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People are at the heart of what we are and do.
The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.
We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.
We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.
Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.
The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.
Background
The Quantum Sensing Group in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Birmingham (UoB) seeks to appoint a Project Officer.
The successful candidate will join a thriving and diverse research group at the University to provide project and management support. Since 2014, the University has led the UK Quantum Technology Hub in Sensors and Timing. Bringing together academic partners from seven universities, the British Geological Survey and the National Physical Laboratory, this interdisciplinary Hub is active in translating quantum technology research into applications, including over 200 collaborative projects with industry. This includes research in areas such as atom interferometry for civil engineering and navigation, magnetometry for healthcare, and precision timing based on optical clocks for advanced radar systems. The University is also active in several projects across the Quantum Technologies for Fundamental Physics programme. Recently, UoB announced the formation of the Birmingham Institute in Quantum Technologies to create an enabling framework for cross-institutional activity to support research and the realisation of impact across areas including quantum science, applied physics, engineering, and beyond. This new Institute will bring together a vibrant research community to enable collaborations across disciplines and across career stages.
We are looking for candidates who can bring their project management or related skills and experience to support research activity within the group. A background in physics is not required.
The post holder will work closely with people in the group, professional services colleagues from across the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, post-doctoral researchers, and PhD students to assist in the day to day running of several research projects, under the supervision of the group leader and project leads. This includes interaction with a range of projects, and some restrictions on nationality may apply.
The School of Physics and Astronomy is an Institute of Physics Juno Champion since 2014 and holder of the Athena SWAN Silver Award. Both initiatives recognise the School’s commitment to promote diversity and equality, and to encourage better practice for all members of the community, whilst also working towards developing an equitable working culture in which all students and staff can achieve their full potential. We welcome applications from all qualified applicants, and encourage applications from traditionally under-represented groups in Physics and Astronomy including, but not limited to, women and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups.
Main duties
Project Officers manage smaller projects in their entirety or manage elements of larger projects or assist in the management of one or more larger projects through the provision of well-developed and timely project management support. You will be expected to work proactively and use your initiative and planning skills to set your own priorities to ensure progress is maintained as expected, identify any issue, and propose solutions.
- To support Research Project delivery, with supervision and support from the group leader and project leads, workstreams and working groups within an overall project or manage elements of larger projects or smaller projects on your own.
- Support may include some or all of the following:
- carrying out project planning activities and supporting organisation of the research group;
- identifying milestones which will need to be adhered to;
- milestone tracking/key performance indicator tracking;
- developing and proposing solutions for any issues;
- recommending improvements to project management;
- preparing progress reports for project boards or other meetings;
- assisting in budgetary monitoring and management, including reporting;
- assisting with stakeholder management, developing and maintaining regular contact with internal and external stakeholders to understand requirements;
- assessing and escalating issues and risks as appropriate.
- Contribute to developing communications plans, presentations, and promoting the projects and outcomes of projects/workstreams.
- Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of project management methodologies and integrate with other project management streams.
- Determine short term priorities for own work, ensuring you maximise quality, efficiency and continuity.
- You may be asked to manage other colleagues working on the project/s and this will include allocating work.
- Supports the University’s sustainability agenda through resource efficient working.
- Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
Person specification
- Educated to Degree level (or equivalent qualifications). Where no equivalent qualification is held, sufficient practical relevant experience and expertise in a similar role will be required.
- Evidence of literacy and numeracy, with the ability to write clearly, and to analyse information and data.
- Ability to understand policy, processes, and procedures, but also to recommend improvements and implement changes.
- Excellent analytical skills used to produce reports, identify issues, and resolve them decisively.
- Highly proficient IT skills, including the wider Microsoft Office suite of programmes, including Excel and PowerPoint, or non-Microsoft equivalents.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and a desire to be a good colleague, fostering a safe and inclusive working environment.
- A high degree of professionalism, tact, and diplomacy, and the ability to exercise discretion regarding the handling and management of sensitive information/issues.
- A high degree of initiative, personal judgement, resourcefulness, flexibility, and a self-motivating approach.
- Ability to work effectively in a large, complex organisation, and to develop a good understanding of how the University and higher education institutions work.
- Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day-to-day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.
- If your experience looks a little different from what we have identified and you think you could thrive in the role we would still like to hear from you.
For informal enquiries please contact Dr Andrew Hinton, email: a.hinton.1@bham.ac.uk and Professor Michael Holynski, email: m.holynski@bham.ac.uk
View our staff values and behaviours here
We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is one of our values. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.
