EU Project Administrator

The main purpose of the post is to provide administrative and management support for the coordination of a major EU research infrastructures project, NanoCommons. The project is led by Professor Iseult Lynch, and is part of a portfolio of EU research projects involving Professor Iseult Lynch and Professor Eva Valsami-Jones. The NanoCommons project has 12 European partners and 2 from the USA, with a total funding value of €5.7m, and involves research, networking and access (exchange) activities.

Summary of Role

This postholder will be part of the Environmental Nanoscience Research Group in the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences. The successful candidate will be responsible for project management and administrative support of the activities of the research group, particularly in relation to the EU-funded project NanoCommons, as well as other major projects, such as ACEnano. This busy and challenging role will include management of the research group's activities, liaising with project partners, diary and data keeping, travel planning, maintenance of the research projects’ web pages, and preparation of reports.

The postholder will need to be able to adapt quickly and professionally to the needs of the day, and to be able to cope well and harmoniously with conflicting demands. In delivering this role efficiently and effectively, the postholder will be expected to exercise judgement and to use initiative in being proactive. This will require a strong ability to organise, influence and cater well for a wide variety of work including much that is confidential in nature. The postholder will need to have the personal confidence to interact appropriately with a wide range of people both internal and external, from Academic and Professional Services, and across all levels in ways which support a very positive impression of the Research Group in communications with international partners and funding bodies such as the European Commission.

Main Duties / Responsibilities

The post holder will be responsible for all aspects of the administration of the NanoCommons Project and Research Group, including but not limited to:

• Daily group support
• To support the day-to-day activities of a busy research group, including liaising with individual project partners and the European Commission and other project funding bodies, diary keeping, travel planning, booking and preparing support documentation.

Project assistance

• To provide administrative support, proactively request information from and provide information to research partners internally and in other external institutions, and external contacts in anticipation of it being required.
• To develop a level of understanding of the project context in order to be able to take accurate minutes of discussions and (tele)conferences and represent the Research Group in European and project-related meetings.
• To become familiar with the NanoCommons project partners, their roles in the project and their team members, so to liaise effectively in supporting project related exchanges.
• To manage the project website, ensuring that content is accessible, up to date and fresh.

Event organisation

• To organise project meetings/events, both within the College of Life & Environmental Sciences, and in external venues within the UK and abroad. This includes sourcing a suitable venue, the organisation of invitations and delegate lists, the preparation of event programmes and agendas, producing delegate information packs, organising catering needs, ensuring that the correct presentation equipment is available and that the event runs smoothly.
• To organise and contribute to 6-monthly project consortium meetings and EU NanoSafety Cluster activities, and to be willing to attend meetings both within the UK and abroad.
• To organise and contribute to workshops, committee meetings, and training events for the project and support the User Selection Panel members and Transnational Access (TA) Users.

Travel arrangements

• To manage and arrange all aspects of any travel that may be undertaken by the research group and occasionally by project partners and other affiliates. This includes organising flights, train tickets, hotels, taxis, car hire, etc. The post holder is responsible for ensuring that the arrangements provide value for money.

Records & Data management

• To assist the Research Group in establishing and maintaining project information, including datasets, deliverables (reports to the EU and other funding bodies), purchases and other financial records.
• To administer and maintain project information systems, including databases, taking into account good practice in records management and information classification requirements, ensuring the smooth flow of data to and from other systems, and keeping up to date with IT and electronic communication systems as necessary.
• To maintain databases and hard copy filing systems as required, ensuring a complete, navigable and accessible record of all activity relating to each deliverable, TA User application, or other group derived documents and active projects.
• Interrogating these databases and creating and generating reports on research and TA Users’ activity and performance to support Project management decision-making.

Support Group governance

• To assist the servicing of the Environmental Nanoscience research group as required which may be by:
• Organising meetings
• Preparing agendas
• Preparing papers for meetings
• In some instances, attending meetings and taking minutes ensuring that any follow up work is undertaken to completion
• Support regular reporting to the European Commission and other funding bodies and project maintenance
• To assist compliance with the funding bodies’ expectations of the project, including: familiarity with relevant on line project record keeping and maintenance, update and maintain deadlines for deliverables, and liaise with partners providing the information for compilation of deliverables, material deliveries to partners and record keeping of each of the 14 partners' progress.
• To work closely with colleagues in Research Finance and Contracts to identify and resolve issues around project finances in a timely and effective way.
• To monitor and support the process of any changes in the Consortium or Grant Agreements of the project.

Research Proposal Writing Support

• To manage the flow of activity throughout the application stage of any tender or bid to funding bodies in line with the timetable and bid requirements; scheduling, monitoring and progress-chasing all data returns across multiple parties, resolving problems that arise by drawing on experience and knowledge of internal and external systems, and negotiating procedural issues with internal and external counterparts when required
• To compile and complete parts of the application/pre-tender/tender documentation, including drafting or editing text, especially in instances where generic or institution specific information is required (insurance details, published University financial data, staff profiles, PowerPoint figures etc.)
• To ensure appropriate and high-impact formatting of final application/tender documentation in line with University branding guidelines and funder requirements.

Personal support

• To provide administrative support to the Project Coordinator (Prof Iseult Lynch), other Group Leaders (Prof Eva Valsami Jones), and to the Group’s Project Manager (Mr Tom Carney), including general office administration and administrative support to the wider Research Team (comprising 5 Postdocs and 20 PhD students, as well as various visiting researchers) as appropriate.

Person Specification

Skills

• Ability to work proactively, independently and as part of a team
• Ability to problem solve and use own judgement to make decisions, either independently or after consultation with others
• Able to demonstrate an ability to manipulate data and apply accurate formulae using Excel
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, and ability to communicate effectively and appropriately with a wide range of people
• Excellent organisational skills with outstanding ability to prioritise own workload according to changing business needs and daily work constraints
• Excellent IT skills including proficiency in the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint, and the ability and willingness to quickly learn new software in support of the role

Qualifications

• Good general education, at least to degree level or equivalent professional experience and evidence of continuing professional development or further learning

Knowledge and Experience

• Demonstrable experience in project or financial management
• Demonstrable skills in and experience of formal project management, in particular with regards to EU FP7 and H2020 projects.
• Experience of managing delegated budgets
• Strong team working attitude and experience
• Excellent attention to detail
• Flexibility to take on a wide variety of tasks, taking account of the need to manage competing demands and busy workload
• A high level of professionalism and discretion is required, particularly when dealing with information of a confidential nature
• Ability to work and communicate with a diverse range of stakeholders courteously, diplomatically and confidentially.
• Ability to work under pressure, to meet deadlines, and deal with confidential and sensitive data in accordance with appropriate legislation
• Ability to use judgement and make appropriate decisions within the constraints of the role