Research Systems and Information Officer

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. 

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.  Whether you are at the very start, middle or end of your career, there is a role for you. We believe everyone has their own unique skills to offer. 

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

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.

This post sits within the Policy, Systems and Performance team in Research & Innovation Services (RIS). The team is responsible for the University’s research information management systems, the overall governance and ethical framework for both funded and unfunded research & research related activities across the institution, support for institutional strategy development and the compilation of relevant returns including HEBCI, KEF, KEC and REF, as well as management information reporting relating to university research and knowledge exchange (RKE) activities. 

As Research Systems and Information Officer you will contribute to the implementation and development of the RIS RKE systems as well as training and communications about these systems across the University. Current research systems include Worktribe Research Management, Infonetica Ethics RM, and Dynamics CRM. You will contribute to ensuring our research systems are configured in the most optimal and user-friendly way and that any associated training and communications will be delivered in a clear, concise and timely manner. You will analyse research data and develop and present reports to key stakeholders

You will report to the Senior Manager – Research Systems and Reporting but will work closely with colleagues across the Research and Innovation Services Directorate as well as colleagues in faculties, departments and across professional support services.

It is essential that as Research Systems and Information Officer you are highly organised and pay close attention to detail.  The capability to prioritise and manage a busy and varied workload is crucial. The ability to work across business-as-usual activities and multiple concurrent projects at different stages of development is essential.

This role is suitable for hybrid working. 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. To find out more, visit the project webpage: Boldon House – Durham University.

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 27 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year - a total of 39 days. 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.     Post-16 qualification or equivalent experience.

2.     Experience and expertise in the development and delivery of systems and reporting services, preferably in the research or Higher Education sectors

3.     Experience of providing advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues.   

4.     Experience of implementing policies and procedures. 

Skills/Abilities/Knowledge

5.     Excellent spoken and written communication skills including the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally.

6.     Strong digital competence across a range of digital devices and apps including digital communication tools, Microsoft 365 applications, business systems.

7.     Accuracy, numeracy and the ability to analyse, interpret, contextualize and explain complex information and data sets to a variety of audiences.

8.     Committed to continuing professional development.

9.     Ability to solve problems and decide on and plan appropriate solutions.

10.     Knowledge and experience of compliance with regulatory (e.g. General Data Protection Regulation) and organisational policy and guidelines.

11.     Ability to convey information of a complex, conceptual and specialist nature using a range of styles and media selected to meet the needs of others.

12.     Proactive and highly organised with ability to prioritise time effectively.

Desirable Criteria

1.     Experience of working in a research grants environment.

2.     Relevant qualification in statistics, data science or related field or equivalent professional experience.

3.     Experience and knowledge of using data visualisation software (eg. PowerBI) to create reports

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.  Where there are desirable criteria we would also urge you to provide any relevant evidence.  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 during the process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails 
 
What you are required to submit:
•    A CV 
•    A supporting statement which clearly outlines how you meet all of the Essential Criteria – when submitting evidence of each essential criteria, please ensure you use the essential criteria wording as the section heading.  
 

Contact details 
If you would like to have a chat or ask any questions about the role, Rosi Jelfs (Senior Manager – Research Systems and Reporting) would be happy to speak to you; Email r.a.jelfs@durham.ac.uk to get in touch.

Typical Role Requirements  

Service Delivery

·       Contribute to equality, diversity and inclusion, and the University’s values.

·       Ensure that the University’s procedures and values are always reflected in all aspects of the service provided and adapt ways of working where this is not evident.

·       Provide specialist advice and make decisions to resolve problems relating to the services you are responsible for, e.g. when developing reports for key stakeholders

·       Use your experience and problem-solving skills to investigate and resolve issues relevant to your role such as user experience, troubleshooting, roadmaps and development of system use and make recommendations based on your findings.

·       Manage, maintain and monitor designated systems and reports to ensure safety, security and compliance.

·       Provide the best possible service to the University research community  by reviewing and making suggestions to improve the service.

·       Collect and record data and information accurately.

·       Organise and analyse data and statistics to ensure it is accurate and provide reports to senior colleagues.

·       Implement any changes or processes to ensure the accuracy and integrity of data and information.

Planning and Organising

·       Plan and organise your workload to deliver the role.

·       Plan, manage and deliver assigned projects, activities and events e.g. management information reporting in accordance with agreed objectives.

·       Supervise the work of staff and teams involved in delivering project work or core operational services

·       Seek feedback from the University research community  to ensure that the service is updated to meet customer expectations.

Communication/Liaison

·       Develop and improve services by taking part in meetings, working groups and committees.

·       Create good working relationships, including internal and external networks which allow you to increase your knowledge and skills, while swapping information with peers.

·       Build relationships with contractors and third-party suppliers to share good practice, exchange information and work together on joint initiatives.

·       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.