Research Grants Officer

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) is the UK’s leading economics research institute. We analyse and inform economic and policy decisions and help policy-makers – and those who hold them accountable – understand the impact that their choices will have on individuals, households and businesses.

We are a team of economists working in collaboration with other academic institutions and experts from the public services, third sector and business.

We count a number of the world’s leading economists among our researchers, and many of our experts go on to make up the next generation of policy-makers, academic scholars and business leaders. Our culture of inclusivity, excellence and independence reaches beyond our staff to shape the future of economics and policy development.

The IFS is recognised as a global centre of excellence for social science research by the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council. We are proud of our reputation for academic rigour, policy impact, high quality communications and absolute independence – an independence that we preserve through careful choices about our funding sources.

The role

The IFS raises c. £7m in research funding each year, from a diverse range of funders. We are seeking a motivated individual to contribute to this key part of our activities by supporting the administration of funding proposals across the IFS’s portfolio.  We typically submit around 50 grant proposals a year, and aim to have a strong pipeline of ideas in various stages of preparation.

You will be working as part of a small but effective Research Services team (three members of staff, including this role), which comprises part of our Professional Services team (22 members of staff across Finance, Communications, Operations and IT). You will play a key role supporting researchers in developing grant proposals, and (over time) administering awards. You will be the first point of contact for all research grant related queries. Your primary responsibility will be for pre-award processes, which means supporting researchers from the outset in putting together the various components of grant applications. You will be expected to guide researchers through call details, prepare budgets and other non-academic components of proposals, and ensure that funder requirements are met.

Over time, you will have the opportunity to become engaged with other aspects of grant administration beyond application, including: contract negotiation, in-flight grant management, end of grant reporting, and impact evaluation.

You will be expected to develop effective working relationships with researchers at all levels of seniority, as well as with the other Professional Services teams at the IFS. The Research Services team works especially closely with the Finance team (Head of Finance, Management Accountant and Finance Officer) who together are crucial to the successful financial management of the IFS. The job offers scope to develop an understanding of grants management in a fast-moving and lively environment, and to build skills and experience to support a career in research management.

We aim to maintain a great working atmosphere with a positive and supportive culture, light-touch internal administration, strong potential for staff at all levels to effect change, and an active staff social scene including baking and sport.

We envisage this as a full-time role. The IFS is largely office based (in Central London), with the opportunity to work from home one day a week.

Key duties

The principal duties are to:

• Assist with preparation of research proposals to a range of funders including Research Councils, charitable trusts and foundations, government departments, and international funding bodies

• Guide researchers through all steps of the application process, ensuring internal and external procedures are followed

• Produce accurate costings for grant applications

• Check funding call documentation to ensure compliance

• Liaise with funders on queries as necessary

• Coordinate external partners’ input into grant applications

• Input information to funder portals

• Maintain and update timelines for proposal preparation, and communicate these clearly, to ensure deadlines are met

• Act as a ‘critical friend’ to advise applicants on the non-academic aspects of their proposals

• Create and maintain project records and financial information for proposals and grants

• Triage the central email address for the Research Office, and deal with or allocate queries across the team as needed

• Gather and maintain information about, and promote internally, upcoming funding opportunities

• Develop familiarity with funder application processes and portals

• Develop familiarity with funder regulations, and provide advice on relevant terms and conditions across the organisation

Secondary duties are to:

• With the Finance team, ensure proper authorisation of expense claims and other project costs

• Prepare information for invoices to funders

• Maintain financial records of project expenditure

• Provide post award support to a portfolio of grants at IFS, assisting the grant holders with monitoring and reporting.

• Analyse information on applications and awards, and produce and maintain statistics for institutional use

• Work closely with Finance, Communications and other internal colleagues as required for the role.

• Other administrative duties as required

Person specification

Essential

• Graduate or with equivalent qualification

• Keen and personable self-starter with ability to manage own workload, often under pressure

• Numerate, with experience of using spreadsheets and databases

• Strong IT skills, especially with Excel and Word

• Confidence in dealing with researchers at all levels, including senior academics

• Excellent written and oral communication skills

• Strong organisational skills and ability to prioritise

• Excellent attention to detail

• Ability to manage a complex and varied portfolio of projects

• Some prior experience in an office work environment

• Collaborative team player with flexible attitude, and willingness to muck in

Desirable

• Prior experience of research grant administration either within a funding agency, or within the higher education sector/ independent research organisation sector would be advantageous 

Reports to: Head of Research Services

Location: This position is primarily based in IFS’s Central London office, with hybrid working available.

Remuneration: The starting salary for this role is expected to be £30,000 depending on skills and experience, with performance-related increments and annual cost of living adjustments.

Benefits: 25 days annual leave, plus office closure days between Christmas and New Year; employer pension contributions (3% the first two years of service, and 7.5% after that); generous parental leave; study leave may be available to pursue relevant qualifications.

Application process: Apply via BeApplied, where you will be asked to answer a few sift questions and upload a CV (maximum two pages). Those will be scored, and shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview in person in our London office.

Commitment to diversity

We aim to foster a respectful and inclusive environment, in which people from all backgrounds feel – and are – welcome and valued. We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, and flexible working arrangements wherever possible, so that staff can work in ways that suit their personal circumstances. Read more here.

Candidates must have the right to work in the UK.