About Us
Join the School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences (CPS) at King’s College London, one of six Schools in the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine (FoLSM), based across Guy’s, Waterloo and Denmark Hill Campuses in the heart of London.
Bringing together the Comprehensive Cancer Centre and the Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, we share one mission: to improve patient response through fundamental science discovery. Our professional services teams are central to that mission. They give our researchers the support they need to turn ambitious ideas into real benefits for patients, and you could be part of that work.
About The Role
This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in a highly research-active School. As Research Operations Manager, you will be essential to the smooth running of the School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences in the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, supporting all research grants held by the School and helping academic staff to manage their awards effectively through the full research life cycle.
You will coordinate and oversee research administration for academic and research staff, from application through grant set-up to final reconciliation and reporting, working collaboratively with the Faculty Head of Research Operations, the School Leads (Research & Impact) and colleagues in King’s Research Management & Innovation Directorate (RMID). You will also help shape the School’s research performance and financial sustainability. This includes maximising cost recovery and overhead contributions, providing and analysing management information on the research portfolio and application rates to identify areas for improvement, and assisting the School Leads (Research & Impact), Head of School Operations and Faculty Head of Research Operations in coordinating the School’s contribution to the Research Excellence Framework and other formal assessments and reports. Working with colleagues across the Faculty and King’s, you will develop and implement policies and processes that improve our research administration.
Reporting directly to the Head of School Operations, you will directly line manage and develop two professional services staff, and have wider responsibility for the research management responsibilities of another three staff, all of who form part of the School’s core services support, and contribute to core activities, projects and cross-Faculty and university initiatives. You will train academic, research and professional services colleagues on the systems used throughout the grant life cycle, including Business World, Worktribe, and ResearchFish. You will also help foster a stimulating, innovative and inclusive culture in which students and staff can thrive, actively supporting diversity and inclusion initiatives that promote equality in research and address key points of attrition, particularly for staff and students with protected characteristics.
This is a full time post (35 hours per week), and you will be offered an indefinite contract.
About You
To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:
Essential criteria
- Educated to degree level or relevant experience
- Good understanding of the UK and EU funding environment
- Highly numerate with proven financial management and analytical skills to underpin strategic financial strategic decisions and procedures
- Proven Professional Services skills gained within Higher Education sector
- Excellent communication, negotiation and influencing skills at all levels
- Experience of building an effective network across a complex organization and with external stakeholders
- Experience of Research Grants; from Application through to Award Management and closure
- Excellent task management skills both for self and others, meeting tight deadlines
Desirable criteria
- Relevant postgraduate or professional qualification
- Knowledge of research and policy in health (bioscience/ medicine)
- Experience of Research Management tools and systems, including complex database and management information systems
- Experience of staff management
- Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
Downloading a copy of our Job Description
Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the page. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.
Further Information
At King’s, we believe that the diversity of our community and a culture that is welcoming, open, inclusive and collaborative, are great strengths of the university.
The Equality Act of 2010 protects the rights of our students and staff and provides a framework to fulfil our duties to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and in addition, to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between those who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. At times, this will include balancing rights and beliefs that can feel in tension.
We are committed to free speech and to academic freedom, believing that our foundational purpose as a university, is to create spaces where a wide range of ideas, including ideas that are controversial, can be discussed and debated, and where members of our community can express lawful views without fear of intimidation, harassment or discrimination.
When engaging in the robust exchange of ideas, we ask that our community is mindful of our Dignity at King’s guidance.
We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the person specification section of the job description. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving rapidly, and we recognise its growing role in professional work. Applicants may use AI tools to support preparation of their application, for example to research the role or structure written responses. However, applications must reflect the applicant’s own work and experience. AI tools should not be used during interviews or assessment activities unless this has been agreed in advance as a reasonable adjustment. Further guidance on the use of AI in recruitment can be found here.
We reserve the right to close adverts early due to the volume of applications we receive. While the closing date may change, all adverts will close at 23:59 to allow sufficient time for applications to be submitted on that day.
We encourage you to apply at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment as once we have closed a vacancy you will be unable to submit your application.
To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘How we Recruit’ pages.
