UNIVERSITY OF DERBY JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE ERDF Project Coordinator (Fixed-Term, 3 years)

DEPARTMENT / University Research & Knowledge Exchange Office COLLEGE

LOCATION Kedleston Road, Derby, DE22 1GB

JOB NUMBER 0163-19 SALARY £22,843 - £25,005 per annum

REPORTS TO ERDF Productivity Through Innovation Project Manager

Role Summary This is an exciting opportunity to support an SME engagement ERDF project of strategic importance to the University of Derby (UoD).

Productivity through Innovation (PtI) has been established in partnership with the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University to help SMEs (Small to Medium Enterprises) within the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership area (Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire) overcome barriers to innovation and achieve their growth and productivity ambitions.

The post holder will provide a high standard of professional administration services, be instrumental in creating and maintaining systems supporting the project and ensure timely delivery to project profile.

The Project Coordinator will be required to undertake essential duties to support operational aspects of the project, working with the Project Manager, industrial clients, and our wider ERDF team to define project costs, procure materials and equipment.

The role also involves liaison with academics, delivery teams across the University and with external partners. The post holder will therefore be an effective and proactive team player.

The ERDF Project Coordinator will be based in the University Research & Knowledge Exchange Office (URKEO) and will report to the PtI Project Manager

For informal enquiries, please contact Clare Tatham, ERDF Senior Programmes Manager (Compliance) at [email protected].

1 Sensitivity: Internal Principal Accountabilities

 To support a minimum of sixty companies across the life time of the project to engage successfully through Productivity Through Innovation, providing advice and guidance to companies in terms of evidence requirements necessary for grant claims and outputs  Coordinate a complex range of projects, each one bespoke to the company requirements, across a range of interventions including grant assisted graduate jobs, graduate placements, student placements, industrial PhDs and MPhils, and academic/technical support which are ‘bespoked’ to the company  Coordinate the deployment of resources in a timely manner to support of multiple projects, comprising different, and potentially interdependent interventions. Including the development of appropriate tracking and monitoring techniques of spend against budgets  Manage the Productivity through Innovation project CRM and upload relevant SME support data to cross-institutional database.  Provide accurate record keeping and support for audits and ensure completion of ERDF audit trail including State Aid monitoring  Ensure colleagues from across the institution provide the necessary evidence for timely and accurate claim submissions, including timesheets, evidence of spend and project outputs e.g. reports  Liaise with participating SMEs to ensure evidence of match funding is received on a timely basis.  Raise payment requests for timely transfer of grant to participating SMEs.  Supply reports and information as required by the Project Manager and Central Compliance Team, including due diligence reports  Coordinate compliance with ERDF contractual obligations ensuring all records and data are completed, authorised and retained in accordance with requirements and processes.  Co-ordinate any procurement associated with delivery of the programme, liaising with the University Procurement Team to ensure compliance with ERDF rules  Support the delivery of the ERDF events programme in support of the Business Development Manager.  Work closely with academic colleagues and the Knowledge Exchange team to ensure relevant technical expertise is introduce to the project to meet our clients’ business requirements.

2 Sensitivity: Internal Person Specification

1. Essential Criteria

Qualifications

 A Levels or equivalent experience  Maths and English (or Equivalent) GCSE and/or 1-2 years’ experience in an office environment

Experience

 Evidence of working with procedures and systems development  Demonstrable experience of coordinating and deploying resources in a timely manner in support of multiple projects, comprising of different activities  Experience of working and liaising with stakeholders in respect of project resources and delivery, with the ability to translate funder reporting and claim requirements into clear and understandable actions for colleagues and participating companies  Experience of accurate record keeping for audits  Proven experience in successfully supporting other staff to deliver effectively  Experience of building and maintaining excellent working relationships with stakeholders,

Skills, knowledge and abilities

 The ability to coordinate a large number of varied projects across a range of organisations, engaged with a variety of internal staff  Consistently delivers against expectation of deliverables against deadlines, and understands the financial and reputational implications of not doing so  Embraces a fast paced environment and thrives under pressure  Excellent administrative and coordination skills  Excellent communication skills, written and verbal  Excellent numeracy skills, with good attention to detail and the ability to create and update accurately complex and detailed spreadsheets  Highly organised, with excellent time management and the ability to deliver to tight deadlines in a demanding environment  Ability to identify and anticipate problems, taking the necessary actions to escalate and resolve  Ability to use data and information effectively to set and monitor delivery objectives, attention to detail  Demonstrable ability to operate as a team player whilst equally able to operate independently  Well-developed ICT skills particularly MS Office applications

Business requirements

 Excellent knowledge of administrative support processes and activities, e.g. business systems: finance, purchasing, invoicing, contract coordination, process audit  Willingness to work flexibly and be responsive to business needs and customer expectations (i.e. working some evenings and weekends, as required, with prior notice and travelling across sites across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

3 Sensitivity: Internal 2. Desirable Criteria

Qualifications

 Recognised project management qualification or comparable knowledge gained through professional experience.

Experience

 Whilst not an essential criteria, previous ERDF project coordination experience would be preferred  Experience of working in the Higher Education/business support sector

Skills, knowledge and abilities

 An understanding of policy and changes within the HE sector, especially in relation to how the University’s Knowledge Exchange activities will contribute to the Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF)

4 Sensitivity: Internal Benefits

As well as competitive pay scales, we offer generous holiday entitlement. We also offer opportunities for further salary progression based on performance, and the opportunity to join a contributory pension scheme.

For more information on the benefits of working at the University of Derby go to

https://jobs.derby.ac.uk/display.aspx?id=1912&pid=0&tabId=230

5 Sensitivity: Internal