Head of Grants and Contracts

About the Role

This is a senior leadership role within Research & Innovation Services (RIS) at Northumbria University, reporting to the Director of Research and Innovation Operations. The postholder will be part of the RIS Executive Team and work closely with the Pro Vice Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange.

The Head of Grants & Contracts leads the pre‑award, post‑award and research contracting functions, providing strategic oversight of the university’s research income, contracting and expenditure activities. The role carries responsibility for a skilled, multi‑disciplinary team and for ensuring end‑to‑end compliance with university and funder regulations.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead and develop the grants and contracts team, overseeing proposal submission, award administration and research contracting.
• Monitor research income performance, devise strategies to maximise income, and produce analysis on bidding activity and success rates.
• Collaborate with Finance to oversee income classification and reporting.
• Serve as the primary contact for internal and external stakeholders on funding matters, ensuring timely award processing from set‑up through to project closure.
• Contribute to statutory returns including HESA, TRAC and HEB‑CI.
• Maintain knowledge of developments in systems, technology and AI to drive continuous service improvement and build networks across the sector to share best practice and identify emerging trends.

The role is based at our Newcastle City campus. It is a people‑facing leadership position where presence matters for effective team management and for building strong internal relationships.

To be successful in the role you will have:

• Deep knowledge of the UK higher education environment, the research funding landscape and external funder requirements, including UK Research Councils, Charities and the European Union.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to operate effectively as part of a senior management team, shaping and driving forward research and knowledge exchange strategy.
• Proven people‑leadership skills with a positive, inclusive and collegiate style, and a track record of motivating and developing high‑performing professional teams.
• Strong communication, organisational and financial management skills, with the ability to manage complex information and build effective relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrable experience of working in a large and complex organisation, including successful resource planning, budget management and the development and implementation of policies and processes.
• A first degree or postgraduate qualification and/or substantial professional experience is essential; a relevant professional qualification is desirable.

We pride ourselves on diversity and inclusivity, and hold numerous awards for gender and race equality, disability confidence and research excellence.