Advert

Please note that this job is open only to current members of staff of Cardiff University who are eligible for redeployment.

Internal Redeployment Only - Project Lead (Graduate School)
The Research Service

This is an exciting time for postgraduate research in Cardiff, with a refreshed vision for postgraduate education and an ambitious plan in place to improve the quality of learning, teaching, research and the postgraduate student experience through the development of the university's first Graduate School encompassing all elements of support for postgraduate researchers. Working within the University's Programme Management Office and closely with the Project Teams and leaders, we have an exciting opportunity to join its team as the Project Lead (Graduate School).

We are now looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated individual to support the delivery of our ambitious strategies. This is a career enhancing opportunity for candidates who are interested in developing the skills and experience to be able to manage the delivery of projects and business change in the future. The primary purpose of the role will be to support the development of the Graduate School programme, including scoping and delivering change in PGR portfolio processes, leading scoping work relating to the digital and physical infrastructure of the Graduate School, and supporting the development of the Graduate School programme's aims and deliverables. Working with relevant teams in the Research Service, IT, Comms and Marketing and other departments as necessary, the role will undertake consultation with key stakeholders across the University to develop the vision for the Graduate School into actionable reality.

The role will be formally based in the Research Service but will work across professional divisions leading or collaborating on strategic projects, e.g. with the Graduate School Teams in the Research Service (RSERV), the Education Teams in ESE and Hybiau, and other key teams across the university. The role will work in a matrix capacity with a network of research professionals to enhance the provision of transparent support to our PGR, academic and professional user base.

This post is full-time and fixed term until 31st October 2027.

Salary: £51,753 - £56,535 per annum (Grade 7)

Closing date: Monday, 23 March 2026

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.

Job Description

Key Duties

• Plan and deliver projects that have a University-wide impact, in particular relating to the development of better PGR support, managing the workstreams and project teams as needed, planning, organising and delegating work, monitoring progress and intervening as required
• Undertake a detailed review of the Graduate School's guidance, policies, and PGR processes
• Undertake cross-institutional consultation and investigation in order to gather the information for the above review
• Develop a project plan to support the professionalisation of PGR support activity at the University
• Working with a project team, specify new approaches, policies and protocols to overcome issues identified in above review
• Take responsibility for resolving issues independently where they fall within a set role of objectives, using judgement and creativity to suggest the most appropriate course of action and ensuring complex and conceptual issues and solutions are understood by the audience
• Establish relationships with key contacts to ensure role objectives are met, developing appropriate communication links with the University's Schools/Directorates and outside bodies as required
• Work in close collaboration with Head of Graduate School Operations, the Graduate School Programme Manager (TFORM) and other key professional services and academic colleagues to deliver the project
• Develop effective partnerships to ensure effective working with other parts of the Research Service, and with Education and Student Experience and Hybiau services, to map and ensure the overlap and interconnections between service areas are covered, working with the Continuous Improvement Hub as required.
• Undertake benchmarking with similar developments at other HEIs, engaging with good practice in the sector through networks such as UKCGE, GW4 and the Russell Group
• Undergo personal and professional development as appropriate and which will enhance performance

General Duties

• Ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties
• Abide by all University policies
• Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role

Additional Information

The Research Service

Cardiff is an ambitious and innovative university located in a beautiful and thriving capital city. Our world-leading research was ranked 5th for quality amongst UK universities in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework and we provide an educationally outstanding experience for our 30,000 students. With an annual budget in excess of £500 million and around 6,000 staff, Cardiff is a member of the Russell Group of the 24 leading UK research-intensive universities. The University has 24 academic schools grouped into three colleges: Biomedical & Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering and Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences.

The University's ambition is to rank consistently among the top 100 universities in the world. Cardiff is also developing its Innovation System through a focused programme of investment in people and infrastructure. Research funding secured from competitive, external sources exceeds £100 million annually and the University aims to grow this further through winning grants from a wide range of national and global sources.

The Research Service supports the University's research community in initiating and delivering research and innovation activities. Led by the Director, Vanessa Cuthill, we provides services via over 100 expert staff organised in five specialist teams: Research Grants Office; Research Integrity, Governance and Ethics; Research Development; Research Commercialisation and Impact; Research Strategy and Operations and Business Engagement and Partnerships. The Department works closely with academic and professional services staff from all areas of the institution.

Person Specification

Important note: It is the University's policy to use the person specification as a key tool for short-listing. Candidates should evidence that they meet ALL of the essential criteria as well as, where relevant, the desirable. As part of the application process you will be asked to provide this evidence via a supporting statement. Please ensure that the evidence you are providing corresponds with the numbered criteria outlined below. Your application will be considered based on the information you provide under each element.

When attaching the supporting statement to your application profile, please ensure that you name it with the vacancy reference number, e.g. Supporting Statement for XXXXBR.

Essential Criteria

Qualifications and Education
1. Degree/NVQ 4 or equivalent Professional membership/experience

Knowledge, Skills and Experience
2. Able to demonstrate expert professional knowledge within PGR administration and management, with experience of working within postgraduate research administration
3. Demonstrable experience of delivering change projects, implementing change and developing strategies to continuously improve systems and procedures
4. Proven ability in working with research and student data to provide high quality analysis for decision-making

Customer Service, Communication and Team Working
5. Ability to communicate detailed and complex information effectively and professionally with a wide range of people
6. Ability to bring thematic and University perspectives together in the formulation of strategy and advice
7. Experience of building beneficial relationships across organisational units and teams
8. Evidence of ability to explore customers' needs and adapt the service accordingly to ensure a quality service is delivered

Planning, Analysis and Problem solving
9. Evidenced experience of the development and use of management information to resolve diverse and challenging problems, including creating new solutions where no prior precedent exists
10. Evidence of ability to develop longer term plans, reacting to changes in workload and strategic direction of the Department and University

Desirable Criteria

11. Fluency in Welsh, written and oral