Project Support - Research

Project Support Officer (Research)
Glasgow / Hybrid - 6 Month Contract - 250+ per day - Outside IR35
Role Overview
The Project Support Officer provides high quality administrative and operational support to research projects within a higher education or equivalent research environment. Working closely with academics, researchers, and professional services colleagues, the post holder will support the effective delivery of research projects across their full lifecycle, from initiation and funding setup through to monitoring, reporting, and BAU.
This role requires experience of working in research or project based environments, an understanding of research governance processes, and the ability to manage complex information while supporting multiple stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
Project and Research Support

• Provide day-to-day administrative and operational support for research projects, ensuring compliance with funder, institutional, and regulatory requirements
• Support project planning activities including timelines, milestones, risk registers, and progress tracking
• Assist with coordination of project meetings, workshops, and events, including agendas, papers, minutes, and follow up actions

Financial and Grant Administration

• Support financial monitoring of research grants, including tracking expenditure, assisting with forecasts, and liaising with finance teams
• Assist with procurement processes, purchase orders, and supplier coordination in line with institutional policies
• Support academics and project leads
• 
  Reporting and Compliance
• Assist with preparation and submission of funder reports (financial and narrative)
• Maintain accurate project records, documentation, and audit trails
• Support compliance with research governance requirements, including ethics approvals, data management planning, and open access processes.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a key point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, including research staff, funders, collaborators, and professional services
• Support effective communication across project teams, ensuring information is shared in a timely and clear manner

Continuous Improvement

• Contribute to the development and improvement of research support processes and systems
• Provide cover and support across the research administration team as required

Essential Criteria

• Experience working in a research, higher education, or similar project‑focused environment
• Demonstrable experience providing administrative or project support across multiple work streams
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise competing deadlines
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Experience of working with financial or budget information
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook), and ability to learn new systems quickly

Desirable Criteria

• Experience supporting research projects
• Familiarity with research lifecycle processes, including grant setup, reporting, and BAU
• Knowledge of research governance, ethics, or data management principles
• Experience using research management systems (e.g. Worktribe, Pure, SAP, Oracle, or similar)

Personal Attributes

• Professional, proactive, and service‑oriented approach
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a collaborative team
• Confidence working with academic staff and senior stakeholders
• Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusive working practices

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