Programme Manager, Global Talent Visa

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Job Scope

The Royal Society is an endorsing body for the Global Talent visa, applying our sector expertise to manage visa endorsements for research and innovation professionals wishing to work in the UK.

The Global Talent visa Programme Manager is a new role in the expanding Global Talent visa team. This post will play a key role in helping the Society manage and expand the Global Talent visa, which is vital to the mobility of the academic and research community. The Society is seeking a highly motivated person with strong initiative and leadership skills, who will manage the delivery of the Society's work related to the Global Talent visa under the guidance of the Senior Manager for the Global Talent visa within the International Grants team.

The Global Talent visa Programme Manager will line manage the Global Talent visa operational team and will work closely with the Senior Manager. This role would be ideal for someone with experience working in an UK research and innovation context, knowledge of the UK immigration landscape and, specifically, with experience managing a team.

The Global Talent visa Programme Manager will be responsible for ensuring the effective management and operational delivery of the Global Talent visa at the Royal Society. The main purpose of the role is:

• To manage the Global Talent visa operational team within the Society's Grants Section and work collaboratively with Fellows and relevant staff in other teams to deliver Global Talent visa work with a high level of precision, in accordance with agreed standards.
• To oversee the management of the applications process across the various routes of the Global Talent visa that are within the remit of the Society, and engage with internal and external stakeholders.
• To work closely with the Senior Manager and counterparts across the endorsing bodies to inform the improvement and usability of the Global Talent visa immigration category.

Reports to: Senior Manager, Global Talent visa

Line manages: Global Talent visa Managers x 4 and Global Talent visa Officer x 1

Location: Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AG plus hybrid remote working

Hours: Full time, 35 hours a week

Contract type: Permanent

Pay Band: D

Salary: £46,271

The application closing date is 21 July 2024 at 23:59.

Interview dates: 31 July to 1 August 2024

Please note that we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

Responsibilities

• To oversee the processing of Global Talent visa endorsement applications, supporting the Global Talent visa Managers and Global Talent visa Officer with the timely delivery of all operational aspects of the Society's role as an endorsing body
• To oversee and support Global Talent visa Managers in managing the recruitment process of peer reviewers
• To lead on the accurate management of endorsement refusal decisions and endorsement reviews
• To support the Senior Manager with analyse and synthesis of complex data and information from various sources to inform strategy and programming and meet reporting requirements, including monitoring and reporting outcomes and outputs and producing statistics and reports as required.
• To lead on the accurate management of endorsement refusal decisions and endorsement reviews
• To build and maintain strong relationships with the other Global Talent visa endorsing bodies (British Academy, Royal Academy of Engineering, and UK Research and Innovation), actively engaging with colleagues to identify ways to improve operations and processes
• Working with the Senior Manager and other colleagues to manage operational aspects of programme partnerships, build and maintain effective relationships with external stakeholders, including the Home Office, research and innovation funders in the UK and overseas, and eligible host and employer organisations in the UK
• To work collaboratively with others to support continuous ongoing improvement and implementation of best practices in the context of the Global Talent visa, including reviewing operational management, procedures, processes and programme development to ensure it is delivered efficiently and effectively
• To contribute to the planning and implementation of outreach actions to support expansion of the Global Talent visa, such as surveys, focus groups, webinars, communication updates
• To represent the Global Talent visa and the Society at meetings, interest groups, and events, including giving presentations and providing briefings as required
• To manage and provide leadership to Global Talent visa Managers and Global Talent visa Officer and create an inclusive and supportive environment to help them in realising their potential and achieve the highest standards of efficiency, quality and customer care. To role model desired behaviours in line with the Grants Team Charter.
• To continuously seek opportunities to develop subject matter expertise in international mobility and immigration and wider research and innovation policy, staying up to date with best practices and the UK research and innovation landscape developments, and ensure that this knowledge is shared and applied to maximum effect within the organisation
• To support activities within the Grants team aimed at increasing Diversity, Equity and supporting the development and maintenance of policies and practices to foster greater inclusivity
• To share experience and ideas with others in the Section and the Society and contribute broadly to the Royal Society's mission and priorities.

Key Knowledge and Skills Required

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

Educated to degree standard or equivalent Essential

A good understanding of the research and innovation system in the UK including

the higher education and public and non-profit research organisation sector Essential

Knowledge of the UK immigration system from an operational perspective

and/or immigration policy Essential

Experience of managing staff Essential

Experience of working in a team and across teams Essential

Experience of effective internal and external engagement with people

at all levels of seniority, including managing meetings and events Essential

Experience of using IT to collect, analyse and manipulate data accurately Essential

Science degree Desirable

SKILLS

Excellent communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills Essential

Excellent planning and organisational skills Essential

Strong IT skills Essential

Excellent presentational skills Essential

Strong influencing and negotiation skills Essential

Excellent attention to detail Essential

Strong numeracy skills Essential

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills Essential

Ability of use tact and diplomacy and to handle confidential information Essential

Competencies

Self-management

• Works unsupervised and can motivate self

• Produces results under pressure

• Can manage in stressful situations

• Pushes for the best results for self and team

• Pursues and encourages feedback that may reveal an error in judgment or process and then makes appropriate adjustments

• Recognises own personal biases or limitations, and uses this understanding to improve decisions and plans for action

• Seeks out mentors and other development resources to gain additional self-awareness and personal development

• Reflects on negative situations with maturity and seeks to understand own contribution to the situation

• Holds things together and acts as a settling influence

• Willing to continue learning within chosen field, training and developing towards the next level in both formal and informal ways

• Works within the Royal Society Values at all times

Working with others

• Contributes ideas and identifies opportunities to work with others both within the team and across the organisation

• Willing to provide and receive feedback to and from sectional colleagues when requested

• Produces succinct presentations and papers for senior colleagues

• Understands when to seek senior advice on potentially delicate negotiations

• Reaches a variety of audiences using an appropriate mix of communication methods and tailored messages to appeal to their unique needs

• Creates an environment of transparency while respecting confidentiality requirements

• Builds consensus for delivering team goals. Frequently interacts with peers, on cross-functional matters.

Resource management

• Makes the best of internal/external resources and coordinates well with external partners to best meet the needs of the Society

• Builds contingency into projects taking into account possible outside factors

• Sets and monitors performance against quality and results orientated targets.

• Focuses on both short and long-term goals

• Creates novel solutions to problems

• Creates a detailed design or plan to implement a new solution or approach

• Evaluates new technology as potential solutions to existing issues. Adjusts course as new information comes to light

• Executes quickly and decisively in a time-sensitive situation

• Takes accountability to persist until opportunity is realised or problem solved

Critical thinking

• Determines and clarifies the requirements of any situation

• Checks information for accuracy and raises concerns if information is inaccurate

• Extracts the key points succinctly, clearly and accurately

• Puts forward suggestions for improvement concerning current processes or systems

• Tries different ways of doing things to get the best results

• Compares and evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of a variety of options

• Formulates an opinion by considering opposing views and suggestions

• Runs trials and models or applies statistical analysis and stress testing to confirm or disconfirm proposal

Adaptability

• Overcomes obstacles and is not deterred by setbacks; checks assumptions and first principles and works out alternative approaches

• Reacts proactively to new challenges and works in a flexible manner to produce solutions

• Provides feedback and participates in discussions surrounding new ideas approaches or projects

• Maintains focus and continues to deliver when things are not straightforward

• Adjusts to act differently depending on the situation

• Takes steps to understand basic risk management and importance of identifying and maintaining controls

• Leads team and helps them to understand and cope with ambiguous situations

Managing people and relationships

• Delegates effectively, setting clear expectations and authority

• Monitors results and feedback to team on a regular basis

• Recognises others' contributions and acknowledges their limits

• Helps others to identify ways to improve their performance

• Prioritises supervisory responsibilities and carries them out in a timely fashion

• Understands and can identify client/stakeholder/staff needs and looks for opportunities to improve their experiences

• Demonstrates trust in others' ability to accomplish tasks at acceptable levels of performance

• Provides current, direct, complete and actionable positive and constructive feedback

• Has a mind-set of sharing own and others' expertise

• Creates an environment of transparency while respecting confidentiality requirements

• Focuses on surfacing underlying customer issues/concerns and identifying root causes

• Increases exposure to and personal relationships with others