Job Description

Molecular Solid Solutions (MoSS) Project Manager

(

Job Number:

25001353

)

Department of Chemistry
Grade 7: - 38,784 - 46,049 per annum (Pro Rata)
Fixed Term - Part Time

Contract Duration

:

Five years

Contracted Hours per Week

:

21

Working Arrangements

:

Hybrid working is possible

Closing Date

:

12-Oct-2025, 5:59:00 PM

Disclosure and Barring Service Requirement

:

Not Applicable.

The University

At Durham University we are proud of our people. A globally outstanding centre of educational excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting - Durham is a university like no other. We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things professionally and personally.

Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is a key hub of activity within our region and nationally.


We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thriving University. Further information about the University can be found here.


Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Join Us? - Information Page.

The Role and the Department

A World Top 100 department, the Department of Chemistry at Durham is one of the very best in the UK, with an outstanding reputation for excellence in research, teaching and employability of our students. We are an active and vibrant department, with a strong cohort of early career academics and future leaders. We hold an Athena Swan Silver Award, recognising our commitment to gender equality. Our undergraduate programmes are ranked fifth in the Complete University Guide 2026. At postgraduate level, our students come from all over the world to carry out research.


Durham Chemistry is home to the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Soft Matter for Formulation and Industrial Innovation, (SOFI2). We are partners in the CDT in Molecular Sciences for Medicine (MoSMed) and the CDT in Renewable Energy Northeast Universities (ReNU).


Our research is focussed around three interdisciplinary grand challenge themes: Chemistry for Sustainability; Chemistry for Health; and Chemistry for Change. Within these themes, we have prioritised eight core Research Focus Areas: Synthesis, Catalysis and Process; Sustainable and Resilient (Bio) Chemistry; Materials Discovery; Theory, Computational and Data-Led Chemistry, Soft Matter, Polymers and Interfaces; Chemical Photonics, Spectroscopy and Sensors; Drugs and Medicinal Chemistry; and Agritech and Aquaculture. There is a strong culture of collaboration within the department and with other departments, institutes, and centres within the University, including the Institute for Data Science, the Biophysical Sciences Institute, the Durham Energy Institute, the Joint Quantum Centre (Durham and Newcastle Universities) and centres in Sustainable Chemistry, X-ray methods and Soft Matter. We have strong links with many Universities, Research Centres and Companies in the UK and overseas.


We are looking for an excellent Project Manager to support the administration and successful delivery of our 7m Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)-funded Molecular Solid Solutions (MoSS) Programme Grant. The role involves working closely with Professor Aurora J Cruz Cabeza in the Chemistry Department at Durham, as well as supporting various other members of the team at Durham, Leeds and Manchester Universities, and liaising with the funder (EPSRC).


The position is part time, on a 60% FTE basis, for a maximum period of five years. The MoSS Project Manager will be based in the Chemistry Department at Durham University.


Further information about the role and the responsibilities is at the bottom of this job description.

Working at Durham

A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University:

You'll receive 30 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year - a total of 42 days per year. The University closes between Christmas and New Year. We offer a generous pension scheme, and as a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS). No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have ample parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies. You can also take advantage of our cost-effective and environmentally friendly Tusker Car Benefit Scheme, allowing you to lease a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle with savings on tax and National Insurance. We have a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities. We provide wide-ranging health and wellbeing support including discounted membership for our state-of-the-art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme. Our on-site nursery is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and you can access holiday camps for children aged 5-16. Our family-friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers). We offer all staff the opportunity to take part in volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community. You can access exclusive discounts via our benefits portal including money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, eating out and days out at various attractions. Various salary sacrifice schemes are also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits. If you are moving to Durham, you may be eligible for help with removal costs, and we have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools. If you need a visa, we cover most visa costs and offer an interest-free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas.

Discover more about our total rewards and benefits package here.

Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion

Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work. As a University equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University's Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. It's important to us that all of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.


We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. If you have taken time out of your career, and you feel it relevant, let us know about it in your application. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

What you need to demonstrate when you apply/Person Specification

When you apply it is important that you let us know what skills/experience you have from a similar role and/or what skills/experience you have which would make you right for this role. Further information about the role and responsibilities is at the end of this job description. Where a criteria has an asterisknext to it, it may be given additional weighting when your application is considered.


Your application should cover the following criteria:

Essential Criteria

Qualifications/Experience

1. Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience).


2. Knowledge and expertise in the delivery and development of events and activities within and outside the organisation.


3. Experience in supporting working groups via the organisation of meeting schedules, minutes taking and reporting.


4. Experience in implementing policies and procedures.


5. Experience in managing budgets and supporting procurement.


6. Experience in providing specialist advice and guidance to a range of colleagues.


7. Experience of participating in internal or external networks to share and discuss good practice, develop strong and productive working relationships and support them administratively.

Skills/Abilities/Knowledge

1. Excellent spoken and written communication skills including the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally.


2. Strong digital competence across a range digital devices and apps including digital communication tools, Microsoft 365 applications, and SharePoint.


3. Committed to continuing professional development to maintain professional recognition.


4. Knowledge and experience of ensuring compliance with regulatory and organisational policy and guidelines.


5. Ability to solve problems and decide on and plan appropriate solutions.

Desirable Criteria

1. Experience with databases.

How to Apply

To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification above. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria. Please don't forget to check if there is any weighted criteria (see above).


While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.

Submitting your application

We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates.

What you need to submit

A CV: and A supporting statement or covering letter which outlines how you meet all of the criteria within the Person Specification.

Contact details

For a chat about the role or any further information please contact Prof. Aurora J. Cruz-Cabeza (aurora.j.cruz-cabeza@durham.ac.uk).

Typical Role Requirements

As Project Manager of our EPSRC-funded MoSS Programme your main duties will include:

Supporting the Principal Investigator (Aurora Cruz-Cabeza) and the Management Group of the grant (across Durham, Leeds and Manchester Universities) in the administrative management of the grant. Attending Management Group meetings and supporting drafting of the agenda and taking minutes. Supporting the management group in implementing policy in the team. Together with the team, effectively managing the budget of the grant. Together with the team, supporting the generation and accountability of budget reports. Supporting the production and drafting of annual reports. Supporting procurement and resource management during the life of the grant. Booking of travel for conference attendance for members of the grants as well as the project partners and invited speakers. You will be responsible for the organisation of meetings, both at and external to Durham University. Liaising with EPSRC as required for project reviews, updates and administration.

Further to the above, typical role requirements will include:

Service Delivery/Development

Show a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and the University's values. Review and look for ways to improve systems, procedures, processes, techniques and outputs / results that are relevant to your area of work in line with the University's frameworks and regulations Provide specialist advice and guidance relating to your professional area of expertise, in line with the University's policies, regulations and values. Provide advice and share guidance with your stakeholders to ensure that the University's policies, procedures and regulations are complied with. Provide the best possible service by continually reviewing what is required stakeholders you work with and contribute to ideas and service improvements. Provide specialist knowledge and support when interpreting and analysing complex data and information sources.

Planning and Organisation

Contribute to operational leadership teams to influence the type and level of services that are provided by your area. Contribute to progressing the strategic and operational priorities of your Department. Seek feedback from key stakeholders] so that the service is being adapted to meet customer expectations and to plan future requirements.

Communication/Liaison

Provide advice and share guidance with your stakeholders to ensure that the University's policies, procedures and regulations are complied with. Use your operational expertise to lead and participate in business meetings, working groups and sub-committees. Coordinate and organise committees and other business meetings and deal with any related complaints. Update policies and procedures in response to any internal or external changes. Use your expertise to provide training or guidance to other stakeholders. Create positive working relationships, including internal and external networks, using your networks to increase your knowledge and skills and swap information with peers. Contribute to the organisation of the MoSS project data and the delivery of its database. Any other reasonable duties.

Useful links

If you would like further information you may find the following will help


Department of Chemistry web page



Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Privacy Notices - Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.


When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.