23/01/2026

Job Id: 2147

School/Department: Socio Studies, Politics & Intl Relations

Work Arrangement: Part Time (Hybrid)

Contract Type: Fixed-term

Salary per annum (£): £7,756.80

Closing Date: 22/02/2026

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

Overview

We are seeking a highly organised, proactive Project Manager to provide day-to-day operational, logistical and financial management for the NIHR School for Social Care Research (SSCR) project Navigating Neurodisability Through The Prison Gates.

This complex, multi-site, co-produced study explores the social care needs of people identified with a neurodisability in prison and in their transition into the community. The role involves coordinating activity across four prisons, probation, NHS RECONNECT, local authority social care, and third-sector partners. You will ensure smooth project delivery, robust governance, excellent communication, and support the PI and team in maintaining an inclusive and trauma-informed research environment.

The Project Manager will be the central point of coordination across all project partners and systems, and a key contributor to embedding co-production, accessibility, and lived-experience involvement throughout the project.

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and are respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Job Description

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Project Coordination and Operational Delivery

• Provide day-to-day project management across all five work packages, ensuring activities progress on time and to plan.
• Coordinate access, scheduling and logistics across prisons, probation sites, and community locations.
• Maintain project records, progress trackers, risk registers and reporting systems in line with NIHR SSCR requirements.
• Support the PI with preparation and submission of HMPPS, University and HRA ethics documentation.

Financial and Resource Management

• Manage project expenditure, working with University finance teams to ensure accurate forecasting, monitoring, and reconciliation.
• Oversee payment processes for co-researchers in custody (via prison finance), in line with MoJ guidance.
• Arrange purchasing, travel bookings, reimbursement claims and procurement of training or workshop materials.

Stakeholder, Partner and Lived-Experience Coordination

• Act as the operational liaison between the University and external partners including prison governors, neurodiversity support managers, probation leaders, NHS RECONNECT staff, Access Social Care, and Revolving Doors.

Events, Workshops and Dissemination Support

• Coordinate meetings of the Advisory Group, including agenda preparation, minute-taking, and follow-up on actions.
• Assist with dissemination activities including updating webpages, supporting toolkit development processes and coordinating contributions from partners.

Information, Data and Governance

• Maintain secure filing systems for documents, ethics submissions, approvals and partner correspondence.
• Support adherence to GDPR, NIHR and HMPPS data management protocols.

Person Specification

Criteria

Essential or desirable

Stage(s) assessed at

A good honours degree or equivalent experience in project or research management.

Essential

Application/interview

Demonstrable experience managing complex projects with multiple partners, preferably in research, social care, health or criminal justice contexts.

Essential

Application/interview

Strong organisational skills with the ability to coordinate activity across multiple sites and systems.

Essential

Application/interview

Experience of financial monitoring, resource planning and budgeting.

Essential

Application/interview

Ability to manage competing deadlines, reprioritise quickly, and work independently.

Essential

Application/interview

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including preparing documents for diverse audiences.

Essential

Application/interview

Experience organising meetings, workshops or events, including minute-taking and action tracking.

Essential

Application/interview

Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity, inclusion and co-production in research.

Essential

Application/interview

Experience supporting or working with people with lived experience, including co-production or involvement activities.

Desirable

Application/interview

Experience supporting peer researchers or people with lived experience.

Desirable

Application/interview

Further Information

Grade

7.3

Salary

£38,784 (pro rata for part time staff)

Work arrangement

Part time: 7 hours per week

Duration

This post is fixed-term with a start date of 01.01.2026 or as soon as possible thereafter and an end date of 31.03.2028.

Line manager

School Manager

Direct reports

n/a

For informal enquiries about this job contact Danica Darley on d.j.darley@sheffield.ac.uk

Next steps in the recruitment process

It is anticipated that the selection process will take place towards the end of February. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage within 2 weeks of the closing date. If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact spr-hr-staffing@sheffield.ac.uk.

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).

What we offer

• A minimum of 41days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women's and Parent's networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Academic Career Pathways
• A range of generous family-friendly policies
  • paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
  • support for those going through the menopause
  • paid time off and support for fertility treatment
  • and more

More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.