R&D Management Support Officer in London

Job Description

The role is based in the Research and Development (R&D) Management Team in the Science, Data and Analysis Group (SDA) that oversees the management of the core CDEL R&D budget and wider oversight of the R&D portfolio, across the Defra group. The successful candidate will gain significant experience of working closely with the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) and Director General (DG) for SDA Group and gain new skills of managing a supplier contract.

The role will have two core responsibilities:

1. Secretariat support for the R&D Assurance Team and Research and Development Assurance Panel (RDAP) which includes:

• • Setting up meetings
  • Identifying and briefing panel members
  • Drafting and preparing papers
  • Attendance at meetings and note taking
  • Drafting and clearing meeting minutes with panel

1. Contract Management Support which includes:

• • Managing project submission emails received through the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) contract
  • Maintaining an organised pipeline of UKCEH work orders
  • Supporting stakeholder engagement with UKCEH

Additional duties may include:

• • Supporting the R&D Management Team with comms and stakeholder engagement
  • Supporting the R&D funding manager with the roll out across the R&D community of a new database; designing and implementing training sessions, data validation, stakeholder engagement, feedback sessions
  • Secretariat at budget working group
  • General administrative support across the R&D management team including; booking meeting rooms, maintenance of the RDAP SharePoint site

Essential Criteria:

• • The ability to motivate and build strong and inclusive working relationships with colleagues.
  • Experience with secretariat duties such as; note taking, drafting, agenda creation for meetings
  • Attention to detail in producing and quality assuring papers for high-priority meetings
  • Experience managing a service/process for customers
  • Respond quickly to changing priorities and cope effectively with complex issues.
  • Strong Excel, and data management skills

NB whilst this role is within the Chief Scientific Advisers office, no scientific experience is needed for this role.