Position Details

College of Medical and Dental Sciences

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £31,396 to £33,966 with potential progression once in post to £38,205

Grade: 6

Part Time (30 working hours per week) 

Fixed Term contract up to May 2027 

Closing date: 21st May 2024 

Background

The University of Birmingham is a global institution working within a diverse and vibrant City, offering an inspiring education to our students, and undertaking critically important research.  We are a place of open, critical thinking, and the creation, sharing and dissemination of knowledge.  Professional Services put students at the heart of all they do and enable an exceptional educational experience. They provide outstanding support to our researchers and help the University to grow its influence regionally, nationally, and globally. They ensure the University’s resources are used wisely, manage and improve the infrastructure which sits at the heart of the institution, and support decisions to be made quickly and based on sound evidence. Our Birmingham Professional programme operates across the University, supporting colleagues to network and collaborate, offering opportunities to learn and develop, contributing to the delivery of the University’s objectives, and helping everyone to understand the broader context within which we work. 

The UNexplained InfertiliTY treatment Trial (UNITY trial) is an NIHR funded project exploring differing treatment options for couples with unexplained infertility, two key aims alongside are to improve male-factor diagnostics and also better capture couple’s feelings and thoughts along their fertility journeys. The research team are based in the Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research within the College of Medicine and Health. 

We are particularly interested in working alongside patients from underserved communities in our work and enthusiasm for this is an essential aspect of this role. 

Role summary

The Project Officer (Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) and Equality Diversity Inclusion (EDI)) role offers an exciting prospect for an individual passionate about bringing diverse patient voices to research. The Project Officer (PPIE and EDI) will be responsible for coordinating the development, delivery and evaluation of ambitious research engagement and involvement activities for the trial. The postholder will optimise the delivery of the different ethnic, social and economic diversity outreach work strands, to capture diverse voices and allow the research to have real impact for the whole population. The Project Officer (PPIE and EDI) will work to underpin the scientific findings by interacting with patient and community networks. Their role will include facilitating production of effective, multi-lingual formats for patient-facing materials; running events for two-way engagement between the public and patients and the research and clinical team; and developing resources for dissemination.  

This postholder will need excellent communication, time management and interpersonal skills to motivate and enthuse researchers, project partners and public contributors to meet different targets. There will be a focus on high quality engagement, with the goal of generating mutual benefit, learning and capacity building for all involved. The postholder will also play a key role in supporting the UNITY trial priorities in generating research impact and knowledge exchange, so having an awareness of the role science plays in broader society will be advantageous.  

In addition to being a collaborative team-player, the role is ideally suited to a creative self-starter who enjoys taking the initiative to independently progress and complete a wide variety of tasks, under guidance from UNITY trial team. The ability to problem-solve and think imaginatively will also serve the postholder well, as there will be ample opportunity to shape plans in creative ways. The role will sometimes require flexible working patterns to accommodate activities that must take place outside of core working hours. An understanding of GDPR regulations and the importance of confidentiality is necessary, as the role will frequently liaise with members of the public.  

Main duties

Project Officers will 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, Project Boards, 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;  
  • identifying milestones which will need to be adhered to; 
  • data collection and analysis;  
  • 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.
• Determine short term priorities for own work, ensuring you maximise quality, efficiency and continuity. 
• Assist in the evaluation and review of projects. 
• 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. 
• Any other duties commensurate with the grade.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• Educated to Degree level (or equivalent qualifications). Where no equivalent qualification is held, significant practical relevant experience and expertise in a similar role will be required. 
• Knowledge of INVOLVE PPI Guidance 
• Significant practical experience in a similar role, experience of using project management tools. 
• Evidence of literacy and numeracy, with the ability to write clearly, and to analyse information and data. 
• Highly proficient IT skills, including the wider MS Office suite of programmes including excel and powerpoint. 
• 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. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills. The postholder must inspire confidence and command authority with a range of colleagues and provide excellent customer service at all times. 
• 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. 

Role context 

Roles at this level will require expertise and a detailed understanding of methods, systems and procedures in an administrative or professional area. You will either use specialist knowledge or have more of a planning/co-ordination/project role or a role which is supervisory in nature where you may manage a team doing similar kinds of work. You will have the opportunity to exercise a high degree of personal responsibility and initiative which you will use to resolve queries; you will use your judgement to deal with unforeseen problems and circumstances, all with limited guidance/supervision.   

Core competencies/transferable skills 

Working at this level you will be able to develop and successfully use the core competencies/transferable skills outlined in each of the areas shown below. As appropriate for the level, our Birmingham Professionals will take ownership for getting things done. You will be expected to be flexible as required in supporting your department and wider University.   

Planning and organising

prioritise and schedule work and resources to ensure on time and (where applicable) on budget delivery; set priorities and quality standards for a wide range of tasks and duties; contribute to written documents, for example guidelines internal to the area, taking account of audience; operate with limited supervision as they will have considerable scope for initiative, within established work procedures. 

Problem solving and decision making

anticipate and identify issues in own area based on experience; make appropriate suggestions for improvements and implement these when agreed in own area; facilitate change, and articulate the implications and benefits of change to others; focus on determining short-term priorities of work area, and how to maximise quality, efficiency and continuity. 

Organisational understanding

quickly develop an understanding of their working area and how it contributes to the success of the University; display an interest in how the University operates beyond own working area; develop and share this knowledge with others. 

Relationships and communication 

develop and maintain excellent working relationships in own area, and more widely as required for collaborative working opportunities; communicate clearly and openly with others both within and external to the university; use a range of communication skills and strategies to gain commitment to a course of action; demonstrate collaborative working at all times, including with others outside the immediate work area. 

Informal enquiries to Lucy Oakey, email: l.a.oakey@bham.ac.uk 

View our staff values and behaviours here 

Further particulars can be found 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 a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.