Job Purpose

To provide effective and efficient management of MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit (SPHSU) research support activities, including professional/administrative, operational, and technical support functions, and to support to the Unit Director, Professor Laurence Moore, and programme leads of the SPHSU. In March 2026 SPHSU will be closing, as a result of withdrawal of MRC funding, with ongoing research projects and staff integrating into other departments within the School of Health and Wellbeing. Therefore, a key focus of the role will be to support the orderly wind-down of SPHSU-specific research support activities, and the effective integration of these activities into the wider School of Health Wellbeing by agreed dates.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Lead on development and implementation of strategy for the future planning of Unit services working with colleagues across the School of Health and Wellbeing and wider University services. This will involve developing a range of solutions for different Unit services and infrastructure within critical, and often evolving, timelines, including server and data management and transfer of these to the University.

2. Lead on relevant operational duties to ensure efficient and continuous research support service provision during a period of significant change and ambiguity.

3. Provide support to university P&OD colleagues and Unit colleagues managing staff changes during the SPHSU transition period.

4. Provide oversight of SPHSU finances and budget monitoring, including working alongside finance colleagues to update forecasts and budgets, and advise researchers on the management of their project and programme budgets.

5. Review Unit systems and procedures, prepare strategic policy/business papers and reports, and identify appropriate new arrangements based on best practice.

6. Ensure current Unit and future processes being implemented as part of the change are compliant with relevant research governance and University regulations.

7. Embed knowledge and practice in the use of business processes and systems through regular training of staff and business briefings.

8. Provide executive support for the Unit Director across various areas, including preparing and drafting presentations and meeting notes, and following up action points when required.

9. Lead the Unit’s multi-disciplinary resources to manage and mitigate risks in line with University of Glasgow and funder assurance processes.

10. Provide a key point of contact for the Unit funder [MRC] and co-ordinate the return of the Unit’s annual funder assurance statement.

11. Manage the Unit’s risk register and business continuity plan.

12. Work with the Unit’s Director and senior leadership team, providing additional resource/support when required.

13. Line management of professional services staff within the SPHSU, with oversight of workload modelling and workforce planning to meet key deadlines.

14. Engage in reasonable professional development activities as appropriate.

15. Undertake any additional duties as required by the Unit Director.

Knowledge/Qualifications

Essential:

A1. Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 9, 10 or 11 (Ordinary/Honours Degree, Post Graduate Qualification) or equivalent, including being professionally qualified in a relevant discipline, with a broad range of professional experience in a similar management role.

A2. Knowledge of governance and business processes in Higher Education

Desirable

B1.  Knowledge of the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit and understanding of the context in which the Unit operates (funding, organisational, governance context).

B2.  Knowledge and experience working in a health or social science research environment.

Skills

Essential:

C1.  Excellent organisational leadership and management skills, including the ability to empower and motivate others to achieve objectives.

C2.  Demonstrably excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.

C3.  Excellent operational, risk management and organisational skills.

C4.  Effective writing and communication skills to produce clear all-staff communications, presentations and strategic reports for the Unit Director.

C5.  Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, particularly influencing, negotiation and diplomacy.

C6.  Broad understanding of financial management and budgeting frameworks.

C7.  Excellent IT skills especially in the operation of Microsoft Office and reporting tools.

C8.  Ability to operate effectively during a period of significant and ongoing change.

Experience

Essential:

E1.  Extensive and recent professional/management experience in a similar or related role.

E2.  Experience of developing strategy and leading successful change/project management within a higher Education Institution.

E3.  Experience of monitoring and reviewing processes with the ability to challenge the status quo effectively and develop innovative approaches.

E4.  Proven ability managing excellent relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders

Terms and conditions

Salary will be Grade8, £49,559 - £57,422 per annum pro rata.

This post is full time (part time requests will be considered) and open ended with funding available until 31 March 2026.

Informal enquiries may be directed to Alice Maclachlan,  Alice.Maclachlan@glasgow.ac.uk

The University of Glasgow has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.  If you require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK, you will be required to meet the eligibility requirements of the visa route to be assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship.

Please note that this post may be eligible to be sponsored under the Skilled Worker visa route if tradeable points can be used under the Skilled Worker visa rules. For more information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa.

Closing date: 23:45 on Tuesday 18th March 2025