RIC Research centre and network co-ordinator

Package description

The Responsible Innovation Centre (RIC) is a new independent research centre hosted in BBC Research and Development. It is funded by UKRI, a non-governmental public body that directs UK research and innovation funding. RIC delivers research to generate timely evidence and critical insights on the social, editorial and ethical challenges technology raises for public media, people and society. If you enjoy helping to successfully get new initiatives off the ground and have a passion for ensuring technology works for everyone, we’d love to hear from you. 

Salary range: Up to £46,000 per annum pro rata

Contract type: 0.6 fixed term contract over 40 months

Location: BBC sites – Media City, Salford and London

Band: C

Our comprehensive benefits package includes:

• An employer pension contribution of up to 10%
• 26 days’ annual leave (based on full time hours) + bank holidays and the option to buy/sell additional days
• Contributory lifestyle benefit options including discounts at hundreds of retailers, cycle to work scheme, discounted gym memberships and healthcare schemes
• Employee assistance and well-being programmes
• Learning and development tailored to your role – this could include industry recognised qualifications, coaching and mentoring
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join staff networks including: Women’s Network, National Disability Networks and many more.

Family friendly flexible working arrangements, such as hybrid working, job sharing, flexi-time and compressed hours can be requested.

We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and especially welcome individuals from underrepresented groups. 

If you require any reasonable adjustments at any time, please let us know by contacting us on Reasonable.adjustments@bbc.co.uk with the job reference in the subject.

Job introduction

The Research Centre and Network Co-ordinator supports the Director of RIC in operationally managing the centre’s research programme and key strategic partnerships and collaborative projects, leading on research operations and supporting the wider RIC operations team with financial and impact reporting procedures. The post holder will take responsibility for and oversee operational and administrative aspects of RIC such as project monitoring and reporting systems and provide day-to-day management of research and partnership activities to ensure the smooth running of the centre. Responsibilities include scheduling, facilitating meetings and workshops, overseeing engagement with the partners, drafting policies, onboarding newcomers and visiting researchers, monitoring progress and research impact tracking – working closely with RIC Delivery manager. 

The Responsible Innovation Centre (RIC) is a new independent research centre hosted at the BBC. It is funded by UKRI, a non-governmental public body that directs UK research and innovation funding. RIC delivers research to generate timely evidence and critical insights on the social, editorial and ethical challenges technology raises for public media, people and society.

Located in BBC R&D and working with the BBC and 12 world-leading partner organisations whose work advances technology in the public interest, RIC produces scholarship and resources to help ensure a strong and resilient public service media sector now and in the future. RIC is led by BBC Research & Development’s (R&D) Dr Rhianne Jones and is funded by a £1.9 million Future Leaders Fellowship grant, which enables emerging research leaders to work with their institutions to deliver world-class research and innovation.

Working collaboratively with internal and external experts and members of the public, our work seeks to advance responsible and distinctly public service-oriented approaches to technology – to support a healthy future digital UK society. 

Our independence as a research centre means we can undertake research into fundamental, longer-term questions, challenges and opportunities technology presents in public service media contexts. This benefits the BBC as host and provides a critical resource for public service media organisations around the world.

When you join, you will be joining a new team and will play an important role in helping to build the centre and deliver this important programme. You will be part of a small team of highly passionate and motivated researchers who care about ensuring that technology works for public media, people and society. You will work closely with the research operations team and research team to have a direct impact on the work and success of the centre, helping the BBC and public media organisations around the world navigate important challenges. 

As a member of the team you will be supported to develop yourself and learn new skills and will have the opportunity to build interdisciplinary networks inside and outside the BBC. We offer a warm, flexible and inclusive culture that supports people in the team to grow and thrive. We want our team members to share our passion for the work, knowing that what they are doing is making a difference in the world. 

Interview process

If shortlisted, you will be offered an informal chat with the RIC director, followed by an online interview lasting between 60-90 mins, where you will be asked to prepare a short presentation. Interviews will be online on either Friday 11th or 18th October. 

Main Responsibilities

As the Centre Network co-ordinator you will help coordinate between RIC and our research partners, helping to identify and manage collaborative research projects, activities and events. In particular, you will lead on the planning, day to day management of core team and collaborative research projects, planning and co-ordinating the RIC fellowship scheme and leading in organising RIC events. We are looking for someone to play a central role in ensuring research and partnerships operational excellence and building supportive and inclusive research environments for others to thrive in. If you’re passionate about technology in the public interest, enjoy getting new things successfully off the ground then we look forward to hearing from you.

Under the direction of the programme director, you will:

• Lead on day-to-day management of core team and collaborative research activities and reporting on research partnerships at an operational level.
• Be responsible for engaging RIC’s strategic research partners and maintaining regular contact with their leads and/or professional services staff ensuring good flow of information.
• Be responsible for setting up project meetings and running RIC’s external advisory board, ensuring all stakeholders are properly briefed on RIC’s activities.
• Lead on drafting and improving research policies and procedures, keeping them up to date and ensuring they are visible and being adopted by RIC teams and research affiliates, helping to actively improve RIC’s research practices and processes.
• Be responsible for creating schedules for RIC programme activities and keeping records and impact tracking – gathering information and ensuing it is clearly documented and ready for use
• Lead on co-ordinating and managing events, ensuring that speakers are in place, guest lists are appropriately managed, and facilities organised and event budgets are appropriately tracked.
• Be responsible for setting up and running online webinars and gathering material for RIC newsletters.
• Assist the Director of RIC in their activities and help co-ordinate and manage team meetings, mailboxes and calendars and internal and external (open access) research repositories.
• Keep informed of research and grant funding opportunities and help to identify potential prospective projects and/or collaborative opportunities.
• Be an ambassador for RIC and Responsible Innovation – engaging with the wider community of practice at all levels to support the RIC in delivering its goals.

Are you the right candidate

For this role we are looking for someone with a passion for people, excellent programme management skills and looking to make positive changes to support good digital futures. We are focused on building a strong and supportive team and on hiring for potential, so a key requirement for the position is a passionate, collaborative and people focused outlook. 

• Excellent project management skills with aptitude for planning ahead
• Excellent organisation, facilitation and co-ordination skills, ability to be across and co-ordinate multiple projects at any one time
• Experience of a range of administrative tasks within a complex project ecosystem
• Experience of dealing with a range of project partners and professionals across sectors
• Experience working with and writing policies and procedures
• Ability to work unsupervised, use initiative and make decisions for areas of individual accountability
• Handling sensitive and/or confidential information with absolute discretion
• Ability to interpret data and use spreadsheets and systems with strong data analysis and manipulation skills
• Experienced in using Microsoft Office/Teams and working with business management tools and systems
• Knowledge of, or ability to learn, web editing tools and other online information tools, such as document repositories, blogs and wikis
• Experience of using social media and external communications in a professional context
• Experience working in an academic research environment, or professional support team would be very desirable in this context

About the BBC

The BBC is committed to redeploying employees seeking suitable alternative employment within the BBC for different reasons and they will be given priority consideration ahead of other applicants. Priority consideration means for those employees seeking redeployment their application will be considered alongside anyone else at risk of redundancy, prior to any individuals being considered who are not at risk.

We don’t focus simply on what we do – we also care how we do it. Our values and the way we behave are important to us. Please make sure you’ve read about our values and behaviours here.

Diversity matters at the BBC. We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual’s unique contribution, enabling all of our employees to thrive and achieve their full potential.

We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to be part of the BBC – whether that’s to contribute to our programming or our wide range of non-production roles. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity.

We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles, unless operational requirements prevent otherwise.

To find out more about Diversity and Inclusion at the BBC, please click here.

Package description

The Responsible Innovation Centre (RIC) is a new independent research centre hosted in BBC Research and Development. It is funded by UKRI, a non-governmental public body that directs UK research and innovation funding. RIC delivers research to generate timely evidence and critical insights on the social, editorial and ethical challenges technology raises for public media, people and society. If you enjoy helping to successfully get new initiatives off the ground and have a passion for ensuring technology works for everyone, we’d love to hear from you. 

Salary range: Up to £46,000 per annum pro rata

Contract type: 0.6 fixed term contract over 40 months

Location: BBC sites – Media City, Salford and London

Band: C

Our comprehensive benefits package includes:

• An employer pension contribution of up to 10%
• 26 days’ annual leave (based on full time hours) + bank holidays and the option to buy/sell additional days
• Contributory lifestyle benefit options including discounts at hundreds of retailers, cycle to work scheme, discounted gym memberships and healthcare schemes
• Employee assistance and well-being programmes
• Learning and development tailored to your role – this could include industry recognised qualifications, coaching and mentoring
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join staff networks including: Women’s Network, National Disability Networks and many more.

Family friendly flexible working arrangements, such as hybrid working, job sharing, flexi-time and compressed hours can be requested.

We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and especially welcome individuals from underrepresented groups. 

If you require any reasonable adjustments at any time, please let us know by contacting us on Reasonable.adjustments@bbc.co.uk with the job reference in the subject.

Job introduction

The Research Centre and Network Co-ordinator supports the Director of RIC in operationally managing the centre’s research programme and key strategic partnerships and collaborative projects, leading on research operations and supporting the wider RIC operations team with financial and impact reporting procedures. The post holder will take responsibility for and oversee operational and administrative aspects of RIC such as project monitoring and reporting systems and provide day-to-day management of research and partnership activities to ensure the smooth running of the centre. Responsibilities include scheduling, facilitating meetings and workshops, overseeing engagement with the partners, drafting policies, onboarding newcomers and visiting researchers, monitoring progress and research impact tracking – working closely with RIC Delivery manager. 

The Responsible Innovation Centre (RIC) is a new independent research centre hosted at the BBC. It is funded by UKRI, a non-governmental public body that directs UK research and innovation funding. RIC delivers research to generate timely evidence and critical insights on the social, editorial and ethical challenges technology raises for public media, people and society.

Located in BBC R&D and working with the BBC and 12 world-leading partner organisations whose work advances technology in the public interest, RIC produces scholarship and resources to help ensure a strong and resilient public service media sector now and in the future. RIC is led by BBC Research & Development’s (R&D) Dr Rhianne Jones and is funded by a £1.9 million Future Leaders Fellowship grant, which enables emerging research leaders to work with their institutions to deliver world-class research and innovation.

Working collaboratively with internal and external experts and members of the public, our work seeks to advance responsible and distinctly public service-oriented approaches to technology – to support a healthy future digital UK society. 

Our independence as a research centre means we can undertake research into fundamental, longer-term questions, challenges and opportunities technology presents in public service media contexts. This benefits the BBC as host and provides a critical resource for public service media organisations around the world.

When you join, you will be joining a new team and will play an important role in helping to build the centre and deliver this important programme. You will be part of a small team of highly passionate and motivated researchers who care about ensuring that technology works for public media, people and society. You will work closely with the research operations team and research team to have a direct impact on the work and success of the centre, helping the BBC and public media organisations around the world navigate important challenges. 

As a member of the team you will be supported to develop yourself and learn new skills and will have the opportunity to build interdisciplinary networks inside and outside the BBC. We offer a warm, flexible and inclusive culture that supports people in the team to grow and thrive. We want our team members to share our passion for the work, knowing that what they are doing is making a difference in the world. 

Interview process

If shortlisted, you will be offered an informal chat with the RIC director, followed by an online interview lasting between 60-90 mins, where you will be asked to prepare a short presentation. Interviews will be online on either Friday 11th or 18th October. 

Main Responsibilities

As the Centre Network co-ordinator you will help coordinate between RIC and our research partners, helping to identify and manage collaborative research projects, activities and events. In particular, you will lead on the planning, day to day management of core team and collaborative research projects, planning and co-ordinating the RIC fellowship scheme and leading in organising RIC events. We are looking for someone to play a central role in ensuring research and partnerships operational excellence and building supportive and inclusive research environments for others to thrive in. If you’re passionate about technology in the public interest, enjoy getting new things successfully off the ground then we look forward to hearing from you.

Under the direction of the programme director, you will:

• Lead on day-to-day management of core team and collaborative research activities and reporting on research partnerships at an operational level.
• Be responsible for engaging RIC’s strategic research partners and maintaining regular contact with their leads and/or professional services staff ensuring good flow of information.
• Be responsible for setting up project meetings and running RIC’s external advisory board, ensuring all stakeholders are properly briefed on RIC’s activities.
• Lead on drafting and improving research policies and procedures, keeping them up to date and ensuring they are visible and being adopted by RIC teams and research affiliates, helping to actively improve RIC’s research practices and processes.
• Be responsible for creating schedules for RIC programme activities and keeping records and impact tracking – gathering information and ensuing it is clearly documented and ready for use
• Lead on co-ordinating and managing events, ensuring that speakers are in place, guest lists are appropriately managed, and facilities organised and event budgets are appropriately tracked.
• Be responsible for setting up and running online webinars and gathering material for RIC newsletters.
• Assist the Director of RIC in their activities and help co-ordinate and manage team meetings, mailboxes and calendars and internal and external (open access) research repositories.
• Keep informed of research and grant funding opportunities and help to identify potential prospective projects and/or collaborative opportunities.
• Be an ambassador for RIC and Responsible Innovation – engaging with the wider community of practice at all levels to support the RIC in delivering its goals.

Are you the right candidate

For this role we are looking for someone with a passion for people, excellent programme management skills and looking to make positive changes to support good digital futures. We are focused on building a strong and supportive team and on hiring for potential, so a key requirement for the position is a passionate, collaborative and people focused outlook. 

• Excellent project management skills with aptitude for planning ahead
• Excellent organisation, facilitation and co-ordination skills, ability to be across and co-ordinate multiple projects at any one time
• Experience of a range of administrative tasks within a complex project ecosystem
• Experience of dealing with a range of project partners and professionals across sectors
• Experience working with and writing policies and procedures
• Ability to work unsupervised, use initiative and make decisions for areas of individual accountability
• Handling sensitive and/or confidential information with absolute discretion
• Ability to interpret data and use spreadsheets and systems with strong data analysis and manipulation skills
• Experienced in using Microsoft Office/Teams and working with business management tools and systems
• Knowledge of, or ability to learn, web editing tools and other online information tools, such as document repositories, blogs and wikis
• Experience of using social media and external communications in a professional context
• Experience working in an academic research environment, or professional support team would be very desirable in this context

About the BBC

The BBC is committed to redeploying employees seeking suitable alternative employment within the BBC for different reasons and they will be given priority consideration ahead of other applicants. Priority consideration means for those employees seeking redeployment their application will be considered alongside anyone else at risk of redundancy, prior to any individuals being considered who are not at risk.

We don’t focus simply on what we do – we also care how we do it. Our values and the way we behave are important to us. Please make sure you’ve read about our values and behaviours here.

Diversity matters at the BBC. We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual’s unique contribution, enabling all of our employees to thrive and achieve their full potential.

We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to be part of the BBC – whether that’s to contribute to our programming or our wide range of non-production roles. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity.

We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles, unless operational requirements prevent otherwise.

To find out more about Diversity and Inclusion at the BBC, please click here.

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