Research and Knowledge Exchange Manager

The IWM Institute is IWM’s research and knowledge exchange hub.  Working to the Head of Collections Access and Research, the Research and Knowledge Exchange Manager is pivotal in developing IWM’s research capacity as an Independent Research Organisation (IRO) and in embedding knowledge exchange at the heart of the IWM Institute’s research programme and agenda. Working collaboratively with external and internal stakeholders the role enables the Institute to shape a forward-looking strategic research and knowledge exchange environment.

The postholder will support the Head of Collections Access and Research on the development and delivery of IWM’s research strategy. They will provide professional advice on research collaboration and the development of new and innovative academic partnerships that maximise impact opportunities for IWM. They will contribute to the preparation of funding bids which the Trust Manager, Academic and Statutory in the Development Department will be responsible for developing and writing. The Research and Knowledge Exchange Manager will assist with the development of procedures and protocols relating to research, including ethics and good research practice. In addition, they will engage with a wide range of national and international networks and stakeholders, including funding councils. The postholder will also play an active role in promoting IWM as an Independent Research Organisation to internal and external audiences. Duties include:

Research and Knowledge Exchange:

1. Proactively develop IWM’s research capacity using professional knowledge with a particular focus on maximizing research funding opportunities and the development of new partnerships and collaborations that bring impactful outcomes to the Institute and IWM.
2. Understand and leverage the research expertise and skills of our IWM staff and the collaborative research and KE potential of the museum collections, resources, and services.
3. Facilitate staff research skills development and the sharing of best practice to increase IWM’s capacity for grant capture.
4. Build and manage relationships with the Higher Education Sector, funders and other organisations that influence our role as an IRO.
5. Provide IWM staff with expert advice, guidance, and support in the identification of suitable funding and KE opportunities and the preparation of bids. Recommend new processes and policies which would support IWM staff to take advantage of academic funding opportunities.
6. Contribute to the development and implementation of IWM research and KE strategy, policies and practices, including the planning and delivery of events, conferences and workshops showcasing IWM’s research outputs and collaborations.
7. Foster relationships with funders and research partners, as well as a wide range of organisations relevant to IWM’s research agenda.
8. Support the Trust Manager, Academic and Statutory in the Development Team by:
   1. proactively undertaking horizon scanning of the research funding landscape, monitoring on a regular basis the AHRC and ESCR webpages.
   2. contributing to the preparation of grant applications and the project management of research and KE projects, including preparing and monitoring budgets, and communicating progress internally and externally.
   3. providing guidance and support to IWM staff on the development, costing and submission of research funding bids, and on external engagement and stakeholder management for research development purposes.
9. Support the Head of Collections Access & Research on the reporting of research activities across IWM, including the compilation of the annual Research Report.
10. Develop mechanisms to monitor and evaluate the impact of research projects and activities.
11. Support the Head of Collections Access and Research in the development of the annual business plan for the Institute and in the department’s corporate planning.
12. Represent the IWM and IWM Institute at the Research Managers and Collaborative Doctoral Partnerships Consortium groups which bring together staff performing similar roles in other national institutions, in order to share best practice.
13. Line-manage the Research and Knowledge Exchange Officer and monitor performance in line with IWM’s Performance System.

Collaborative Doctoral Partnership

1. Oversee the day-to-day management of the Collaborative Doctoral Partnership.
2. Contribute to the recruitment of academic partners and students for new studentships; drafting Studentship Agreements; managing the CDP student travel budget; acting as the first point of contact with the CDP students on any questions or issues that arise and being alert for any problems needing resolving.
3. Liaise with colleagues to recruit PhD research placement students; organising networking and training events for the CDP/ DTP students, alumni and other Early Career Researchers as part of both the IWM Institute ECR Network and in conjunction with other members of the CDP Consortium.

Provide regular reports to AHRC and to IWM on the activities and outcomes of the Collaborative Doctoral Partnership and ensure students’ progress is properly monitored and recorded.

For a full list of duties and the person specification (which your application will be marked against) please view the Job Description.