Job Purpose
To manage the delivery of the Scottish Alliance for Food (SCAF) ARC and be responsible for the day‑to‑day activities (e.g., project planning, management, events and logistics). You will be the main point of contact for all project stakeholders, internal/external partners and funders to ensure the successful delivery of projects.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
- Working closely with the alliance director in all aspects of the project to ensure that all areas of work are delivered on time, to a high standard, and within budget.
- Manage daily operations of the SCAF project and coordinate all relevant activities.
- Ensure that all project planning, budget and spending is monitored and managed effectively, and financial procedures are adhered to appropriately and in a timely fashion.
- Deliver events and activities as agreed by the SCAF governance team to enhance collaborative working.
- Contribute to the effective design, delivery and management of project activities, including documentation of projected and realised benefits, dependencies, risks, and issues.
- Evaluate and monitor the delivery of stakeholder events and other activities.
- Coordinate stakeholder engagement, maintain oversight of all key networks and relationships, and manage sensitive and complex interactions throughout the duration of the project with tact and discretion.
- Manage and facilitate knowledge sharing, exchange and collaboration with colleagues to raise awareness of SCAF and its outputs, within the university, wider HE sector, private and public sector organisations, and any other relevant bodies.
- Day‑to‑day management of SCAF project staff as appropriate.
- Prepare update reports for the Steering Group, the Scottish Funding Council, and other bodies as necessary.
- Work closely with the Communications Manager to coordinate the preparation and dissemination of publications, promotional materials, conference presentations and media updates.
- Carry out mapping and horizon‑scanning exercises, identifying opportunities for the alliance in terms of future funding, partnerships and collaborations.
- Keep up to date with the literature and emerging opportunities in the field, proactively sharing knowledge and insight with alliance members.
- Support alliance members in developing high‑quality material in response to funding opportunities directly aligned to SCAF, as required by the alliance Director.
- Undertake any other reasonable duties as required by the Alliance Director.
Role Requirements for Appointment at Grade 7
- Take a leading role in the direction of all daily operations of the SCAF project and coordinate activities between project stakeholders and funders.
- Lead on planning, designing and delivering stakeholder events and other activities as agreed by the SCAF governance team to enhance collaborative working and the University’s profile.
- Proactively coordinate interactions between key stakeholders and identify opportunities ahead of time.
- Take a leading role in developing, enhancing and maintaining effective collaborations with other ARCs, the Scottish Funding Council and other relevant partner bodies and funders.
- Represent and deputise for SCAF management as necessary at internal/external groups, forums, committees and project boards.
- Provide strategic input and support in securing further funding for the alliance.
Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience
Knowledge / Qualifications
Essential Qualifications
- A1 Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 8 (Scottish Vocational Qualification level 4, Higher National Diploma), or equivalent and experience of personal development in a similar or related role(s).
- A2 Knowledge and working understanding of the Higher Education and/or the food and nutrition sector.
- A3 Detailed understanding of data protection, GDPR and personal data management in the context of large‑scale projects.
Desirable Qualifications
- B1 Degree in food, nutrition or related subject area.
- B2 Member of a relevant professional body.
Essential Qualifications – Grade 7
- A4 Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 9 (Ordinary Degree, Scottish Vocational Qualification level 4), or equivalent (including professional accreditation with relevant formal training), and experience of personal development in a similar or related role(s).
Desirable Qualifications – Grade 7
- B3 Project management / Continuous Improvement qualification and thorough understanding of project management methodologies (e.g. Prince 2, APM, Lean Six Sigma).
- B4 Trustee or Operational Committee member of a relevant professional body.
Skills
Essential Skills
- C1 Structured approach to project management, including regular and robust reporting.
- C2 Ability to challenge, test and interrogate all information provided (quantitative and qualitative) and align with best practice.
- C3 Ability to work under pressure.
- C4 Ability to liaise and co‑operate with people across organisational boundaries, skilled at setting expectations, measuring performance and communicating results.
- C5 Ability to manage complex and sensitive stakeholder relationships with tact and discretion.
- C6 Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to communicate at all levels in a professional and personable manner.
Desirable Skills
- D1 Highly numerate and IT literate, preferably with databases.
- D2 Marketing and communications experience.
- D3 Ability to use social media and digital tools to support the effectiveness of project communication.
Essential Skills – Grade 7
- C7 Excellent influencing skills across a wide stakeholder group, with an ability to engage with senior management across a range of sectors.
- C8 Numerate, with financial management skills.
- C9 Excellent negotiating skills combined with relationship‑building skills.
- C10 Ability to design and implement strategies to evaluate and monitor activities and events.
- C11 Ability to summarise complex information.
- C12 Ability to work flexibly and independently, assess and adapt to changing priorities and manage own workload effectively.
Desirable Skills – Grade 7
- D4 Ability to analyse complex negotiations.
- D5 Ability to lead, influence and motivate teams.
Experience
Essential Experience
- E1 Project management in a relevant context.
- E2 Experience of planning and organising events.
- E3 Working to deadlines and delivering on time.
- E4 Engaging and working with team members/colleagues to ensure the timely delivery of projects.
- E5 Experience of working with Microsoft Excel, including the use of formulas, pivot tables and data management to monitor progress, analyse information and support timely project delivery.
Desirable Experience
- F1 Experience in the food and nutrition sector.
- F2 Experience working across a combination of industry, higher education, policy and the charitable sectors.
- F3 Experience of using Agresso, Terminal4, PowerBI and PowerAutomate.
Essential Experience – Grade 7
- E6 Demonstrable experience in project management in relevant complex environments involving multiple stakeholders.
- E7 Experience in managing and resolving conflicts in a professional setting.
- E8 Engaging and working with professional project teams and ensuring delivery of projects to achieve targets.
- E9 Experiences in impact assessment or project monitoring and evaluation.
Desirable Experience – Grade 7
- F4 Experience of securing competitive funding.
- F5 Experience of strategic planning to support large‑scale collaboration initiatives.
Terms and Conditions
Salary will be at either Grade 6 (£33,951–£37,694) or Grade 7 (£41,064–£46,049) per annum, depending on knowledge, experience and skills. This post is full‑time and fixed‑term. It covers maternity leave for up to 12 months or until the substantive postholder returns.
On occasion, the role holder may be required to work outside Mon‑Fri 9‑5 pm to support events. Job sharing will be considered. Remote working will be considered, provided the successful candidate can travel to support events and meetings where face‑to‑face attendance is required, and/or is requested to be on campus for other business needs, with a minimum of 2 days per week in the office.
Closing date
23:45 on Tuesday 7th July 2026
