Project Manager

at  Kings College London

Job id: 087250. Salary: £51,974 - £61,021 per annum, including London Weighting Allowance.
Posted: 03 April 2024. Closing date: 24 April 2024.
Business unit: Research Management & Innovation. Department: Research Governance, Ethics & Integrity.
Contact details: Martin Broadstock. martin.broadstock@kcl.ac.uk
Location: Guy’s Campus. Category: Professional & Support Services.
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Job description
The Project Manager will manage multiple workstreams within the KCL INKLUDE Project - Inclusion as a Norm at King’s - Leadership, Understanding the issues, Developing individuals, Enacting change. This project seeks to implement and evaluate innovative approaches to significantly improve the inclusion of individuals from under-represented groups in research careers. The project will initially focus on women and those from minoritised ethnic groups.
The project is led by President & Principal of King’s College London, Professor Shitij Kapur, and Dean of Research Culture, Professor Tim Newton, with co-applicants drawn from across the university on the basis of their knowledge, experience and skills in the area. It is funded through the Wellcome Trust Institutional Funding for Research Culture grant scheme.
The INKLUDE project is underpinned by three core values of Cultural Humility, Cultural Safety and Cultural Competency/Culturally Adapted. The programme of work comprises 5 Work Packages (WP):
WP1: Understand the issues through exploring the current systemic barriers to this goal.
WP2: Leaders of research at all levels will be given the skills to create a positive and supportive research culture through optimising inclusive practices.
WP3: Develop individuals in order to mitigate current barriers to inclusion through the delivery of both a course of individual development and sponsorship to women and people from minoritised ethnic groups (THRIVE@KCL), and a course for those who will act as allies for to women and people from minoritised ethnic groups (ALLIANCETHRIVE@KCL). WP4: Enact change through a range of institutional commitments. WP5: Co-production of the resources, interventions, evaluation and dissemination of the programme
The project is a complex and multi-faceted involving stakeholder from a variety of backgrounds both within and beyond academia. Central to the success of this project will be an experienced Project Manager to manage and co-ordinate activity across the 5 workstreams and have day to day responsibility for the project activity under the guidance of the research team. The successful candidate will work with the central Research Culture team, reporting the Head of Research Culture/Dean of Research Governance, Ethics and Integrity and working on a day-to-day under the direction of the work package leads in the faculties.
We are seeking candidates with excellent organisational and communication skills and the ability to work confidently and assertively with a range of senior stakeholders, using negotiating and influencing skills to achieve successful outcomes. A project management qualification is desirable, however a good understanding of the research culture agenda in higher education and strong experience of managing projects and/or research support at management level would be considered suitable for this role.
This role will have a hybrid working model with a requirement to be in the office a minimum of 1 day per week. The successful candidate will be expected to work across all King’s Campuses, with a main base with the Research Culture team at Lavington Street (Guy’s Campus).
Please note that shortlisting will be based on adequate demonstration within the personal statement of how essential and desirable criteria are met.
This post will be offered on an a fixed-term contract for 24 months.
This is a full-time post - 100% full time equivalent.
Key Responsibilities
Responsible for project management and delivery of multiple and complex key strategic work packages, in collaboration with subject matter experts, faculties and senior stakeholders
Work with the project team and research staff to agree and confirm the project objectives, scope and deliverables
Effectively plan to ensure delivery of objectives by, defining schedules, timescales, milestones and dependencies to meet agreed timelines
Work with project staff on the dissemination strategy for the project, both within and beyond academia
Deliver the agreed project scope and manage any request for change as directed by the project team and senior stakeholders
Work with the wider team to define and secure project resource requirements
Work in a collaborative manor across the organisation and communicate challenges or opportunities to others who may be impacted by them
Manage any project risks or issues, co-ordinating mitigations and resolutions
Support in the management of the project budget, maintaining accurate records of expenditure and monitoring the budget
Work within KCL’s good research governance policies and procedures and within the programme governance structure and delivery framework
Oversee negotiating and collaborating with other team members to ensure deadlines are met
Work with the project team and research staff to prepare regular reports of activities (noting progress targets and projected timelines) for the Partnership & Advisory group
Assist the project team in the reporting requirements for the funders
Monitor the well-being of individuals involved in the project, and where necessary arrange supervision and support
Monitor project benefits and ensure they are captured and realised
Skills, Knowledge and Experience

Essential Criteria

• Educated to degree level or a minimum of 2 years relevant administrative experience
• Excellent project management skills
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with a proven ability to be able to work with individuals and stakeholder groups in a collaborative and consultative manner
• Ability to write concise and clear reports on project progress
• Ability to problem solve and think strategically
• Experience of working independently, showing initiative and making high level decisions
• Highly collaborative and able to work with colleagues in a wide variety of contexts, delivering results that consider the widest needs of the organisation
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to prioritise, working under own direction
• Ability to demonstrate professionalism and command respect with academic and non-academic staff at all levels

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of working with individuals from groups typically underrepresented in research settings
• Project management qualification

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post

Please refer the Job description for details