International Bilateral Fund: Grant Manager

Background: The UK Space Agency: 

The UK Space Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) and provides technical advice on the government’s space strategy, supporting the UK space sector to deliver the government’s vision. 

Space is a part of everyday life. Satellites underpin our national economy, from agriculture and banking to aviation and shipping, and support our national security. Space science provides critical data to understand and address global challenges such as climate change, while missions to explore our solar system unite nations and advance humanity’s horizons. 

We support a thriving space sector in the UK, which generates an annual income of £16.5 billion and employs 47,000 people across the country. 

Through our portfolio of programmes and projects, we encourage the development of national space capabilities and are an early-stage investor in space research and development.  We also promote the UK space sector’s interests and achievements; make connections to join up industry and academia; and represent the UK in international space programmes. 

We have a powerful global voice, partnering with institutions across the world, including the European Space Agency. 

More information about the Agency is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-space-agency 

To discover more please watch this film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbZZ-o0IkVU

Our Inclusive Environment

We have an inclusive culture to make UK Space Agency a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.

We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.

We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion.

We are pleased to advertise up to two positions to join the International Bilateral Fund, UK Space Agency’s flagship international funding programme.

The International Bilateral Fund (IBF) was launched in April 2023 and exists to build and strengthen international partnerships with established and emerging space-faring nations. The programme’s first funding call was launched in April 2023 and provided funding for a series of small, four-month projects ahead of a down-selection in Autumn 2023. Those projects that are successful in down-selection will be eligible for funding of up to £1.5 million in 23/24. These posts will oversee a small portfolio of 4-6 projects, ensuring they are delivered in accordance with the submitted work proposal and in alignment to UK Government requirements around grant funding.

They will also provide support to the International Bilateral Fund Senior Project Manager with the development of future business cases, and flexible support to other grant programmes within the Agency when capacity permits. The post holders will sit within the UK Space Agency International Relations team and will have the opportunity to be involved in the work of the wider team.  

Using their skills and experience in project, programme and grant management, the post holders will be responsible for day-to-day oversight and management of IBF grant funded projects and delivery of the programme. This will involve working closely with programme leads and support officers to deliver against the ambitions of the programme.

Core activities will include:

• Stakeholder engagement with internal agency colleagues, particularly in Commercial and Finance teams, project managers from industry, academia or research organisations in receipt of grant funding, and HMG colleagues to promote and raise awareness of the programme
• Progress monitoring and reporting
• Support for the preparation of funding calls and management of the panel review process
• Assurance and governance processes
• Supporting financial processes
• Risk and issue management
• Liaising with our external partner on Monitoring and Evaluation of the projects
• Benefits tracking and development of products and events to showcase successful IBF projects
• Support for IBF business case development

UK Space Agency Generic Responsibilities (This is a requirement of all posts)

• Ensure compliance with statutory and legal provisions as set out in the UK Space Agency’s policies and procedures. In particular in relation to: Financial Regulations, Equal Opportunities and Diversity, Health and Safety, Civil Service Code, Data Protection & the Official Secrets Act.
• Comply with the behaviours and standard requisites as relevant to your post as detailed in your job description, person specification and take responsibility for continuing self-development, participating in training and development activities as required or requested by your line manager.
• Attend meetings as required some of which may be outside normal working hours.

The above mentioned tasks and responsibilities are neither inclusive nor exhaustive. The post holder may be called upon to carry out such other appropriate duties as may be required by the Chief Executive and/or senior officer(s) within the grading level of the post and the competence of the post holder.

Essential Criteria:

• Evidence of supporting projects or programmes
• Strong organisational skills and experience managing competing workloads
• Good interpersonal skills with ability to work with a range of stakeholders, manage business relationships and communicate with clarity
• Experience of delivering within a fast-paced environment with the ability to react to changing business needs
• Experience working on commercial or financial activities

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of grant management or other government commercial and financial processes
• Experience of running peer review processes
• Interest in or knowledge of the space sector, innovation or technologies
• Experience in working with international partners

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

UK Space Agency offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.

Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.

An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.

Access to a range of retail, travel, and lifestyle employee discounts.

A generous maternity/paternity and adoption leave package.

This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is an informal, non-contractual and voluntary arrangement, blending a balance of attendance in the workplace (your permanent duty station which is based on business assessment of where the work is best done) and working from home, or elsewhere, as a personal choice (if the role is suitable for this).  If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest. 

Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

You must seek approval from your substantive manager before applying for any non-permanent vacancy, this includes applying for a new post during an existing temporary posting.  Please note that if applying for a temporary post within UK Space Agency or elsewhere on promotion, successful appointment will not automatically result in a permanent promotion – you will revert to your current substantive grade at the end of the Fixed Term or Loan period (unless funding has been approved to make the post permanent).

Job contact :

• Name : Laura Mason
• Email : laura.mason@ukspaceagency.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : uksarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk