Centre Manager (EDRC) – School of Chemical Engineering -106932 – Grade 8 Full-time

Energy Demand Research Centre Manager

An exciting opportunity has arisen at the University of Birmingham for a high-performing professional to take on the management of the Energy Demand Research Centre (EDRC) – an ambitious and dynamic research centre supported by a £15 million grant from UK Research Innovation, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council.

EDRC has a key role in providing evidence on actionable solutions for energy demand reduction across different sectors, and our research is interdisciplinary, covering expertise in technological, social, economic, business and policy aspects. We explore the delivery of integrated technological and social change to rapidly reduce emissions, secure prosperity, reduce inequality and improve quality of life. We have a strong focus on engagement with key stakeholders in academia, industry, policy, NGOs and the media, in order to achieve high impact for our research.

This challenging role sits across The Birmingham Energy Institute and The Birmingham Business School and is line managed by our Deputy Director of Operations while reporting, substantively, to the Centre Director, Professor Mari Martiskainen and Co-Director Sara Walker. You will be responsible for overall management of the Centre, including day-to-day operations, line management, reporting, supporting stakeholder engagement, managing a Flexible Fund and coordinating the Centre's programme of research. You will work collaboratively with the Director, Co-Director and the Centre Leadership Team to develop and deliver the strategic vision of the Centre, and in so doing support the University's ambition to create a world-leading research centre.

To manage large or multiple projects across a School, College or professional service area, or make a significant contribution to larger University-wide projects as part of a project team.

Main Duties

Project Delivery

• Responsible for managing large or multiple projects that may have contributors from multiple areas. This will include some or all of the following:
• leading on the management of the project, including influencing and developing complex project plans
• creating and maintaining an overall project management plan for the whole project or projects using project management principles and using appropriate software
• identifying objectives and indicators of success
• planning, organising and maintaining a regular schedule of project meetings and ensuring sufficient engagement by all relevant parties to the project
• establish effective networking relationships with all stakeholders
• managing the budget for the project as required
• delivering project outputs agreed with senior management, on time, to budget and to the agreed quality standard

Monitoring, evaluation and communication

• Develop and implement a comprehensive evaluation strategy for the project.
• Establish and implement reporting procedures which meet requirements, and ensure all necessary data is gathered in a timely and efficient manner.
• Analyse data to determine if it is fit for purpose and take appropriate action to ensure data quality where necessary.
• Develop reporting mechanisms for the project then report on project progress to the project board or equivalent and highlight any risks.
• Maintain a risk register as appropriate, and communicate risks in a timely manner, proactively proposing solutions.
• Engage and communicate with a variety of stakeholders to ensure progress but also to disseminate outputs of the project as appropriate.

People management

• Manage diverse groups of staff ensuring relevant targets and goals are achieved within resource constraints.
• Create a motivating environment where staff are supported, developed, encouraged and challenged to achieve outstanding results.
• Responsible for ensuring all annual review processes, including Performance and Development Reviews are conducted in the service area.
• Identify appropriate opportunities for development and change and encourage other team members to do the same.
• Guide staff through periods of change, communicating a clear and positive vision.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• Relevant degree or relevant equivalent professional qualification, plus significant project management experience (in increasingly large and/or complex projects) or substantial relevant experience evidencing the experience required in this role
• Formal Project Management qualifications such as APMP, Prince2 or MSP and evidence of knowledge and application of Gantt charts and critical path analysis.
• Authoritative knowledge of the work practices, processes and procedures relevant to the role, including broader sector/commercial awareness.
• Evidence of literacy and numeracy, with the ability to write clearly for a variety of audiences, and to produce and analyse source material, information and data.
• Proven ability to meet targets, with minimal supervision to deadlines
• Substantial experience of engaging, and collaborating, with internal and external stakeholders.
• Proven analytical and problem-solving skills that will help to identify and implement improvements and efficiencies across the project or projects you work on
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including orally and in writing, with the ability to influence and negotiate effectively with a range of stakeholders
• Experience of managing large financial budgets along with experience of budget planning and forecasting
• Highly proficient IT skills, including the MS Office suite. You should be confident and able to quickly learn new IT skills and software packages as required
• Excellent people management skills, with proven experience of leading, motivating and managing teams
• High level of self-motivation and personal accountability with ability to plan and deliver goals to deadlines under pressure
• Ability to monitor and evaluate the extent to which equality and diversity legislation, policies, procedures are applied.
• Ability to identify issues with the potential to impact on protected groups and take appropriate action.
• Experience of championing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in own work area.
• Ability to monitor and evaluate the extent to which equality and diversity legislation, policies, procedures are applied.
• Ability to identify issues with the potential to impact on protected groups and take appropriate action.

Roles at this level provide authoritative professional advice across a range of activities and/or will lead and manage diverse team(s) and resources. You will use your professional skills to resolve problems where the solution is not immediately apparent. Significant evaluation and independent thought is therefore required to resolve ambiguity. You will have wide discretion to decide on direction whilst ensuring activities are broadly consistent with operational policies. You will be able to influence policy through advising on the impact of policy change and implementation in your area of work. You will need to assess the impact of your activities across your area, with related areas and to ensure they fit with the broader objectives of the University.

Provide professional expertise, and manage resources and/or a diverse team; integrate and co-ordinate work across different parts of the department/university; lead and manage staff who are likely to be carrying out diverse duties, and ensure collaborative working to deliver a successful service; project manage activities to facilitate major changes; develop policy within functional guidelines, and contribute to strategic development within own area; be accountable for the quality and professionalism of service delivery, with an appreciation of longer term issues.

Anticipate, interpret and assess customer needs, identifying trends, generating original ideas and testing innovative solutions; deal with significant people management issues such as change programmes; resolve issues which may not have arisen before through use of experience and judgement.

Has an excellent understanding of their own working area and a broad understanding of the contribution other areas make to the success of the University; has an excellent understanding of how the University operates, together with an understanding of how academia operates in the UK; demonstrates empathy with the academic endeavour and seeks to encourage others to do so. Use coaching skills to motivate and develop staff; proactively and sensitively manage the performance of their team and create a motivating environment; influence others (including across the University) to follow a particular course of action; represent the department at internal and external meetings/events/network with colleagues in other institutions to share best practice.