Research Development Officer - Research Strategy and Services Division -108243 - Grade 7
University of Birmingham · United Kingdom
Position Details
Research Strategy and Services Division
University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822
Grade: 7
Full Time, Permanent
Closing date: 25th November 2026
There are 5 positions available
Our offer to you
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.
Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham
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.
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.
Department overview
The University has an exciting vision to build on the success of REF2021 by continuing to transform its research performance across outputs, income, impact, and policy influence. Central to this ambition is the Research Strategy & Services Division (RSSD), a Professional Services department that works in partnership with academics across research strategy, operations, and partnerships. The RSSD integrates professional staff from the following teams into one cohesive ecosystem: Research Strategy & Development; Research Support (Grants & Contracts); Research Partnerships, Research Impact & Innovation; Research Policy & Environment; Research Systems & Data; Research Governance; Research Communications; Legal & Regulatory Compliance; and Research Finance Accounting.
As part of its support for academic excellence and international collaboration, the RSSD also plays a pivotal role in helping researchers access major funding opportunities, including those from Horizon Europe following the UK’s reassociation. This enhances the University’s ability to secure high-impact research funding and drive forward global partnerships. An overview of the RSSD structure is provided in the organogram below.
Role Summary
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, in collaboration with the Head of Research Support and other colleagues, 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