Research Development Manager (Maternity Cover) in Lancaster

Location: Lancaster

Salary: £48,414 to £51,377 depending on experience

Hybrid working arrangement

Maternity cover (14 months)

Closing date: Monday 18th May 2026

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we find the right candidate, so we encourage you to apply early.

Are you proactive, strategic and passionate about helping research thrive? Do you enjoy building strong relationships, identifying opportunities and providing expert guidance that drives growth and impact? If so, we want to hear from you!

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated individual to join us as a Research Development Manager on a maternity cover basis, supporting the Biodiversity and Land Use Science Area at UKCEH. You will provide specialist and technical expertise through advice, guidance and support to maximise research development opportunities, impact and competitively won income in line with business objectives. You will gather, interpret and assess internal and external customer needs, opportunities and risks to inform the delivery of high-quality advice and support. Working collaboratively across the organisation, you will develop a strong understanding of wider UKCEH activities and strategies to ensure all advice aligns with organisational priorities. You will also plan and prioritise individual and team activities, coordinating work across different areas of the Biodiversity and Land Use Science Area to ensure an effective and joined-up approach.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Support strategic bidding activities and individual bids for the Science Area
• Proactively and reactively engage with internal and external partners to develop and/or maintain relationships to create networks and maintain knowledge to facilitate information exchange.
• Represent the organisation and function at internal and external events and through written and verbal activities including reporting to communicate and exchange information in an efficient manner.
• Manage a portfolio of work and/or a team including planning, prioritisation and budgeting to support efficient working, optimise value and ensure informed decision making.
• Deliver, through a variety of mechanisms, proactive and reactive advice and information to internal and external stakeholders based on the best available information to meet the needs of those stakeholders and UKCEH.
• Gather, analyse and interpret potentially complex information and data to create knowledge and, where appropriate, to identify issues and potential solutions that will enable reporting of understanding and the effective operation of UKCEH.
• Maintain and improve capability and expertise of individuals and their team (as appropriate) through a continuous learning process to optimise individual and team working and maintain an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the field.

For the role of Research Development Manager, we’re looking for somebody who:

• In-depth knowledge and understanding of environmental biodiversity and the research funding landscape particularly from the public sector
• Extensive level of experience and proven success in the specialist area of work
• Ability to communicate technical concepts and provide specialist guidance and advice to others.
• Ability to communicate with the entire range of UKCEH internal and external stakeholders
• Budget management skills and the ability to deliver and demonstrate value for money.
• Experience in setting targets and managing delivery to effectively meet expectations and ensure compliance.
• Strong analytical skills, based on systems, data and market information, relevant to the field of work to inform decision making across UKCEH.
• Be able to work on own initiative and in partnership in disparate teams across UKCEH and to show continuous learning and development.
• Qualified to degree level or with appropriate experience.

Working for UKCEH is rewarding. We appreciate the continuous dedication and contributions of our staff, which is why we provide a comprehensive benefits package that includes financial incentives and wellbeing-oriented perks, such as:

• 27 days annual leave (rising to 29 days after 5 years’ service) plus 3 days for Christmas closure
• 10% employer pension contribution
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements (role dependent)
• Peer reward and recognition scheme
• Dental insurance, gym/fitness discounts, retail discount portal
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• 24-hour, 365-day support with physical, mental, social, health or financial issues and much more...

If this opportunity resonates with you and aligns with your personal career goals, the team would love to receive your application. Please apply by submitting your CV along with a covering letter that highlights any qualifications, skills or experience you believe are relevant to this role.

At UKCEH, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone—regardless of background, identity, ability, or circumstance—has the opportunity to thrive. As a Disability Confident employer, we actively encourage applications from neurodivergent candidates and those with disabilities. We are happy to provide any adjustments or support you may need throughout the application process—please don’t hesitate to reach out. So, if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we’d love to hear from you anyway. You may be just the right fit for this role or another within our wider team.

Please note: Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role, and this does not qualify for endorsement to support a Global Talent Visa application. If you are considering pursuing self-sponsorship, please indicate this in your application so we can take it into account during the recruitment process.