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Senior Grant Programmes Officer
rocket science

Job Description

About us

Rocket Science is an independent research, consultancy and grants management organisation. We have a commitment to helping disadvantaged individuals, families and communities to enhance the quality of their lives. We specialise in employability and skills, health and social care, welfare and poverty, and developing and supporting the third sector.

We are now looking for Senior Grant Programmes Officer to join our London team. This role is suitable for someone with three or more years’ experience in a similar field who is looking to develop their programme and staff management skills.

We offer clients an end-to-end Grant Management service, supplying services in accordance with the government’s Grant Standards, meeting performance targets in addition to administering the funding.  To provide this role we use a cloud-based Grants Management Service (GMS) Flexi-Grant®.

Our service includes

  • developing guidance and documentation for each fund,
  • coordination of the application process, including assessing applications and providing advice to our clients’ decision-making panels
  • managing the ongoing monitoring and reporting between funded projects and our clients.

We also provide value-adding consultancy to support the Grant Management service which can include providing evaluation and learning support, implementation and other advice and help to support the successful delivery of funded projects.  Our focus is now on aligning this service more coherently to our specialist knowledge and consultancy offer: Employment, Education and Skills, Poverty and Welfare (including Homelessness), Health and Social Care and Civil Society/Inclusion. 

We are a company that supports and encourages ambition, self-starters and those who are wanting to make a difference to the place that they work. As a small company our staff are provided the opportunity to work on a wide variety of exciting projects across a range of our specialist areas.

Key skills

  • Experience working with the public or third and community sector – or in a position in the private sector that had direct engagement with public or third and community sector organisations
  • Ability to work independently and initiate, plan and prioritise workloads and meet tight deadlines including an ability to work across several projects at once
  • Highly proficient in the use of MS Office tools to support and enhance your role
  • A quick learner of new systems and willingness to learn to use our cloud-based Grants Management System to administer our grant programmes
  • A good telephone manner and commitment to excellent customer service
  • An interest in Rocket Science’s specialisms and areas of work

Desirable skills

  • Knowledge of grant management processes
  • Experience in one or more of Rocket Science’s specialisms and areas of work

The way we work

Our values guide the way we work and the way we develop as a company. Rocket Scientists should demonstrate their commitment to these and behave in ways that are consistent with these. We aim to deliver excellent services by:

  • being accessible and responsive to our clients’ needs
  • making a difference
  • finding creative and practical solutions
  • learning and sharing
  • working with clients rather than for clients
  • investing in our people
  • enjoying what we do.

Key areas of responsibility

To support the delivery Grant Management service including:

  • Co-design of Grant Management programmes and programme plans with oversight including scoping out client needs, shaping grants and creating an implementation plan
  • Implementing project plans, monitoring risks, and reporting internally and externally on progress including
    • Maintaining our cloud-based Grants Management Service (GMS) Flexi-Grant®
    • Building grant application module in Flexi-Grant® that enables applications to apply for funding and ensures funders obtain all the information from applicants required to make decisions
    • Conducting eligibility checks to ensure applicants are eligible for funds
    • Responding to emails and telephone calls from applicants, projects and clients
    • Conducting and coordinating application assessments
    • Preparing and overseeing the development of packs for funders to use in their decision making (panel packs)
    • Leading and participating in negotiation of grant agreements with successful projects and obtaining required information from successful projects
    • Building reporting and payment modules and supporting reporting by successful projects to funders
  • Coordination of Rocket Science staff and relevant sub-contractors to ensure delivery of grants programmes
  • Supporting the invoicing and payment processes required to ensure payment of grants to grantees and for our services in compliance with government’s Grant Standards
  • Management of own workload to ensure high quality contribution to project plans
  • Contribute to Rocket Science company management functions as appropriate

Relationships

  • Building knowledge on grants management and demonstrating this externally with clients and prospective clients as appropriate, including deputising for the Head of Grant Programmes at events where needed
  • Acting as lead officer for more complex grant programmes that require in-depth support (learning and evaluation)
  • Leading and participating in promotional activity of Rocket Science and funded projects – for example using social media

Continuous improvement and quality assurance

  • Quality assurance of work produced by you and others in the grants team and relevant subcontractors
  • Provide oversight of team compliance with ISO standards
  • Proactively contribute to and participate in the continuous improvement of the grants programme offer

How to apply

Please apply online and include the following information in your application:

  • A cover letter outlining why you think you are the best person for this role
  • A copy of your current CV (including your full contact details)
  • The names and contact details of two referees, including, if applicable, your most recent employer. Please note that referees will not be approached without your prior permission only following a successful application and interview.

Applications for this position close on 15th February 2019

Rocket Science operates an equal opportunities policy and will appoint solely on the basis of the applicant’s ability to do the job in question. We do not discriminate with reference to age, gender, sexual orientation, race, colour, religion, marital status or disability, nor will such factors play any part in decisions on appointment or selection

The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.