Job Description

Unit : Faculty of Arts and Social Science (FASS) Salary : \xc2\xa341,931 per annum pro-rata (Actual \xc2\xa320,965.50) Location : Please quote reference : 21044 Part-Time 17.5 hours per week for 30 months Closing Date : 28 August, 2023 - 12:00

Flexible working patterns will be considered.

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The Open University is the UK\'s largest university, a world leader in flexible part-time education combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education.

Open Psychology Research Centre, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS)

The Open Psychology Research Centre is the research centre of the School of Psychology & Counselling at The Open University. The successful project manager will be based within OPRC supporting the newly European funded OppAttune project working with seventeen international partners. The Centre represents a progressive approach to psychological research, theory and practice that is tightly connected with other social sciences and humanities disciplines. It champions creative, critical and credible psychological research that makes a difference to real social issues, that informs practice, and that inspires a positive vision for living together fairly, equitably and imaginatively. Our engaged research also feeds into scholarship for teaching at the OU.

The Open Psychology Research Centre supported multiple research projects across the school\'s three research strands; the Culture and Social Psychology strand (CUSP), the Forensic Cognition Research Group (FCRG) and the Psychology of Health and Well-Being Group (PHEW). OppAttune will run from 2023 to 2026 and is located within CUSP.

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is noted for the strength of our interdisciplinary approaches, our scholars of international standing teach and research a very wide range of topics and themes in specific subject areas, recognized as world class or internationally excellent in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF) in 2021, and having a direct and profound influence on our undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.

To find out more about OPRC please visit: https://www.open.ac.uk/centres/psychology/

The role

Project Manager to manage an innovative Horizon-Europe funded research project entitled OppAttune: Countering Oppositional Extremism through Attuned Dialogue: Track, Attune, Limit.

The Open University is recruiting a Project Manager to manage the Horizon-Europe and Innovate UK co-funded research project entitled OppAttune: Countering Oppositional Extremism through Attuned Dialogue: Track, Attune, Limit. OppAttune is focused on reducing extreme political narratives and building capacity for democratic dialogue in Europe and beyond.

OppAttune is a jointly co-ordinated project involving co-ordination between the Open University, UK, Panteion University, Athens, Greece and Glasgow Caledonian University, UK. The successful project manager will work closely with the three joint coordinators Professor Kesi Mahendran (OU), Professor Xenia Chryssochoou (Panteion) and Professor Umut Korkut (GCU). You will have the opportunity to work with a large OppAttune research team based within the centre, the work package leads, the steering committee and the full consortium of 17 international partners to deliver the project on time within budget.

The project began in April 2023 and will run until March 2026, and you will be responsible for the supporting the deliverables across all eight work packages within the strategic programme from inception through to communication, dissemination and policy recommendations. You will also be responsible for communicating the project internally and externally and ensuring delivery of specified outputs within agreed time, quality and cost parameters to meet the key agreed milestone dates of the OppAttune project.

postholder has the following key responsibilities:

1. Project liaison: Responsible for liaison with the scientific coordinator within OPRC at Open University, and two joint administrative coordinators. Liaison and coordination of work packages. Liaison with the Independent Research Advisory Committee. Liaison with OPRC Management Team, FASS-Finance Team and FASS-Research Management Team.

2. Management of agreed outputs: Management and organisation of project deliverables between the three joint coordinators of OppAttune and work package leads. Production of project reports, relating to finance, administration and management of the project - monthly and quarterly. Overseeing review reports at 12, 24 and 36 months. Uploading all information to funding portals.

3. Management of project meetings: Leading and support project meetings as appropriate, coordinating and maintaining project plans using project management tools. Participate in Steering groups and working groups. Production of minutes and overseeing actions arising out of meetings.

4. Project Communications: Communicating project with European Commission and Innovate UK. Communicating project via social media, and external website. Communicating project within internal communications.

Skills and experience

• Minimum standard of education to Master\'s degree level or equivalent
• Effective communications skills in fast-moving contexts, such as social media sites e.g., Twitter and Instagram to convey findings and influence discussions
• Experience of working within an international team
• Diplomatic liaison skills - ability to work with a diverse set of colleagues both internal to the Open university and external partners to the project.
• Demonstrate experience of planning significant aspects of focused research projects
• Proven track record of successfully delivering research projects, events and ad-hoc pieces of work
• Strong IT skills and the ability to use a range of software packages including Microsoft Office, Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint

More information can be provided via a link to the

If you would like to discuss the application or recruitment process before making an application, please contact the Resourcing Hub on 01908 655544 or quoting the reference VRF 21044.

If you would like to discuss the particulars of this role before making an application\' please feel free to contact Professor Kesi Mahendran:

What you get in return

and we have a strong commitment to providing training and development in and beyond your current role. This includes thorough induction into the organisation and regular reviews of your training and development needs.

We also offer a great range of benefits that support our employees and their families for the long term. include an attractive pension proposition and 30/33 days holiday per annum pro rata, plus Bank Holidays and Christmas closure days.

How to apply

Unless otherwise stated in the advert, all applications are completed online via the OU Job\'s page and following the instructions below and clicking the \xe2\x80\x9cAPPLY NOW\xe2\x80\x9d link below. Applications submitted via 3rd party websites will not be considered.

Access details for disabled applicants are available from the Resourcing Hub, telephone: 01908 655544, quoting the vacancy reference above.

To apply for this role please submit the following;

• CV
• Personal statement, up to 1,000 words, you should set out in your statement why you\'re interested in this role and provide examples of where your skills and experience meet the required competencies for this role as detailed in the job and person specification.

The above documents will need to be submitted as one attachment during the application process, please include the personal statement followed by the CV in this document.

To ensure your file is uploaded to our system correctly, please make sure your document is saved with the following file name as appropriate to the vacancy you are applying for: reference, surname, first initial.

You will need to have your documents ready ahead of submitting the electronic application.

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You can view your application communications on the .

Please note: If you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of the application closing date, please assume that on this occasion you have not been selected for interview, however we thank you for your interest in The Open University and encourage you to apply for future positions.

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Closing date: 28th Aug 2023 - 12:00 (noon)

The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential. We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength. We strive to recruit, retain and develop the careers of a diverse pool of students and staff, and particularly encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We also aspire to make The Open University a supportive workplace for all through our policies, services and staff networks.

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Posting Date : 25 July, 2023 - 09:00

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