Main Duties

Project Officers will manage smaller projects in their entirety or manage elements of larger projects or assist in the management of one or more larger projects through the provision of well-developed and timely project management support. You will be expected to work proactively, and use your initiative and planning skills to set your own priorities to ensure progress is maintained as expected, identify any issue and propose solutions.

• To support Research Project delivery, Project Boards, workstreams and working groups within an overall project or manage elements of larger projects or smaller projects on your own. Support may include some or all of the following:
  • carrying out project planning activities;
  • identifying milestones which will need to be adhered to;
  • data collection and analysis;
  • milestone tracking/key performance indicator tracking;
  • developing and proposing solutions for any issues;
  • recommending improvements to project management;
  • preparing progress reports for project boards or other meetings;
  • assisting in budgetary monitoring and management, including reporting;
  • assisting with stakeholder management, developing and maintaining regular contact with internal and external stakeholders to understand requirements;
  • assessing and escalating issues and risks as appropriate.
• Contribute to developing communications plans, presentations, and promoting the projects and outcomes of projects/workstreams.
• Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of project management methodologies.
• Determine short-term priorities for own work, ensuring you maximise quality, efficiency and continuity.
• Assist in the evaluation and review of projects.
• You may be asked to manage other colleagues working on the project/s and this will include allocating work.
• Supports the University’s sustainability agenda through resource efficient working.
• Fosters a fair and equitable workplace for all staff.
• Identify and respond to equality and diversity issues in line with relevant university policies and procedures.
• Any other duties commensurate with the grade.
• Other relevant criteria from our equality and diversity duties document [https://bham.sharepoint.com/:w:/r/sites/HRDC/_layouts/15/Doc.aspx?sourcedoc={7c460d71-5114-45aa-b9dd-1692b59aeea4}&action=default&mobileredirect=true]

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• Educated to Degree level (or equivalent qualifications). Where no equivalent qualification is held, significant practical relevant experience and expertise in a similar role will be required.
• Significant practical experience in a similar role, experience of using project management tools.
• Evidence of literacy and numeracy, with the ability to write clearly, and to analyse information and data.
• Highly proficient IT skills, including the wider MS Office suite of programmes including excel and PowerPoint.
• Ability to understand policy, processes and procedures, but also to recommend improvements and implement changes.
• Excellent analytical skills used to produce reports, identify issues and resolve them decisively.
• Excellent interpersonal skills. The post holder must inspire confidence and command authority with a range of colleagues and provide excellent customer service at all times.
• A high degree of professionalism, tact, and diplomacy, and the ability to exercise discretion regarding the handling and management of sensitive information/issues.
• A high degree of initiative, personal judgement, resourcefulness, flexibility, and a self-motivating approach.
• Ability to work effectively in a large, complex organisation, and to develop a good understanding of how the University [http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/university/colleges/index.aspx] and higher education institutions work.
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics and duties under the Equality Act 2012, including fostering good relations and advancing the universities Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED).
• Other relevant criteria from our equality and diversity knowledge, skills and experience document [https://bham.sharepoint.com/:w:/r/sites/HRDC/_layouts/15/Doc.aspx?sourcedoc={7c460d71-5114-45aa-b9dd-1692b59aeea4}&action=default&mobileredirect=true].

Informal enquiries

To Claire Moran, email: c.e.moran.1@bham.ac.uk [c.e.moran.1@bham.ac.uk]

View our staff values and behaviours [https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/about/our-strategy/our-values]

Use of AI in applications

We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website [https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/about/equality-diversity-inclusion].