Investment Manager for Digital and International Research Infrastructure

This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK's leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board.

The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)

Investment Manager for Digital and International Research Infrastructure

Salary: £34,905 per annum
Hours: Full time or Part time (minimum 0.8 FTE)
Contract Type: Open Ended
Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire
Grade: UKRI D

Closing: 10th July 2024

Organization: Arts and Humanities Research Council

UK Research and Innovation is an organisation that brings together nine partners to create an independent voice and vision to ensure the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation. More information can be found at www.ukri.org.

The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) supports world-class research that furthers our understanding of human culture and creativity. It supports research and postgraduate training in a wide range of subject areas, from ancient history and heritage science to modern dance and digital content. Research into these areas helps us to interpret our experiences, probe our identities, interrogate our cultural assumptions and understand our historical, social, economic and political context. It adds to the economic success of the UK, through its contributions to the knowledge economy and innovation agenda. The research we fund can lead to improvements in social and intellectual capital, community identity, learning skills, technological evolution and the quality of life of the nation.

Team Purpose

The Research and Innovation Infrastructure team was established in 2019 and is responsible for the development and implementation of AHRC's Infrastructure Strategy and Programme. The team leads on AHRC's engagement with the UKRI Infrastructure team to ensure that the arts and humanities, specifically digital, creative industries, cultural assets and heritage science, are appropriately represented in the wider UKRI Infrastructure Programme, and the extent of their contribution to research and innovation understood. The team's remit includes management of a funded portfolio, scoping and shaping policy and future investment in this area, commissioning new research and stakeholder engagement.

For further information about arts and humanities infrastructure, please refer to the relevant sections of the UKRI Landscape Analysis (pp. 73-81) and Infrastructure Opportunity Report (pp. 64-85).

Job Purpose

We are seeking to appoint a Band D Investment Manager to support the development, commissioning, delivery, and management of Digital Research Infrastructure investment activity within the Infrastructure team's remit. As part of this you would work with Senior Investment Managers to identify strengths, gaps, and trends in the portfolio, scope and develop new areas for investment, and prepare associated bids for funding.

You will also support Senior Investment Managers in engaging with relevant research portfolios to understand current work, future, and opportunities for adding value to these and other investments and activities across UKRI and the wider landscape. This will include gathering and collating required reporting information from investments and working closely with colleagues in the Strategy, Impact and Evidence team to capture and articulate key outputs and successes.

The Infrastructure Team is developing a varied portfolio of large, multi-year investments, including the following programmes and bids:

• Heritage Science - RICHeS - Research Infrastructure for Conservation and Heritage Science

• Digital Innovation - iDAH - Infrastructure for Digital Arts & Humanities

• Digital Collections - DiSSCo - The Distributed System of Scientific Collections.

• Digital Collections (scoping work) - Developing a future programme around a digital infrastructure for national collections to follow on fromTowards a National Collection programme.

The postholder will be part of a team overseeing the commissioning of grants and engagement with award holders, policy-makers, other funders, and other stakeholders. This is an excellent development opportunity for a candidate interested in contributing to AHRC's strategic direction for investment in major programmes, and working widely across UKRI to raise the profile of arts and humanities research. For a candidate with an interest in international research funding policy, there will be opportunities to contribute to the development of AHRC's international engagement activities, through participation in the European Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERICs) and other research infrastructure partnerships.

Main Outputs & Activities

In this role you will:

• Support and/or lead, as appropriate, the management of current investments and commissioning activities relating to AHRC's digital research infrastructure funding portfolio, including iDAH and The Software Sustainability Institute (SSI).
• Contribute to the collection, analysis, and communication of information in relation to funded projects and programmes within the team's remit, including financial reporting;
• Contribute to the monitoring and evaluation of funded projects, including development of research impact narratives and case studies;
• Support the business case development for the DiSSCo programme, working with the Natural History Museum and a UK-wide consortium of museums and collections organisations.
• Support and/or lead, as appropriate, the development of new initiatives within the team's remit, including scoping work for a future digital infrastructure for UK collections to follow on from Towards a National Collection.
• Support the development of bids for new funding from UKRI in areas within the team's remit;
• Develop and maintain relationships with key internal and external stakeholders as relevant to the role, including representing AHRC on relevant cross-UKRI groups where appropriate and deputising for Senior Investment Managers and/or the Team Head when required;
• Represent the AHRC externally, including giving presentations and facilitating workshops;
• Support strategic and corporate projects and project teams as required across AHRC and UKRI;

• Manage and plan the workload of staff allocated to support team activity (this may include line management, dependant on staffing structures).

Please note that the role will require some national travel and may also involve occasional overseas travel. Applicants should be willing to travel, to work away from the office and, on occasion, outside normal working hours.

Working Relationships

Reporting to (job title):

Senior Investment Manager for Digital Research Infrastructure

Number of employees & job titles reporting into this role:

None

Internal

External

• AHRC Team Heads and Teams
• UKRI Infrastructure Team
• Equivalents in other Councils and Research England
• Corporate functions, including Finance, Procurement, and Communications

• Award holders

• Other funding organisations

• Government departments (notably DSIT and DCMS)

• International research infrastructure consortia and partners

Shortlisting Criteria

Area

Criteria

Essential/ Desirable

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent experience in a relevant discipline or sector

Essential

Key Knowledge and Skills

• Experience in successfully managing projects and/ or programmes of work, and ability to work independently and use initiative

• Ability to analyse and summarise complex information/data and propose workable solutions

• A good understanding of and/ or experience in the UK higher education system, particularly administration, commissioning, or management of arts and humanities research grants and capital projects

Essential

Desirable

Interview Criteria

UKRI Competency

Criteria

Essential/ Desirable

Strategic Awareness

• A good understanding of or a background in Digital Humanities or a related discipline

• Some knowledge of Grants systems.

• A good grasp of the role of digital and data-driven research in arts and humanities

Desirable

Leading & Communicating

• The ability to lead projects, and to manage and develop colleagues to enable their learning and development as well as to deliver personal, team and corporate objectives.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to draft guidance documents, reports, and give presentations.

Essential

Working with Others

• The ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and networks with a range of internal and external stakeholders at all levels, and to use these to deliver outcomes for the organisation.

• Excellent team working skills, and experience of encouraging a collaborative approach within and across teams and organisations; including recognising the contribution and diversity of individuals and different viewpoints to enable realisation of team and individual potential.

Essential

Changing and Improving

• A willingness to embrace and facilitate effective change and to help others to do the same.

Essential

Making effective decisions

• The ability to translate evidence into clear and concise written and oral communications to enable robust and transparent decision making, or for strategy development and implementation.

Essential

In return, you'll gain:

• In-depth knowledge of the UK and international arts and humanities research landscape, and an understanding of the AHRC's contribution to it.
• Opportunities to work with colleagues across UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) and other research funding organisations and external organisations.
• Experience in research administration and an understanding of the UK higher education sector, working with the academic community.
• An understanding of the work of the AHRC community and expertise in our digital research infrastructure portfolio and other capital funding areas.
• The opportunity to contribute to and shape AHRC's strategic direction in Digital and data intensive research.

Additional Details

Employee Benefits

UK Research and Innovation recognises and values employees as individuals and aims to provide a pay and reward package that motivates staff to the best of their ability. The reward and benefit package includes a flexible working scheme, an excellent Defined Benefit pension scheme, 30 days annual leave allowance and a number of other benefits.

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.

Equal Opportunities

We strive to make decisions based on individual merit and ability. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and promote equality of opportunity in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. As holders of Disability Confident Employer status, we guarantee to interview all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy. Final appointments will be subject to pre-employment screening.

How to Apply

Only online applications will be accepted and should be submitted in the form of an up-to-date CV and covering letter each of no more than two sides of A4. The covering letter must clearly outline why you are applying for this post and address in turn how you meet each of the shortlisting and interview criteria described in this advertisement (ideally using each criterion as a sub-heading).

Please ensure that the vacancy reference is included in the file name description of each document uploaded.

Any applications submitted without a covering letter, or that fail to address the shortlisting criteria points will not be considered further.

Applicants who would like to receive this advert in an alternative format (e.g. large print, Braille, audio or hard copy), or who are unable to apply online should contact us by telephone on 01793 867000. Please quote the appropriate reference number when calling.

About The Arts and Humanities Research Council

The AHRC supports world-class research that furthers our understanding of human culture and creativity. It supports research and postgraduate training in a wide range of subject areas, from ancient history and heritage science to modern dance and digital content. Research into these areas helps us to interpret our experiences, probe our identities, interrogate our cultural assumptions and understand our historical, social, economic and political context. It adds to the economic success of the UK, through its contributions to the knowledge economy and innovation agenda. The research we fund can lead to improvements in social and intellectual capital, community identity, learning skills, technological evolution and the quality of life of the nation.

Further details can be found via the following links: https://ahrc.ukri.org/

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.