Research Culture and Development Manager

UWE, Bristol - Research and External Engagement

Location: Bristol

Salary: £38,249 to £45,413 Grade G

Hours: Full Time

Contract Type: Permanent

Placed On: 22nd July 2025

Closes: 14th August 2025

Job Ref: R08545

Research and External Engagement (REE) is a new integrated service dedicated to driving forward the University’s ambitions for research, innovation, skills and enterprise. This professional service works to support our students, drive research excellence, upskill and reskill the regions workforce, strengthen relationships and engagement with our alumni, business and community partners.

Through cutting-edge research initiatives, hands-on learning opportunities, strategic partnerships, civic leadership, and skills delivery, we will empower individuals to thrive in an ever-changing world.

The Research Culture and Development team will support UWE academics and Post Graduate Research (PGR) students to develop and thrive through an embedded and sustainable culture; one that is underpinned by the principles of collaboration, integrity and responsible research. Supporting the delivery of major, sector wide initiatives, such as the Researcher Development Concordat, this team will ensure the University is well placed to engage with, and strategically benefit from, these opportunities. There will be a strong focus on evaluation, ensuring that interventions are developed and delivered to have meaningful impact for UWE’s academic community, ensuring the skills, expertise and networks are available to help them grow in their careers.

The successful candidate will manage the Research Culture and Development team, and implement change based on data led outcomes taken from the interventions and wider University data. Managing the team to successfully deliver this change and ensure activity is aligned to UWE Bristol ambitions and objectives to deliver a continually improving, supportive research culture in which UWE academics grow and thrive.

They will provide expertise in developing and delivering initiatives that support the career aspirations of the research community including UWE’s PGR students, as well as the developing activities that support the research itself. They will work closely with the Research Excellence Environment manager (REF) to do so.

The role will work across the REE Service and the University to ensure academics have the appropriate knowledge to ensure they and the University can adhere to any policy requirements within an informed, scaled and supportive context. Ensuring the academic community is well-placed to engage and respond to sector-wide initiatives.

This role will also need to understand the research landscape across the UK’s HE sector, with a particular understanding of how external initiatives can impact on culture and the environment through which academics conduct research, such as the Trusted Research Agenda, or changes to funder requirements within an informed, scaled and supportive context.

About you

We are looking for an individual with broad experience in developing and nurturing research culture within a supportive environment, with the ability to develop relationships and work with a broad community of stakeholders.

You will need to work with research leaders, senior management and your team, demonstrating a detailed knowledge of sector developments and best-practice in areas allied to this remit.

You will need to work collaboratively with your team, across REE and the university community to develop UWE’s research culture and environment to enable our researchers to adapt and thrive for the future.

Where is this role based?

This post is based at our lively Frenchay campus.

Further information

If you would like to speak to us please contact Philippa Shelton on 0117 328 3306 or email: philippa.shelton@uwe.ac.uk.

This is a full-time, permanent post, working 37 hours per week.