Research Project Manager, Tools, Practices and Systems (Deadline: Sept 06, 2020) | Alan Turing Institute

Company Description

The Alan Turing Institute is the UK’s national institute for data science and artificial intelligence. The Institute is named in honour of the scientist Alan Turing and its mission is to make great leaps in data science and artificial intelligence research in order to change the world for the better.

Position

The Alan Turing Institute is looking to appoint a Research Project Manager, Tools, Practices and Systems.  The successful candidate will coordinate and support work within the Tools, Practices and Systems (TPS) programme.  The TPS programme at the Turing represents a cross-cutting set of initiatives which seek to build open source infrastructure that is accessible to all, and to empower a global, decentralised network of people who connect data with domain experts.

This role will include administering a portfolio of high impact research projects, as well as overseeing, planning, organising and communicating the activities generated by those projects.

The post holder will work with the Programme Lead and academic researchers to coordinate each research project from concept to implementation; this will involve understanding the resource requirements for each project, drawing up detailed financial plans, coordinating funding applications, agreeing on clear milestones for each project, ensuring that the deliverables are completed on schedule, as well as providing regular updates to the Institute’s leadership on the progress of each project.

The Research Project Manager, Tools, Practices and Systems will also  coordinate and support multi-disciplinary teams of research engineers, data scientists and other researchers across a range of partners. These include universities and research centres across the spectrum of UK Research and Innovation funding areas as well as UK businesses, charities and third-sector organisations. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the growth and development of one of the Turing’s most interdisciplinary programmes of research.

The Research Project Manager, Tools, Practices and Systems will also need to liaise closely with Institute research and operations staff, in London, at university and research centre partners, to perform their duties.

Duties and Responsibilities

Research Project Management and Delivery

• Coordinate and oversee the delivery of research projects. This will involve:
  • Working with the research teams to outline the resource requirements for each project, to support them in applying for funding (if needed), to agree on clear milestones for each project, and to ensure that the deliverables are completed on schedule;
  • Working with the Turing’s finance team to draw up detailed financial plans for each project and with the Institute’s legal counsel to put the right contracts in place;
  • Providing regular updates to the Institute’s leadership on the progress of each project;
  • Working alongside the communications team to disseminate the findings of each project. 
• Coordinate some of the programme’s events, training, and knowledge exchange initiatives. This will involve:
  • Working alongside researchers and the programme’s leadership to identify a suitable venue for each initiative, to shape the agenda, to create the guest list, to publicise the initiative, and to ensure that meeting minutes are taken and distributed.
• Maintain up-to-date records that enable effective monitoring, control and evaluation of the programme’s research initiatives;
• Produce regular reports on activity to external partners and funders.

Programme Operations and Resources Management

• Perform resources planning and financial analysis for the programme. This will involve assisting in the preparation of the programme’s budget, anticipating future staffing and operational needs, identifying potential funding sources, as well as managing the programme’s office space and payment of expenses;
• Coordinate the delivery of strong programme governance. This will involve developing, writing, and editing reports and presentations for the Institute’s senior leaders, Board of Trustees, and funders, which outline the programme’s progress and initiatives;
• Working with the HR team, organise the recruitment of additional programme researchers or administrative staff. This will involve writing job advertisements, organising interview panels, and overseeing the onboarding process for new hires;
• Provide day-to-day support to the Programme Director and programme research leadership.

Requirements

ESSENTIAL

Qualifications and experience

• Degree or equivalent level of professional qualifications and/or experience;
• Relevant experience in project management, preferably in an open-source environment.

Skills

• S