Internal Applicants Only - Centre Manager

Advert

This post is currently open to employees of Cardiff University only.  Please do not apply if you do not have a current contract of employment with the University.

Internal Applicants Only - Research Centre Manager

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Centre for Social Care and Artificial intelligence Learning (SCALE) and School of Computer Science and Informatics. SCALE is funded by Health Care Research Wales and will be launched in April 2025 with aims to harness the potential of Artificial Intelligence to address challenges in social care for children and adults. The Centre is a truly interdisciplinary collaboration between the School of Computer Science & Informatics, the Children’s Social Care Research and Development Centre (CASCADE) and the Centre for Adult Social Care (CARE) (both based in the School of Social Sciences).

The post holder will work in close collaboration with the Centre Director and management team to foster an exciting and ambitious interdisciplinary research community. They will contribute to the long-term strategic planning and management of the research programme as a member of the Centre’s senior team. They will coordinate the Centre’s research and engagement activity, supporting the allocation of project resources and development of pilot research projects across disciplines and with external stakeholders, demonstrating proof of concepts to support bids for external research funds. Following successful bids, they will contribute to coordination, administration and leadership of externally funded research projects. The successful candidate will lead and manage the SCALE Professional Services Teams.

This post will play a key role in launching the Centre, working closely with a broad range of colleagues across the University to support exciting new research directions with real world impact and to develop appropriate professional service processes for the Centre.

This post is part-time at 0.4 FTE (14 hours per week) fixed term from 1 April 2025 until 31 March 2028.

Internal candidates are welcome to apply for this role as a secondment, with their current line managers approval.

Salary: £51,039 per annum (Grade 7), with 3 annual increments up to £55,755 per annum, at the top of the scale.

The post holder will be responsible to Professor Stuart Allen (Director of Scale Research Centre).

For informal enquiries contact Stuart Allen (allensm@cardiff.ac.uk , Director of Scale Research Centre) or Yvonne Taylor (taylory@cardiff.ac.uk, School Manager of Computer Science & Informatics). Informal enquiries in relation to the recruitment / application process can be sent to Simon Hogg, HR Administrator - COMSC-HR@Cardiff.ac.uk .

Cardiff University has a successful School of Computer Science & Informatics with an international reputation for its teaching and research activities. We have seen a transformation of our research environment with the School almost doubling in size. We have moved into a new £39 million purpose-built facility shared with the School of Mathematics called Abacws, designed to facilitate interaction between disciplines and give our research groups new freedom to develop research culture and build identity. SCALE staff will work within the Social Science Research Park (SPARK) and Abacws. We are a research-led School with a longstanding, international reputation for applied research activities, and collaborate with more than 100 UK and international academic and industrial partners. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF) 96% of our submitted research was rated as world-leading or internationally excellent. The School delivers a stimulating portfolio of BSC and MSc degrees and offers research degrees leading to MPhil and PhD qualifications. For more information on the School please visit: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/computer-science.

Closing date: Friday, 4 April 2025

External applications are currently not being considered for this post.  If the decision is made to open the post to external candidates, the strapline at the top will be removed and you will be given ample time to apply – please check back periodically for details.

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds.  We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age.  In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.

Job Description

Key Duties

• Contribute to the long term strategic planning and management of SCALE, interpreting strategy into work priorities and setting the standards for the section.
• Manage and lead the strategic vision of SCALE in conjunction with the center director, ensuring departmental objectives are communicated and engaged with, planning, organising and delegating work, monitoring progress and intervening as required.
• Manage performance, induction and development of the section.
• Contribute to the development of SCALE/school initiatives that have a University wide impact, promoting an inclusive and vibrant interdisciplinary research culture.
• Support the Director in implementing the Centre’s research strategy, leading the development of new research projects and funding initiatives to enhance the sustainability of the institute and the wider University.
• Ensure the delivery of the sections’ service level agreements, adapting these according to changes in workload and customer requirements.
• Manage and lead the Centre’s Professional Services Teams, ensuring programme objectives are effectively communicated, work is planned, organised, and delegated appropriately, and progress is monitored with intervention as required.
• Oversee financial resources allocated to the Centre, including budget setting and monitoring, working closely with the School and College finance teams to support financial planning and reporting.
• Lead the coordination and project management of interdisciplinary, multi-institutional, and international research bids, identifying funding opportunities, preparing and drafting grant applications, and liaising with funding bodies and relevant internal teams.
• Collaborate with others to develop and improve processes and procedures used within SCALE, inclusive of preparation and submission of funding applications and project reports.
• Provide support and guidance to team members on welfare issues, escalating matters to specialist support services as necessary.
• Develop, agree, and ensure the effective delivery of the programme’s key performance indicators, through analysis of data and creating reports as appropriate. Adapting these KPIs in response to changes in workload and stakeholder requirements.
• Gather and analyse data to inform decisions, establishing basic trends and patterns in data and creating reports as appropriate.
• Translate Centre strategies and plans into teamwork priorities, ensuring alignment with the broader activities of other professional services teams.
• Deliver training to others in areas relevant to the team’s work.
• Undergo personal and professional development that is appropriate to and which will enhance performance.
• Establish working relationships with key contacts to help improve service levels, developing appropriate communication links with the University’s Schools/Directorates and outside bodies as required.
• Ability to facilitate an inclusive, supportive and vibrant research community across diverse academic fields.

• Ensure confidentiality is maintained when undertaking all duties.
• Adhere to University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity.
• Perform other duties as required, which align with the role and its responsibilities.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Qualifications and Education

Additional Information

Cardiff University is committed to supporting all its employees in achieving the necessary balance between their work and their personal lives. As part of this commitment, the University has developed a flexible and responsive framework of support for staff in managing their work and personal commitments wherever possible.

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds.  We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age.  In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Job Category

Management & Executive