Job Purpose
This role represents an exciting opportunity to provide high level and specialist project management and administrative service. Based in the School for Social and Political Sciences, this role will work across two major research programmes: Changing Realities and Safety Nets. Changing Realities is a major, busy participatory research project working with over 200 parents and carers on a low-income from all four nations of the UK.
The project also partners with national charity, Child Poverty Action Group, and includes impact and policymaking activities at the highest levels. Safety Nets is the UK’s first examination of the relationship between social security and devolution in the UK, and entails a partnership of seven universities, Resolution Foundation and Child Poverty Action Group.)
The role is to support the PI (Ruth Patrick) in coordinating both projects, and making sure that they achieving key deliverables, and to time. The postholder will also be responsible for ensuring good and effective internal and external communication; and in supporting the projects to regularly review and improve their practice.
The successful candidate will have significant experience in providing a full range of project management functions, including stakeholder management, higher-level administrative services, including financial and multi-site team coordination for higher education, government and/or Third Sector projects involving co-production and participatory approaches. Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work independently and as part of a team are requirements for the job.
The role will be part of the College of Social Sciences Research Support Office and will report into the College Research Operations Manager (Angela Cowan) but will work closely with internal and external colleagues on Changing Realities and Safety Nets.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
- Take a lead role, in collaboration with the research teams to plan, monitor and review the strategic aims, objectives and key milestones of the Changing Realities and Safety Nets research programmes.
- Plan and coordinate a series of activities, meetings and workshops with diverse groups of participants from multiple policy sectors. Manage the logistics of the workshops, coordinating the facilitators and managing all data and materials that are required or generated during these events.
- Managing internal and external relationships relevant to the projects.
- Line Management and workload allocation of administrative staff.
- Working with College Research Support Office to manage, disburse, monitor and report on budget and resources, including co-ordinating with partners and funders.
- Engage in strategic business planning processes and the management of project work by providing specialist administrative support to the research teams and supplying relevant information and statistical analysis as required.
- Establish and sustain project management processes and key project documents (e.g. report writing, risk logs) to ensure a record of contacts, events, outputs, and other project activities are kept up-to-date, accessible and accurate.
- Take a key role in developing and maintaining collaborations with colleagues and external stakeholders, including at the highest of levels.
- Plan, promote and manage logistics for virtual and in-person meetings and events and other research and engagement activities run by the projects, instigating and monitoring appropriate follow-up actions to ensure quality enhancement.
- Lead on the implementation of both projects’ communication strategies, for example maintaining the projects’ web and social media presence, supporting with media releases, producing briefings, blogs, podcasts, explainer videos and similar material, and providing promotional content to other channels such as the University’s and Council’s Marketing teams, as required by the research team.
- Undertake any other reasonable duties as required by Line Manager or project director.
- Contribute to the enhancement of the University’s international profile in line with the University’s Strategic Plan, World Changers Together.
Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience
Knowledge/Qualifications
Essential
- A1 Either; Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 9 (Ordinary Degree, Scottish Vocational Qualification level 4), or equivalent (including professional accreditation with relevant formal training), and experience of personal development in a similar or related role(s), Or: Ability to demonstrate the competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post having acquired the necessary knowledge and skills in a similar or number of different roles.
- A2 Excellent knowledge of a range of project management tools and approaches that can be used to support higher education-led research projects.
- A3 Knowledge and understanding of the UK and devolved policymaking context.
- A4 Excellent knowledge and understanding of project and event planning and coordination.
Desirable
- B1 Some familiarity with poverty and social security policy landscape.
- B2 Formal programme management qualification, e.g. PRINCE2 (or working towards this).
Skills
Essential
- C1 Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and ability to communicate effectively with diverse technical and lay audiences using a range of media.
- C2 Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to effectively communicate, work with and engage with researchers, policy makers, members of the public and community groups.
- C3 Proven analytical, influencing and problem-solving capability.
- C4 Advanced IT skills, including using online platforms to host events, workshops, or interactive sessions, report and presentation writing, and skills for web editing using a content management system.
- C5 Proven skills with using social media to promote projects and engage stakeholders and the wider public.
- C6 Ability to work flexibly and adapt to changing environments.
- C7 Ability to work across sectoral boundaries with a wide range of professions and disciplines representing academia, local authorities and other sectors relevant to the project.
- C8 Strong problem-solving skills, especially when working with multiple partners, and in a time-sensitive way.
Experience
Essential
- E1 Experience of all aspects of research communication and events organisation.
- E2 Experience of dealing with processes and procedures for partnership working and public engagement.
- E3 Experience of planning, co-ordinating, monitoring and recording of research activities and their impact.
- E4 Line management experience
- E5 Experience of using corporate financial and administrative business systems
- E6 Experience of budgetary management and monitoring and ability to monitor budget and produce financial reporting as per the requirements of the funder and the university
Desirable
- F1 Experience of social media communication strategies.
- F2 Experience of policymaking stakeholder engagement
Terms and Conditions
Salary will be Grade 7, £41,064 - £46,049 per annum.
This post is full time and is fixed term until the 31st August 2027
Closing date: 23:45 4th November 15th October 2026
The University of Glasgow has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK. If you require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK, you will be required to meet the eligibility requirements of the visa route to be assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship.
Please note that this post may be eligible to be sponsored under the Skilled Worker visa route if tradeable points can be used under the Skilled Worker visa rules. For more information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa.
As a valued member of our team, you can expect:
- A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.
- An excellent employment package with generous terms and conditions including 41 days of leave for full time staff, pension - pensions handbook https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/payandpensions/pensions/, benefits and discount packages.
- A flexible approach to working.
- A commitment to support your health and wellbeing, including a free 6-month UofG Sport membership for all new staff joining the University https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/staff/healthwellbeing/.
We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/.
We endorse the principles of Athena Swan https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/ and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.
We are investing in our organisation, and we will invest in you too. Please visit our website https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/jobs/ for more information.
