Senior Project Manager (Research Professional Futures) (Job Number: 26000775)
Research and Innovation Services
Grade 8: - £47,389 - £56,535 per annum
Fixed Term - Full Time
Contract Duration: until 31 Dec 2029
Contracted Hours per Week: 35
Closing Date: 25-Jun-2026, 5:59:00 PM
Disclosure and Barring Service Requirement: Not Applicable.
The University
At Durham University we are proud of our people. A globally outstanding centre of educational excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other. We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things professionally and personally.
Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is a key hub of activity within our region and nationally.
We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thriving University. Further information about the University can be found here.
Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Join Us? - Information Page.
The Role and the Department
Senior Project Manager (Research Professional Futures)
The Senior Project Manager (Research Professional Futures) will lead and coordinate the delivery of the Research Professional Futures (RPF) project, funded by the Research England Development Fund (£4.5m).
The postholder will manage all aspects of the project from inception to completion, ensuring delivery of strategic objectives. This includes oversight of resources, budget, people, and partnerships. Responsibilities will include;
Lead the operational delivery of the RPF project, including development and implementation of the project initiation document and delivery plan, ensuring alignment with the project outcomes, delivery of milestones, risks and mitigations and funder expectations.
Manage project governance, including coordination of the Commission, governance bodies, and reporting structures.
Manage delivery of work packages including research, pilot interventions, competency framework development, and digital platform implementation.
Provide robust financial management, procuring services and goods in line with financial regulations, liaising with post award finance to manage any budget variance and reporting to the project board and funding body.
Monitor project progress against KPIs and milestones, prepare reports for funders and senior stakeholders, and manage risk and compliance.
Coordinate the onboarding of project staff and contributors.
Lead management of the commissioning of pilot projects, including application processes, evaluation, and reporting.
Develop and implement stakeholder engagement strategies, working closely with the Community Engagement Manager and Commission members to ensure inclusive participation across RP and academic communities.
Support the integration of AI tools and approaches across project activities, liaising with consultants and technical partners to ensure ethical and effective use.
Provide day to day line management for the assistant administrator, setting clear objectives and reviewing performance, supporting development through the Personal Development and Performance Review (PDPR) process.
Represent the project internally and externally, acting as a key point of contact for partners, funders, and sector bodies.
Manage internal and external communications, working closely with the collective leadership team, Commission membership, and external communications and marketing agencies
Support event logistics and delivery, with content led by the Community Engagement Manager.
Represent the project at sector events and conferences and participate in relevant external professional networks and sector bodies
The post will support the wider RPF team, across different institutions, and will be based in Research and Innovation Services at Durham University. Research and Innovation Services (RIS) provides guidance, expert advice and hands-on support for all aspects of research and research-related work, including securing funding, working with partners, undertaking knowledge exchange, demonstrating impact, commercialising outputs, ensuring good research practice and supporting professional development.
The base location for this role is Boldon House, our exciting new professional services hub. Boldon House is situated on the outskirts of Durham near the Arnison Centre in Pity Me. Boldon House brings a number of professional services teams together in a vibrant office environment which supports collaborative working and is designed to embrace hybrid working.
There will be requirements at times to travel within the UK to attend meetings with the project leadership and delivery teams, and for wider sessions such National Commission meetings.
Further information about the role and the responsibilities is at the bottom of this job description.
Working at Durham
A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University:
- You’ll receive 30 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 42 days per year. The University closes between Christmas and New Year.
- We offer a generous pension scheme, and as a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS).
- No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have ample parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies. You can also take advantage of our cost-effective and environmentally friendly Tusker Car Benefit Scheme, allowing you to lease a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle with savings on tax and National Insurance.
- We have a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities.
- We provide wide-ranging health and wellbeing support including discounted membership for our state-of-the-art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
- Our on-site nursery is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and you can access holiday camps for children aged 5-16.
- Our family-friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
- We offer all staff the opportunity to take part in volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community.
- You can access exclusive discounts via our benefits portal including money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, eating out and days out at various attractions.
- Various salary sacrifice schemes are also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits.
- If you are moving to Durham, you may be eligible for help with removal costs, and we have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools. If you need a visa, we cover most visa costs and offer an interest-free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas.
Discover more about our total rewards and benefits package here.
Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.
Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential, and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work. As a University equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive.
We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. If you have taken time out of your career, and you feel it relevant, let us know about it in your application. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.
What you need to demonstrate when you apply/Person Specification
When you apply it is important that you let us know what skills/experience you have from a similar role and/or what skills/experience you have which would make you right for this role. Further information about the role and responsibilities is at the end of this job description. Where a criteria has an asterisk* next to it, it may be given additional weighting when your application is considered.
Your application should cover the following criteria:
Essential Criteria
Qualifications/Experience
1. Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience).
2. Professional practitioner with specialist knowledge and expertise managing large scale projects with multiple stakeholders and delivery teams.
3. Experience of providing specialist advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues, including more senior colleagues.
4. Experience of participating in internal or external networks to share and discuss good practice, develop strong and productive working relationships and positively influence the University’s reputation.
5. Experience of implementing policies and procedures and supporting service improvements.
6. Track record of management and development experience and/or an enhanced management qualification applied across a large service team or teams.
7. Experience of managing and controlling budgets.
Skills/Abilities/Knowledge
8. Comprehensive understanding of the external research policy landscape.
9. Ability to contribute to the design and delivery of events including roundtables, stakeholder engagement events, and conferences.
10. Excellent spoken and written communication skills including the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally
11. Strong interpersonal skills, and ability to build effective relationships across diverse stakeholders.
12. Strong digital competence across a range of digital devices and apps including digital communication tools, Microsoft 365 applications, business systems etc.
13. Committed to continuing professional development to maintain professional recognition.
14. Extensive knowledge and experience of ensuring compliance with regulatory and organisational policy and guidelines.
15. Ability to contribute to planning at operational and strategic level, including compiling and using management information (for example reviewing performance against KPIs).
16. Ability to solve problems and decide on and plan appropriate solutions.
17. Ability to work independently, prioritise tasks, meet deadlines, and adapt to changing environments while maintaining effectiveness under pressure.
Desirable Criteria
1. Postgraduate degree.
2. Professional accredited qualifications (such as APM/PRINCE2).
3. Experience of project management software.
4. Experience of using AI in an ethical, secure and responsible way.
How to apply
To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification above. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria. Please don’t forget to check if there is any weighted criteria (see above).
While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.
Submitting your application
We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates.
What you need to submit
- A CV: and
- A supporting statement which outlines how you meet all of the criteria within the Person Specification.
Contact details
For a chat about the role or any further information please contact Lorna Wilson (
[email protected]), Managing Director of Research and Innovation Services.
Typical Role Requirements
Service Delivery/Development
- Contribute to equality, diversity and inclusion and the University’s values.
- Develop and apply an in-depth understanding of university policy and external developments when carrying out your role.
- Ensure that policy and regulatory standards are met by Research Professional Futures and related project management activities.
- Use your professional knowledge and experience as a project manager to resolve problems, shape processes and activities, develop systems and provide subject matter expertise and advice.
- Use your managerial and leadership expertise to identify priorities and shape Research Professional Futures to achieve the required outcomes.
- Look for ways to continually improve services and take a lead role in the development and implementation of assigned policies, processes and standards.
- Initiate and manage business process reviews to improve the service in your area.
- Ensure data (commercially sensitive and/or personal) is appropriately stored and managed.
- Manage quality and regulatory audits of systems and procedures.
- Support the welfare, wellbeing and employment of your staff by providing professional guidance.
Planning and Organisation
- Contribute to the development of operational plans relevant to your area.
- Oversee the analysis of data about the service levels provided by your area and make recommendations for improvement in reports to senior managers and committees.
- Allocate and monitor designated budgets, expenditure and resources.
Team Development
- Manage and develop the people, performance and resources of Research Professional Futures to ensure that a customer-focused service is provided.
- Help shape the skills and expertise needed to deliver a professional service by recruiting, inducting and training team members and structuring the team in a way that will best meet operational and strategic priorities.
- Ensure that your team can deliver the required services by devolving and delegating responsibilities to appropriate team members.
- Carry out regular performance reviews to provide feedback on objectives and expectations and identify any development needs.
- Handle most HR issues and support the welfare and wellbeing of your team, referring more complex issues to specialist services or more senior managers.
Communication/Liaison
- Use your professional knowledge to identify and recommend priorities for long-term business plans.
- Provide professional guidance and advice when managing complaints and arising issues.
- Design creative and innovative communications to promote and increase engagement relating to Research Professional Futures.
- Influence University policy, standards and governance by leading operational business meetings, working groups and sub-committees.
- Create strong working relationships, including internal and external networks, using your networks to increase your knowledge and skills, swap information with peers and positively influence the University’s reputation.
- Represent Research Professional Futures and the University at promotional events.
- Identify opportunities to develop and increase participation in special interest groups.
- Any other reasonable duties.
Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Privacy Notices - Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.
When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.
