Postgraduate Research Support Lead in Sheffield

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement, a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more.

Overview: RPI supports agreed University and Faculty priorities for research and innovation: income generation, research excellence, postgraduate research student (PGR) experience, partnership development and knowledge exchange leading to income and/or impact and commercialisation of IP and student enterprise. We focus on delivering professional, value-add advice and support to our community of researchers and innovators.

You will lead a central team coordinating support for some 3,000 PGRs. An excellent PGR experience is a priority in our research strategy. We operate a hub and spoke model; a central team you will lead, and with PGR support delivered in each faculty by a Doctoral School. You will think and plan strategically, using sector networks to keep on top of developments and inform your work.

The primary focus of this role is to:

• Lead and manage our central professional postgraduate research student teams, working closely with colleagues across the university to seek input, ensuring consistent processes which are fit-for-purpose in a changing internal and external environment.
• Oversee the postgraduate research student lifecycle: managing research degree programmes, regulatory processes, quality assurance and systems to support these, and operating effectively within our institutional governance framework.
• Ensure a positive and supportive research environment for PGR students that results in an enhanced PGR student experience, with significant improvements in timely submission and completion rates, and a culture of best practice in academic supervision.

Main duties and responsibilities:

• Leadership and management of the PGR Support team in RPI, setting high standards, supporting excellent performance and managing arising issues.
• Strategic oversight of PGR matters ensuring the hub and spoke model works effectively, and relative roles and responsibilities are understood and delivered.
• Lead, or contribute to, University-wide projects which may arise from new or revised legislative or policy requirements, both internal and external, with respect to PGR students.
• Oversight of development, implementation and updating of quality enhancement policies and procedures, including the Research Degree Regulations and updates to the Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes.
• Support for training of the central team and Doctoral School teams with the aim of driving greater consistency and efficiency in operational activities.
• Coordinate and review materials connected to student complaints or appeals as appropriate, providing advice and guidance as necessary.
• Review and improve processes and systems associated with recording, evaluating, and following up on student engagement and experience.
• Ensure that student outcomes are monitored, meeting standards set by the Office for Students and the Quality Assurance Agency.
• Work closely with colleagues across the University to develop, review and improve policy, processes, and systems to enhance their efficiency and effectiveness.
• Develop an understanding of the rules for funder schemes and maintain oversight of the allocation of internally funded studentships, scholarships, and other financial awards.
• Oversee the University PGR Committee’s annual reporting schedule using this as a tool to identify and drive improvements to process and data quality.
• Ensure the needs of PGR students and related staff are represented in appropriate fora.
• Represent the University externally on panels and committees relevant to PGR students.
• Actively promote the successes of PGR students, supervisory and/or programme teams both within the University and more broadly.

Person Specification:

• A degree or equivalent professional qualification.
• Evidence of existing technical knowledge to enable oversight across PGR provision.
• Evidence that you can negotiate, influence and persuade internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience of having successfully delivered a long-term project.
• Evidence that you can both manage and lead a team.
• Demonstrable people focus, delivering services in a pragmatic, sensitive and understanding manner.
• Evidence that you apply expertise and judgement to identify, understand and respond to complex user demands.
• An understanding of the postgraduate research student journey and experience.

Further Information:

• Grade 8
• A minimum of 41 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata).
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development.
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes.
• A range of generous family-friendly policies.