the Design Museum
Future Observatory Head of Research Programme
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Overview
The Design Museum is the world's leading museum devoted to contemporary design in every form, from architecture and fashion to graphics, product design and digital innovation.
Future Observatory is the national design research programme for the green transition. Coordinated by the Design Museum in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), it is the largest publicly funded design research initiative in the UK. We are seeking an experienced and collaborative Head of Research Programme to lead Future Observatory's AHRC-funded research portfolio and support the continued growth and impact of this ambitious national programme.
About The Role
Reporting to the Future Observatory Director, you will lead the research programme, liaising with grantees and organising internal events such as roundtables and research forums. You will act as the operational lead for the programme, overseeing budgets, timelines, reporting and stakeholder engagement.
Working with researchers, industry leaders, government representatives and funding partners, you will help deliver Future Observatory's research strategy while supporting its long-term sustainability through grant writing and fundraising activity.
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Key areas of focus include:
- Acting as the coordinating lead for an extensive AHRC-funded research portfolio.
- Overseeing programme budgets, reporting, monitoring, evaluation and risk management.
- Managing relationships with researchers, AHRC representatives and programme stakeholders.
- Leading grant-writing and fundraising opportunities to support the programme's long-term viability.
- Line managing the Programme Manager, Community Manager and Coordinator, and ensuring operational coordination across the research portfolio.
About You
We are looking for someone who brings:
- Significant experience of research portfolio management in a higher education institution or equivalent environment, such as museums or Independent Research Organisation institutions.
- Experience reporting on the expenditure of public funds in a research-based or academic context, or as part of a funded programme.
- Experience of working collaboratively to report and evaluate against established KPIs.
- Excellent communication skills, suitable for building relationships and liaising with multiple principal investigators, researchers and members of institutional and partner organisations.
- Knowledge of the methods and practical application of research activities such as roundtables, forums, design crits, sprints and delivery meetings.
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Terms and Conditions
Salary: up to £50,000 per annum
Holidays: 25 days + Christmas Eve (museum closed)
Hours: 35 hours per week / Monday to Friday
Contract: fixed term, until 31 March 2028
Location: the Design Museum Kensington is the place of work - with a hybrid arrangement of 60% of an employee’s role to be performed at the museum and 40% remote.
Closing date: Sunday 25 October, midnight
Interviews: Wednesday 04 November
Queries
If you encounter any issues while completing your application, please email peopleteam@designmuseum.org before the vacancy closing date. We will be in touch as soon as possible; (please note the inbox is monitored Monday-Friday).
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