Research Grants Manager - FTC

Research Grant Manager - FTC

ARUK is migrating to a new grants management system, Flexigrant, creating an exciting opportunity for a Research Grants Manager to act as the product owner for ARUK’s grant-making processes. This role will sit at the intersection of research funding, systems delivery, and stakeholder engagement. You will be responsible for configuring, embedding, and continuously improving Flexigrant to support ARUK’s grant-making activities across the full funding lifecycle — from scheme design and application, through peer review and funding decisions, to post-award management and reporting.

Working closely with colleagues across the Research Funding team, the wider Research Directorate, and external partners and providers, you will ensure that ARUK’s grant processes are robust, user-centred, efficient, and scalable. This role is vital to enabling ARUK to fund the best dementia research and to support and engage our funded research community.

This role sits in the Research Directorate, an ambitious, supportive and friendly team funding world-class research to transform the lives of people affected by dementia. We’re looking for someone with research management experience, a good eye for detail and enthusiasm for improving systems and processes in a complex research funding environment.

This is a 12-month FTC

Key Responsibilities:

Grant Product & System Management

· Act as a subject matter expert and system owner for ARUK’s grants management system, Flexigrant.

· Lead the ongoing configuration, implementation and optimisation of Flexigrant, working closely with team across the Research Directorate to embed their funding schemes and workflows.

· Support the Senior Research Funding Manager to work in partnership with the external system provider to support system development, issue resolution and updates.

· Configure and open grant schemes, build application and review workflows, manage access and permissions, and create data exports to meet internal and external needs.

· Develop and maintain system guidance, documentation, and training materials for internal users and external stakeholders.

· Champion adoption of Flexigrant across the organisation, promoting best practice and continuous improvement.

Grant Programme Delivery

· Support the operational delivery of ARUK’s grant-making activities, from scheme launch through peer review to funding decisions.

· Work with the Research Grants Manager (pre-award) to support the development and delivery of expert review processes, ensuring fair, transparent assessment in line with AMRC principles.

· Work with the Research Grants Manager (post-award) with award and post-award management, including monitoring research expenditure, milestone reporting, and post-award change requests.

· Maintain accurate, high-quality grant data and records, ensuring internal and external stakeholders have access to reliable and timely information.

Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration

· Act as a primary contact for internal teams requiring grant information or data from Flexigrant.

· Support applicants, reviewers, and grant holders by providing clear guidance throughout the application, assessment, and award lifecycle.

· Work collaboratively with internal teams such as Science Communications and Philanthropy to support effective communication of funding opportunities and grant outcomes.

· Represent the charity at relevant external meetings and events.

Knowledge, skills and experience needed:

· Degree in a life science, health-related, or relevant discipline.

· Experience of grant management or research funding administration within a charity, research organisation, university or funder, with experience supporting the full research funding lifecycle, including application, peer review, funding decisions, and post-award management.

· Practical experience of working with a grants management system or similar complex business system (e.g. Flexigrant, Grant Tracker, Salesforce, Worktribe, Info Ed, etc.) with experience of configuring or supporting…