Head of Research Impact Strategy & Delivery - Research Strategy & Services Division - 107385 - ...

Head of Research Impact Strategy & Delivery - Research Strategy & Services Division - 107385 - Grade 9

United Kingdom

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £58,225 to £67,468 with potential progression to £87,974. Full time, permanent, grade 9.

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK.

Job Description

The University of Birmingham is a leading global university with a strong research profile.

As Head of Research Impact, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for the development, coordination and delivery of research impact across the University.

Role Summary

The Head of Research Impact provides strategic and operational leadership for the development, coordination and delivery of research impact across the University. You will work closely with the Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor, the Director of Business Engagement and Research Impact, and college leadership teams. You will lead the development of a high performing institutional approach to research impact, ensuring that impact is embedded from the earliest stages of research design and evidenced for REF and other assessment frameworks.

Main Duties

• Lead the development and implementation of the University's Research Impact Strategy.
• Contribute to the strategic leadership of the Business Engagement and Research Impact service.
• Manage a team of nine Research Impact professionals, fostering an inclusive culture.
• Provide operational leadership and coordination of the University's REF2029 and future submissions.
• Develop and oversee institutional frameworks that embed impact considerations across the research life cycle.
• Provide specialist advice and guidance across the BERI team.
• Work with colleagues to strengthen the University's profile in policy, industry, and societal engagement.
• Lead initiatives to strengthen the research impact environment and support training, mentoring, and development opportunities.
• Oversee systems and processes for capturing and evidencing research impact, working with the Research Performance & Systems Team.
• Ensure impact strategies are embedded within major research funding proposals.
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the level of the role.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, and Experience Education and Experience

• Educated to degree level or equivalent professional experience gained in a research intensive or regulatory environment.
• Strong working knowledge of the UK higher education and research sector.
• Proven leadership and team management experience in complex matrix environments.

Specialist Knowledge

• Extensive experience in research impact development and REF impact case study delivery.
• Deep understanding of the REF impact framework and sector developments.

Advisory and Analytical Skills

• Outstanding project and programme management skills.
• Strong data and systems awareness, including familiarity with research information systems such as PURE.

Communication and Engagement

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, influencing senior academic leaders.
• Ability to analyse complex evidence and write persuasively.
• Confidence building relationships at all levels.

Collaboration and Influence

• Experience working collaboratively across teams to deliver shared outcomes.
• Skilled in building professional networks and influencing change.
• Strategic thinker, proactive, resilient and comfortable under pressure.

Organisational and Strategic Awareness

• Good understanding of the research environment in UK higher education.
• Proactive in keeping abreast of external developments impacting REF submissions.

Values and Professionalism

• Committed to academic values and societal impact of research.
• Collaborative and inclusive, building consensus across disciplines.
• Innovative and improvement focused.

Benefits and Working Arrangements

• Salary range £58,225 to £67,468, potential progression to £87,974.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• 40 days paid holiday a year together with one paid day for volunteering, occupational sick pay and a pension scheme.
• Access to three high quality subsidised day nurseries.

Diversity and Equality

We are committed to promoting diversity, equality and inclusion. We hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations and maintain an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Centre to promote fairness and inclusion across the University.

Use of AI in Applications

We want genuine, self authored application materials. Applications that rely heavily on AI tools appear generic and may not progress to interview.