Research Coordinator PEC in Newcastle upon Tyne

Salary: £31,236.00 – £34,610.00 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 23 November 2025

The Role

This is a new role designed to help Creative PEC’s Research Network Manager plan and deliver our portfolio of high‑profile research outputs. The successful applicant will contribute to the design, development, management, and timely completion of complex, multi‑partner, and high‑impact projects. The role will involve both contract and content management, maintaining internal databases and collaborating with people across Creative PEC’s portfolio, including Research Consortium Partners, Research Fellows, external partners, key stakeholders, and commissioned researchers.

The Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (Creative PEC) has an exciting opportunity for a Research Coordinator to support and deliver work that furthers understanding of the creative industries in the UK and beyond. We are looking for someone that is organised and methodical, with a love of creativity and the generation of new knowledge. You will be stimulated by research culture and ready to grapple with the intricacies of commissioning and producing evidence‑led reports, resulting in policy recommendations.

Based either at Newcastle University Business School or our London office at the Royal Society of Arts, you will find Creative PEC to be a friendly and fulfilling place to work, where your ideas can make a real difference. As an employee of the University, you will be able to make use of a number of benefits, including a generous holiday package, great pension, and health and wellbeing packages. The role has some flexibility in working pattern, but with the preference for at least three days a week on site. The role is a full‑time, fixed‑term until the end of May 2028, and we encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing team. We believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of the UK population.

About Creative PEC

Creative PEC works closely with government departments, universities, and consultancies across the UK to deliver new research to support the creative industries. This is a great time to work in the sector as the government has recently published the Creative Industries Sector Plan signalling a decade of investment. There is much pioneering work taking place, particularly across our core thematic areas of Arts, Culture and Heritage; Creative Education, Skills and Talent; Internationalisation; and R&D, Innovation and Clusters.

Application Process

Please complete the online application and upload a CV and cover letter. Your cover letter is a supporting statement, and you should outline how you meet the criteria detailed in the Person Specification of the job description.

Accountabilities

• Reporting to Creative PEC’s Research Network Manager, support overall delivery of the teams’ ambitious research programme, including content, contracting, project plans, Gantt charts and risk registers.
• Where needed, manage specific research projects to completion.
• Track and review progress of research projects, reporting on whether expected milestones have and will be met and proposing appropriate solutions to keep on track.
• Contribute to concept development and design of future research projects, suggesting appropriate questions, data sources and methodologies.
• Prepare templates, survey instruments and evaluation mechanisms, as required.
• Provide comments on review copies of research reports and sign off content, as required.
• Ensure the compliance of research projects with Newcastle University’s ethics and procurement processes, including noting and communicating any issues.
• Maintain internal databases to ensure timely and accurate reporting to Creative PEC’s Governance structure, including Senior Management Team, Advisory Board, AHRC Programme Board and Newcastle University Governance Board.
• Collaborate with Creative PEC team members, Research Consortium Partners, and external partners to prepare Invitations to Tender and calls for Expressions of Interest for commissioned and co‑commissioned research reports.
• Where needed, oversee the scoring of research proposals and review panels, preparing information to be used in contracting.
• Contribute to the maintenance of research‑focused policies and guidance frameworks.
• Contribute to the delivery of wider research‑focused activities including arranging and attending conferences, seminars, networking events.
• Contribute to planning the work of the Creative PEC team, including the Research Unit.
• Help develop and maintain existing research partnerships.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of external research partnerships.
• Attend and assist with events that may be held in the evening and requiring occasional overnight stays.
• Arrange meetings and knowledge‑sharing activities, as required, checking diaries.
• Occasional travel between the Creative PEC bases (RSA House, London and Newcastle University Business School).

Person Specification

Knowledge, Skills and Experience – Essential

• Experience of, or strong interest in, research design, delivery and evaluation.
• Knowledge of the research lifecycle including policies, practice, compliance and the role of different stakeholders within this process.
• Ability to summarise complex information, particularly for the purposes of reporting, including providing useful feedback on research proposals.
• Outstanding analytical and problem‑solving skills in dealing with challenges in complex projects that must be delivered to tight deadlines.
• Highly organised with project management skills and the ability to apply project management methodologies, approaches and systems.
• Attention to detail, including in relation to record keeping and in providing clear audit trails, with the ability to identify omissions and provide solutions.
• Able to adapt quickly to changing circumstances and priorities, suggesting new approaches where necessary.
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation and influencing skills with the ability to develop effective working relationships with a range of staff, and to perform well within and across teams (both internal and external).
• An excellent all‑round communicator with experience of presenting slides and the ability to represent Creative PEC in discussions with senior stakeholders.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience – Desirable

• Knowledge of the professional standards in one or more of the creative industries’ sub‑sectors.
• Knowledge of current government creative industries policy priorities and practices.

Attributes and Behaviour

• Excellent planning, organisation and time management skills with the ability to work to tight deadlines and manage multiple tasks.
• Outstanding team working skills with the ability to work confidently and build relationships with people at all levels inside and outside of the organisation.
• Flexible and adaptable in working with researchers from different disciplines and able to cope with changing and conflicting priorities, including in applying analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to use systems and tools to ensure records and audit trails are clear and up to date.
• Ability to prioritise own workload, manage conflicting priorities and monitor/report on project milestones.
• Willingness and availability to undertake travel to support the delivery of Creative PEC’s strategy.

Qualifications

• A degree or equivalent level qualification.
• Experience in a research, research coordination, or research management role, or significant other relevant vocational experience.

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution. We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population. At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.