.
The main elements of this role are:
- Leading the delivery of the response mode funding schemes and their evolution as part of the Centre’s strategy.
- Advising the Chief Executive and the Board on key issues to inform corporate decision-making and organisational direction to ensure the research funded by the NC3Rs has maximum impact.
- Managing the schemes’ peer review process – ensuring that decision making is fair, defensible and properly documented and that conflicts of interest are avoided, in addition to overseeing the evolution of applicant guidance and workshops, and the provision of feedback to applicants.
- Ensuring Panel membership includes appropriate expertise via the annual Panel member recruitment exercise.
- Overseeing the Centre’s research portfolio including grant outputs and outcomes. Leading the compilation of evaluation reports, case studies and scheme reviews to monitor scheme performance and identify major trends and opportunities.
- Leading Grant holder interactions related to the NC3Rs Gateway in collaboration with the Experimental Design Team.
- Working with the NC3Rs Communications team and the NC3Rs Regional and Funding Programme Managers to ensure response mode schemes and their outputs are effectively promoted.
- Developing and maintaining good relationships with funding partners and identifying and maximising opportunities to work on areas of mutual strategic importance to build capacity in the 3Rs.
- Representing the NC3Rs in a variety of collaborations and networks.
- Contributing to other activities where appropriate.
Education and qualifications
- PhD (relevant to the work of the NC3Rs)
Previous work experience
- Significant experience working in research management
- Substantial post-doctoral experience is desirable
- Developing strategies for delivering major objectives in a multi-stakeholder environment
- Negotiating solutions in conflicting and politically sensitive environments
- Ability to manage and lead a team
- Experience of running high quality peer review
- Proven experience of representing an organisation at a senior level and influencing favourable outcomes
- Experience of managing high performing partnerships
Knowledge and experience
- Familiar with UK medical or biological research in Universities
- Ability to engage in scientific issues, with credibility at all levels
- Ability to manage and develop highly qualified professionals; ability to empower others to take responsibility for delivery of business objectives
- Ability to think and plan strategically in research, relating long-range goals to short-term action
- Strong organisational planning skills
- The ability to handle, analyse and present complex information (scientific, financial, policy, ethical)
- The ability to work under pressure and deliver targets to tight deadlines
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, able to tailor style to a range of scientific, executive and lay audiences.
- Persuasive and credible in winning support for NC3Rs’ agenda.
Personal skills, behaviours and qualities
- A solid understanding of the use of animals in research and a commitment to the 3Rs
- Comfortable and confident in working in a changing environment
- Strategic and pragmatic thinker
- A strong leader who empowers others
This role will be a part of the Science and Technology group and will include line management responsibility. Salary will be in the range of £52,877 - £65,348 per annum (plus London allowances) depending on skills and experience.
The successful candidate will be subject to security checks.
The NC3Rs offices are based in London. This role will be required to attend the offices in London and also to travel to attend meetings within the UK. The NC3Rs is a hybrid working employer, with staff working flexibly from home and other locations when and if necessary. The post holder may need to work early and/or late around key meetings and events.
The closing date for applications is 5 November 2021.
Please ensure you include a copy of your CV and a covering letter. Your cover letter should outline and explain how you meet the criteria listed in the person specification for this position.
Interviews are due to take in November.
Choosing to come to work at the NC3Rs (part of UKRI) means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme and excellent holiday entitlement to access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme, as well as the chance to put the NC3Rs and UKRI on your CV in the future.
Our success is dependent upon our ability to embrace diversity and draw on the skills, understanding and experience of all our people. We welcome applications from all sections of the community irrespective of gender, race, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, disability or age. As"Disability Confident" employers, we guarantee to interview all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.
UKRI supports research in areas that include animal health, agriculture and food security, and bioscience for health which includes research on animals, genetic modification and stem cell research. Whilst you may not have direct involvement in this type of research, you should consider whether this conflicts with your personal values or beliefs.
We will conduct a full and comprehensive pre-employment check as an essential part of the recruitment process on all individuals that are offered a position with UKRI. This will include a security check and an extreme organisations affiliation check. The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.
This opportunity is closed to applications.