Research Coordinator - Maternity Cover (12 months) in Milton Keynes

• Research Coordinator - Maternity Cover (12 months)
• Job Purpose

As the Research Coordinator, you will be responsible for monitoring the progress of our existing research grants, supporting the delivery of PSP and CBD’s first‑ever James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership, and scoping the launch of a new grant scheme.

You will be reporting to our Chief Executive, James Cusack.

Your priorities will be to

• Monitor the progress of our research grants.
• Ensure we are funding research which will have the greatest impact on improving the lives of people with PSP or CBD.
• Promote and lead on the involvement of the public and patients in research.
• Help to raise the profile and interest in research into PSP & CBD.
• Maximise the opportunities for people living with a diagnosis to participate in research programmes and trials.
• Maintain our grants management system and ensure our grant management process is in line with good practice in the sector.
• Develop a sector‑leading priority setting partnership.
• Contract Type

Full Time – Fixed Term Contract (Maternity Leave Cover) for up to 12 months.

£37,127 per annum full time.

• Hours of Work & Annual Leave
• 35 hours per week - this may include working some unsociable hours, including evenings and weekends.
• 28 days plus bank holidays. Pro‑rated for part‑time role.

The main office is in Milton Keynes, and we have a hybrid working policy with most staff spending one day a week in the office and the remainder working from home.

We aim to maximise the time we have together to collaborate and innovate for the benefit of people living with PSP or CBD.

Travel across the UK is necessary.

There is some flexibility for a 4 or 5 day a week contract.

If you are interested but would like to take the post on less than 5 days a week, please indicate this on your application.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with the CEO and the Chair of the Research Committee to monitor research grants and scope new grant schemes that will continue to drive progress in PSP & CBD research
• Develop relationships with other funders in the neurodegenerative disease field and consider opportunities for co‑funding where appropriate to maximise impact
• Develop a sector‑leading priority setting partnership.
• Support PSP & CBD research progress wherever possible, including facilitating researcher collaboration, helping with research study participant recruitment and assisting industry with their understanding of patient and carer experiences
• Facilitate the involvement of patients in research and trials.
• Working with the Communications Manager, ensure that PSPA’s research activities and research news are communicated to our community via social, web and print media.
• This includes writing or contributing to features in PSPA Matters, the charity’s magazine
• Produce lay interpretation for our internal and external audiences relating to complex research matters and outcomes
• Support the Helpline team in responding to calls and emails about research‑related topics and in developing research‑related literature
• Support the fundraising team in developing campaigns, appeals and applications to trusts for research funding
• Manage PSPA’s research grants portfolio, ensuring adherence to appropriate governance and working with the finance team to track commitment and expenditure, providing detailed reporting to the CEO and Trustees
• Responsible for ensuring the Manual for Managing Research is kept up to date in line with AMRC best practice.
• Develop and maintain relationships with grantees.
• Represent PSPA at research events as well as organise PSPA’s research events including International Symposiums.

The duties may be changed and/or varied to meet changing circumstances at the discretion of the CEO and Board of Trustees.

Person Specification

• A BSc in a biomedical science or strong relevant experience.
• Experience of grants administration and governance, including peer review of applications and reports.
• Commitment to and understanding of the importance of involving the public and people with lived experience in research.
• Some understanding of the neurodegenerative disease research landscape, including potential for collaborations with other funders
• A natural collaborator who will seek to consult on major decisions with the people affected by those decisions
• The ability to work independently with very minimal direction and use initiative to develop ideas for research funding strategy
• Experience of the ability to establish and build relationships with a wide range of audiences including those at a senior level
• Understanding and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Strong IT skills and experience with MS Office products
• An understanding of the pharmaceutical industry and clinical trial processes
• Knowledge of neurological or neuropsychiatric diseases
• A higher degree and some research experience desirable, ideally in neuroscience

For more information about this role, please visit our website .

• Corporate Duties
• Ensure you comply with Health and Safety and associated workplace legislation including GDPR, data protection and information security and management requirements.
• Contribute fully to team and staff meetings, promoting the role of the research coordinator within the organisation.
• Promote the vision and goals of PSPA with employees.
• Work within the performance culture at PSPA to consistently achieve your targets and the objectives in your annual appraisal.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties requested of you commensurate with your role and the aims of the charity.
• Pension Scheme
• Employment Assistance Programme
• PSPA
• Dear Candidate,

If PSP or CBD is new to you, do not worry, many people who joined us, including me, hadn’t heard of the condition until we joined PSPA.

It is shocking to find that a degenerative condition that currently affects 10,000 people in the UK is not yet well known, and people are often left without support or a diagnosis.

Equally, what you will find when you join us is a wonderful and supportive team and community of people who are inspired to ensure we support those 10,000 people living with or affected by these the conditions every step of the way until one day we hopefully find a cure.

You will also be joining us at an exciting time as we refresh our strategy and we think about how we can do more to support people, ensure services are better and that we fund research that makes breakthroughs for people living with PSP & CBD.

Our Helpline remains at the core of the support we provide to people living with PSP, CBD, their families and health professionals.

We are now looking for a compassionate and caring person, to join the helpline team and continue our growth across the region.

Being the only charity in the UK to provide support, raise awareness and fund research for people living with PSP or CBD we are in the unique position of being the voice of those affected across the UK.

We provide a great range of support services, a growing programme of research grants and want to expand our impact in raising awareness to improve diagnosis, so we can make progress towards finding treatments and a cure.

Our 2022 patient survey showed that 60% of people with PSP or CBD are initially misdiagnosed and the average time to a diagnosis is three years.

For conditions where there are no treatments and no cure, it is our drive and ambition to forge partnerships that can change the landscape for people with PSP or CBD.

We know together we can improve diagnosis for the 10,000 people living with PSP & CBD.

That’s why we have hybrid working arrangements which allow flexibility of working at home, alongside some time with colleagues in the office to collaborate and innovate for the benefit of everyone affected by PSP or CBD.

• Research Coordinator - Maternity Cover (12 months)
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