Research Development Officer

The Research Development Officer (RDO) is part of the Research Support Team and provides support to researchers within specific Schools across all aspects of pre-award research support. This includes proactive research development, research agreements, and partnership building to facilitate high-quality research, while also supporting the broader research environment and impact agenda.

Reporting to a Research Support Manager and working collaboratively within a team, the RDO helps researchers develop and secure external research grants by providing specialist support throughout the pre-award and contracting process. Acting as a key point of contact for researchers in a designated School, the RDO offers expert guidance on funder terms and conditions, costing and pricing, due diligence of external partners, and submission processes. They also play a vital role in negotiating research agreements, setting up projects, and ensuring a smooth transition from pre-award to post-award support by working closely with colleagues across the Research Strategy and Services Division (RSSD).

Main Duties:

Act as the primary point of contact for researchers within a defined School or portfolio, providing expert guidance on the development and submission of research applications. Work collaboratively within the wider Research Support Team to ensure researchers receive professional support at every stage of the process.

Work closely with researchers, their partners, and collaborators on all aspects of research development, proposal preparation, and funding submissions to UK, EU, and international funding bodies. Liaise with external partners and collaborators, as well as internal colleagues across the Division, to ensure a seamless application process.

Review, provide recommendations, and draft clauses to support the negotiation of contractual and grant funding agreements related to research awards (including funding agreements, collaboration agreements, Data Sharing Agreements, Material Transfer Agreements, etc.). Work closely with the Research Support Manager, Head of Research Support, and Business Engagement Partners as appropriate.

Provide expert advice on proposal content to ensure alignment with funding criteria, including scheme objectives, project management, resource justification, and key policies (e.g. EDI, research integrity). Ensure compliance with funder requirements and the University's financial and governance regulations.

Work with the Research Support Manager and Research Strategy and Development Partner to manage the preparation of larger or collaborative research bids, collaborating closely with senior academics and Professional Services staff.

Cost research proposals, ensuring appropriate cost recovery and compliance with the University's financial regulations, strategic pricing policies, and funder terms and conditions. Ensure the timely submission of proposals, adhering to the exact format, deadlines, and requirements set by funders. Ensure all applications are appropriately authorised in line with the University's institutional approval processes.

Advise on risk management related to research grants and agreements, ensuring compliance with funder terms and conditions as well as University policies and guidelines. Conduct due diligence on proposed external research partners, funders, and collaborators, and provide guidance on appropriate risk mitigation strategies.

Lead the development and delivery of funder and grant writing workshops, internal academic peer reviews of applications, practice interviews, pitch-to-peer sessions, and the dissemination of research funding opportunities. Support the implementation of research delivery plans within the portfolio area and across the School and College.

Collaborate with colleagues to support process and systems improvements across research activities, ensuring the effective adoption of changes.

Assist in the implementation of institution-wide systems and processes, and contribute to the development, capture, and sharing of best practices in research support.

Establish strong working relationships with teams across the RSSD, the College, and Professional Services to ensure the delivery of a highly effective and integrated service to academics, their funders, and partners.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience:

Educated to Degree level (or equivalent qualifications) plus significant relevant practical experience — where no equivalent qualification is held, substantial practical relevant experience and expertise in a series of progressively more demanding roles will be required.

Evidence of literacy and numeracy, with the ability to communicate clearly for a variety of audiences, and to produce and analyse source material, information and data.

Knowledge of the UK research funding ecosystem, key research funders and an understanding of their processes.

Detailed knowledge and experience of providing research support across research grants and/or agreements, ideally in a Higher Education setting.

Experience of successfully leading/coordinating the development of research grants and/or research agreements, including a proven knowledge and skills to successfully enhance the quality of applications through critical review.

Skills or experience of effectively identifying and assessing risk and proposing suitable mitigating steps.

Experience of developing/negotiating budgets and/or agreement terms.

Experience and professional judgement to help identify and implement improvements in service quality and efficiencies, delivering high quality customer service across own service area and beyond.

Experience of successfully engaging, and collaborating, with internal and external stakeholders to build teams, deliver key outcomes or resolve challenges across a wide range of activities.

Excellent analytical skills with an ability to analyse complex qualitative and quantitative information and present conclusions clearly and concisely to senior audiences, internal and external.

Excellent communication skills — with the ability to influence and negotiate effectively with a range of internal and external stakeholders in order to convey policies or decisions, and to influence decisions.

Proficient IT skills, including the MS Office suite and corporate systems such as WorkTribe. Confident and able to quickly learn new IT skills and software packages as required.

Excellent interpersonal skills, with proven experience of working successfully as part of a team including engaging with peers and staff, within an academic, public sector or commercial research environment.

High level of self-motivation and personal accountability with ability to plan and deliver goals to deadlines under pressure and set priorities for a wide range of tasks and duties.

Experience of championing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and 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.

Benefits:

The University offers 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. Three high quality subsidised day nurseries are available on campus. The Birmingham Professional programme provides all professional services staff with development opportunities. The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston with excellent transport links, and on campus there is a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, an art gallery, museum and botanical gardens. Flexible working arrangements are supported depending on the role.