Research Project Manager

About the Faraday Institution and the Role

The Faraday Institution is the UK’s independent institute for electrochemical energy storage research, analysis and skills development. Our core mission is to make significant scientific breakthroughs in electrochemical energy storage research in the global race to electrification. We manage large, multidisciplinary research programmes across more than 25 universities that involve over 500 researchers and 85+ industry partners across the UK.

Working as one of a small team of Research Project Managers, this role will have responsibility for the Faraday Institution’s management and oversight of multiple research projects from within the overall portfolio and will ensure these have the appropriate objectives, milestones, deliverables and plans; that once in the delivery phase, the projects are delivering against expectations and that change is managed robustly. The Faraday Institution has recently been awarded a grant from the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) to lead the Ayrton Challenge on Energy Storage, continuing the work it started in 2019 focusing on reducing the cost and improving the performance of battery technologies for use in developing countries and emerging economies. This role is focussed on managing research projects aligned to this challenge.

The role will report to the Research Programme Director and will work closely with the  International R&D Partnership Manager and key members of the projects as well as other members of The Faraday Institution team and wider community.  Key relationships will be with Project Principal Investigators (PIs), Technical Leaders, Project Managers, Expert Panel members, and other members of the research projects, FCDO and Carbon Trust.

Objectives and responsibilities of the role:

  • Through the delivery of inspirational Research projects, enable the Faraday Institution to deliver world class early stage research in electrochemical energy storage with the potential to be translated and scaled up by industry to deliver environmental and economic benefits, with a particular focus on batteries for emerging markets.
  • Ensure delivery of a project to the Faraday Institution Management Plan and in particular the progress and likelihood of successful outcomes.
  • Ensure that research projects within responsibility have a clear, detailed, rolling work plan for the next 12 months, agreed with the relevant stakeholders, together with a higher-level, longer-term plan to impact (3-5 years).
  • Work with the Faraday Institution Expert Panel member matched to each research project to exercise influence across a project to ensure that interconnections are identified, collaboration takes place and the whole impact is more than the sum of the parts.
  • Facilitate future research competitive calls e.g. larger projects, studies or sprints.
  • Facilitate the continual improvement of the project management process by employing an agile project management approach and ensure that information is freely exchanged between the projects and the Institution.
  • Build relationships with our community of researchers.
  • Support the Faraday Institution Research Programme Director, Technology Transfer Director, International R&D Partnerships Manager and commercialisation team and help to identify pathways to impact for the technology developed through Faraday Institution projects.
  • Manage the development and monitoring of KPI’s for both the projects and FIHQ, working with stakeholders across the research projects and funding partners.

Skills and Experience:

  • Strong understanding of the science, engineering, economics and social benefits of batteries and other forms of energy storage to effectively manage multiple research projects. Degree/MSc in a related subject is essential, a PhD in a related subject would be helpful.
  • Experience of leadership and delivering lean/ agile projects and programme management (focus on delivering improvements with minimum paperwork/ bureaucracy).
  • Experience with engaging (or at a minimum the ability to engage) with relevant sectors including industry, (primarily emerging markets, but also for example automotive, grid, and aerospace) national facilities, International Organisations and other stakeholders.
  • Strong analytical, communication, planning, cost and risk management capabilities.
  • The ability to exercise leadership, build community, influence and negotiate with others.

Personal Attributes:

  • Lean mind-set and able to balance short and long-term objectives.
  • Engaging behaviour and an understanding of how to engage with a range of stakeholders with different and complex needs.
  • Perseverance and sensitivity to deliver a new way of working in an environment accustomed to working in a very different way (academia).
  • Passion for making the UK a centre for electrochemical energy storage research.

The Faraday Institution are committed to building a diverse and inclusive community and to being an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Location: Blended working from home and based at Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, near Oxford, UK, with UK travel required to support research project meetings and possible international.

To apply, sent a CV and cover letter to [email protected]

Closing date extended to 4th October 2023

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