Programme Coordinator, SCENE Commercialisation Programmes (Job Number: 25000815)

Coordinate SCENE’s administration: manage meetings, finances, reporting, and partner collaboration to support complex research commercialisation workstreams.

Since 2018, the five North East universities have worked increasingly closely to build a strong collaboration to commercialise our research through the creation of high-growth businesses. Since launching the Northern Accelerator programme, 54 spinouts have been created, catalysing new investment and jobs.

Supported by Research England’s CCF-RED fund with £8.9m in funding over a five year period, the Strategic Commercialisation Eco-system North East (SCENE) programme represents an exciting next phase in our regional collaboration with the aim of wrapping new activities around and into Northern Accelerator to strengthen our support for the spin out process, and building new services and activities to extend successful research commercialisation in new areas, such as licensing and commercial partnerships.

Underpinning these propositions is the creation and development of a structured and connected ecosystem around University research commercialisation, drawing together partnerships with business, investors and institutions to drive a sustainable step-change in our impact.

Through the delivery of 7 workstreams over a 5 year programme, SCENE will:

Strengthen and expand the region’s ecosystem, engaging businesses, sector bodies, Catapults and investors more actively in commercialising university research;
Expand the pipeline of high-quality, investible new spinouts;
Support growth for existing spinouts, helping secure them for the long-term;
Increase adoption of university IP by businesses of all sizes in strategic sectors;
Attract new UK and international investment into the formation and growth of research-led businesses; and
Enhance structures, systems and leadership to support regional commercialisation ambitions.

SCENE is led by Durham University and involves as key partners the other 4 North East Higher Education institutions – Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside – who come together through Universities for North East England (UNEE).

SCENE is also supported by a number of strategic partners – our two Combined Authorities in the North East and Tees Valley, Catapults, Business Support organisations and key Businesses as well as associated universities in York and Cumbria.

We are seeking a diligent, well-organised and experienced Programme Co-ordinator who can provide an excellent administrative framework for the SCENE programme, working closely with the Head of Programmes and Programme Manager.

The postholder will co-ordinate and provide support to key meetings, ensure that the administrative and financial systems are designed and delivered effectively and liaise closely with core teams within Durham University as the host institution, and our key partners in universities and our strategic partners on financial transactions and other administrative matters. You will maintain recording systems to support reporting to funders and support the preparation of financial claims and other processes.

The project is an ambitious and complex project with a number of workstreams which also interact with existing Northern Accelerator programmes and the role of Programme Co-ordinator will be key in ensuring the financial and administrative and accountability systems are effective, efficient and thorough.

Ideally, the postholder will have a good understanding of the role of universities and will have experience working in a university in a programme of action, providing an understanding of the range of relationships and internal networks which are key to a well managed programme of delivery.

The main duties of the post will be:

Working with the Head of Regional programmes and Programme Manager design and implement a strong administrative and financial framework to support the successful delivery of the SCENE programme, and its workstreams.
Support and administer key meetings of governance and management within the programme, ensuring that partners are fully involved in the oversight and delivery of the programme, and by ensuring that papers and reports are prepared and circulated.
Co-ordinate the effective financial administration for the programme working closely with post-award and finance teams in Durham university, partners within other universities and strategic partners.
Maintain monitoring of our performance framework, monitoring key performance indicators and ensuring that performance updates can be made to funders and partners.

An illustration of the UNEE Governance Structures and SCENE Staffing Structures will be available here.

The Department

The postholder will sit within Durham University’s Research and Innovation Services (RIS) team, accountable to the Head of Regional Programmes.

RIS is a professional services directorate at the heart of Durham University which provides expertise, leadership and support to academics and professional colleagues across the University for all research, research-related, knowledge exchange and economic development activities and aims to strengthen their University’s role at the leading-edge of research and innovation, inspiring change across the world and in our region.

The team is based in our exciting new professional services hub at Bolden House, which is located on the outskirts of Durham near the Arnison Centre in Pity Me. Bolden House brings professional services teams together across the University in a vibrant office environment which supports collaborative working and is designed to embrace hybrid working.

Useful Links:

Programme Coordinator, SCENE Commercialisation Programmes (Job Number: 25000815)

Vacancy Overview