Grants Manager - Perm

Interested in supporting excellence and innovation in science? Want to interact with the world’s leading scientists? Looking for your first job in Grants Management? We are now looking for outstanding and highly motivated candidates with excellent organisational and time management skills and strong attention to detail to join our Grants team.

Working as part of a team, successful candidates will be responsible for delivering the day-to-day management and administration of the Royal Society Grants schemes. They will be the main point of contact for applicants, reviewers and award holders – working on aspects of both pre‑award and post‑award management - and responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with grant‑holders. Experience of research management or working in a grant funding environment is desirable but not essential.

The postholder will be expected to:

• Deliver the application, selection and awarding process for defined research funding calls, in accordance with agreed standards.
• Act as a knowledgeable liaison for external researchers and administrators, providing advice, guidance and support on RS funding schemes, policies and grant management approach.
• Support ongoing improvement in the context of grant‑making and scheme development.

Reports to: Programme Manager [or] Senior Manager, International / UK Grants

Location: Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AG plus hybrid remote working

Pay Band: C

Salary: £36,195

Contract type: permanent

The application closing date is 29 January 2024. Interviews will be held on 6 and 7 February 2024.

Responsibilities:

• To manage relationship with applicants as main point of contact throughout application process, preparing call documentation / forms, answering enquiries via email / phone.
• To manage relationship with Panel members and external peer reviewers, including reviewing panel membership needs on annual basis, identifying and recruiting new members in line with diversity, equity and inclusion principles, inducting and retiring members.
• To conduct selection processes, including carrying out eligibility checks, managing panel assessment and external peer review, arranging applicant interviews and recording panel decisions.
• To act as Committee Secretary, supporting Chair and panel in an equitable award decision‑making process, providing accurate information on all applications and briefings on funding related developments, organising meetings and preparing minutes.
• To carry‑out post‑Panel meeting outcomes, including preparing Grants Committee paperwork, preparing and issuing Award Letters, reviewing award financial breakdowns, setting up awards and payment profiles.
• To monitor progress of individual grants and manage individual case work decisions, including administer change requests, financial management of tenure changes, review annual reports and provide support, as main point of contact for award holders.
• To close grants, including scheduling and reviewing final reports and conducting reconciliation.
• To provide payment profile information for payment authorisation and assist budgeting and forecasting.
• To support the promotion of funding schemes and calls to key audiences, including giving presentations and participation in events.
• To be responsible for accurate record keeping and data collection / retention, and provision of data, analysis, reports & summaries of award / scheme‑level information as required.
• Work collaboratively with others to support continuous ongoing improvement and implementation of good practice in the context of grant‑making, including contributing to review of documentation, procedures and processes and scheme development / evaluation to ensure funding provision is relevant for the science community and is delivered efficiently and effectively.
• To support activities within the Grants team aimed at increasing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion including encouraging participation from under‑represented groups and supporting the development and maintenance of policies and practices to foster greater inclusivity and to ensure that those who have followed a non‑standard career path are encouraged to apply.
• To role model desired behaviours in line with the Grants Team Charter.
• To share experience and ideas with others in the Section and the Society and contributing broadly to the Royal Society’s mission and priorities.

Key Knowledge and Skills Required:

• Educated to degree standard or equivalent (Essential).
• A good understanding of academic and / or research activities in science (Desirable).
• A good understanding of procedures and best practice in research funding and / or grant making (Desirable).
• Science degree (Desirable).

Skills:

• Excellent communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills (Essential).
• Excellent organisational and time management skills (Essential).
• Strong IT skills (Essential).
• Good presentational skills (Desirable).
• Strong influencing and negotiation skills (Desirable).
• Strong attention to detail (Essential).
• Excellent numeracy skills (Essential).

Experience:

• Experience of working in a team and across teams (Essential).
• Experience of effective internal and external engagement with people at all levels of seniority, including managing meetings and events (Essential).
• Experience of funding research and / or grant making (Desirable).
• Experience of using IT to collect, analyse and manipulate data accurately (Essential).

This may be Essential in some recruitment rounds depending on current composition of staff science background.

Competencies:

• Self-management: Works unsupervised and can motivate self; Produces results under pressure; Can manage in stressful situations; Pushes for the best results.
• Working with others: Contributes ideas and identifies opportunities to work with others both within the team and across the organisation; Willing to provide feedback to sectional colleagues when requested; Produces succinct presentations and papers for senior colleagues; Understands when to seek senior advice on potentially delicate negotiations.
• Resource management: Makes the best of internal / external resources and coordinates well with external partners to best meet the needs of the Society; Builds contingency into projects taking into account possible outside factors; Sets and monitors performance against quality and results orientated targets; Focuses on both short and long‑term goals.
• Critical thinking: Determines and clarifies the exact requirements of any situation; Checks information for accuracy and raises concerns if information is inaccurate; Extracts the key points succinctly, clearly and accurately; Puts forward suggestions for improvement concerning current processes or systems; Tries different ways of doing things to get the best results.
• Adaptability: Overcomes obstacles and is not deterred by setbacks; checks assumptions and first principles and works out alternative approaches; Reacts proactively to new challenges and works in a flexible manner to produce solutions; Provides feedback and participates in discussions surrounding new ideas approaches or projects.
• Managing people and relationships: Delegates effectively, setting clear expectations and authority; Monitors results and feedbacks to team on a regular basis; Recognises others’ contributions and acknowledges their limits; Helps others to identify ways to improve their performance; Prioritises supervisory responsibilities and carries them out in a timely fashion; Understands and can identify client / stakeholder / staff needs and looks for opportunities to improve their experiences.