Funding Operations Manager

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Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)

BBSRC Funding Operations Manager

Salary : £34,905
Hours : Full Time
Contract Type: Open Ended
Location : Polaris House, Swindon
Grade: UKRI Band D
Closing Date: 13 Oct 24

About us

The Funding Operations team provide award management services for BBSRC's strategic institutes and for retained aspects of BBSRC research grants, fellowships and studentships funding administration .

BBSRC provides a range of funding mechanisms to enable individuals, groups and organisations to pursue world-class bioscience research and innovation. The Funding Operations Team are responsible for a broad remit covering financial planning, retained grant maintenance, stakeholder engagement and funding administration for the BBSRC strategically funded Institutes. Alongside the Funding Solutions Team, who deliver technical product development, deployment and support of systems and processes required for all aspects of research funding delivery, Funding Operations and Solutions sits within the Operations and Resourcing Group in BBSRC, headed by the Chief Operating Officer, Bill Poll.

Purpose

This is an excellent opportunity for you to join a dynamic team to deliver funding management and policy operations supporting the very best biotechnology and biological sciences research in the world.

As part of a small Funding Operations team of three, you will report to the Senior Funding Operations Manager and will line manage a Senior Administrator.

You will assist in delivering outstanding support to all retained grant and award processes, and Institute funding delivery, covering business as usual activities as well as internal stand-alone projects and wider cross-council programmes. You will support and develop the Senior Administrator, ensuring objectives are met in a controlled and measured way whilst focusing on personal development, identifying and promoting development opportunities and stretch objectives when they arise. You will provide advice and guidance on funding policy, financial forecasting and budget management to all levels of the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Responsible for reviewing weekly provisional pay run figures that are required by BBSRC Finance Business Partner Financial Planning & Analysis colleagues to enable accurate budget forecasts and cash flow. This includes monitoring grant extensions, grant sanctions and suspensions.
• Responsible for managing all invoices to be issued for all co-funders, on a quarterly basis. Monitor on a monthly basis income received and review any subsequent issues that may arise.
• Responsible for all retained aspects required to create new Additional Funding Streams (AFSs), ensuring that the correct funding is awarded and that documentation reflects a true and accurate record in order that they can be authorised.
• Assist and deputise for the Senior Manager on administrative delivery of services to the BBSRC Institutes and assist with the maintenance and further development of the new BBSRC Institute SharePoint portal.
• Responsible for receipting the Institute Grant payments purchase orders when required and update the database on the Budget Information Portal to reflect invoices received and paid.
• Responsible for authorisation of all new Training Grants, ensuring that they reflect a true and accurate record. Amending the offer document when required and ensuring that specific grant conditions are correctly documented on the offer document.
• Assist and deputise when required, the Senior Manager with the development of Funding Operations working strategies for TFS, including updating policies and procedures.
• Represent Funding, Operations & Solutions at "Call Surgeries" providing advice and support to BBSRC delivery colleagues on areas such as specific conditions of award, appropriate mechanisms for funding, and co-funding with other sponsors.
• Become a subject matter expert, giving guidance/advice on BBSRC research grant policy and UKRI harmonised grant terms and conditions.
• Assist and deputise when required for signing off "all non-standard" T&C's that are not within the UKRI harmonised grant terms and conditions at Call Level. Also, maintaining the non-standard grant condition document library.
• Assist and deputise when required, the Senior Manager for giving guidance on all BBSRC Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) and funding agreements, ensuring that they meet the needs of BBSRC.
• Direct line management responsibility for 1 Band C post; ensuring that training and personal development is promoted.
• Support the BAND C in overseeing the management of all BBSRC retained grant maintenance activities, to comply with UKRI Grants Team Service Level Agreements (SLAs), ensuring that processes within Funding, Operations & Solutions are streamlined, effective and efficient.
• Deputise for the Senior Manager - Funding, Operations & Solutions as and when required.

Person Specification

(S) - Shortlisting & (I) Interview

Essential:

• GCSE or above in Maths and English or relevant experience (S)
• Strong numeracy and analytical skills with the ability to interpret and present financial information (S)
• Excellent team working and collaboration skills (S&I)
• Ability to work flexibly on own initiative and to operate independently to resolve complex problems using appropriate evidence, as well as ability to contribute well to team working. (S&I)
• Develops positive working relationships with both internal and external stakeholders. (S&I)
• Self-motivated with the ability to plan and prioritise own work and work of others, ensuring that deadlines are met. (S&I)
• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal (S&I)
• Good IT skills including working knowledge of Microsoft packages and the ability to learn new systems and processes quickly. (S&I)

Desirable:

• Knowledge of Siebel/Oracle grant and finance processing systems. (S&I)
• Knowledge of TFS (The Funding Service) & GFS (Grant Finance System) systems. (S&I)
• Experience in working within grants finance administration with experience/knowledge of the full grants funding lifecycle. (S&I)
• Management accounting, budgeting & forecasting experience and an extensive knowledge of MS Excel. (S&I)
• Knowledge of UKRI grant policy. (I)
• Experience of working with staff at various levels. (S&I)
• Line management experience. (S&I)

Applications

Online applications only for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter to the attachments section (ignore free textbox for cover letter under 'Experience' section) which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the 'Experience' section of the application process.

Additional information

Developing talent :

We are committed to developing employees in their roles throughout their career. Learning and development plans enable employees to continue their professional development through training and development opportunities such as e-learning, classroom training and on-the-job experiences. We encourage our employees to share their learning across teams and organisations.

Benefits:

UKRI can offer the successful candidate:

- Flexible Working

- 30 days annual leave Public Holidays

- Access to Civil Service Pension Scheme

- Various everyday discounts through our dedicated provider

Visit our dedicated benefits webpage for more info: Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

About The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)

The BBSRC invests in world-class bioscience research and training on behalf of the UK public. We are the UK's largest public funder of research of the non-medical biosciences. Our aim is to further scientific knowledge, to promote economic growth, wealth and job creation and to improve quality of life in the UK and beyond.

Funded by Government, we support research and training in universities and strategically funded institutes. The research and the people that we fund are helping society to meet major challenges, including food security, green energy and healthier, longer lives. Our investments underpin important UK economic sectors, such as farming, food, industrial biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.

For more information about BBSRC, our science and our impact, see: https://bbsrc.ukri.org/

For more information about BBSRC strategically funded institutes, see https://bbsrc.ukri.org/research/institutes/strategically-funded-institutes/

About UK Research Innovation (UKRI)

UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.

Supporting some of the world's most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.

More information can be found at www.ukri.org.

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI .

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.

How we support EDI in the workforce

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit 'How we support EDI in the workforce' .

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

How to apply

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the 'experience' section of the application.

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion - a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.