National Space Innovation Programme Grant Manager

The UK Space Agency (UKSA) 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.

The National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP) was launched in July 2020 to support the development of innovation in the UK space sector. The programme provides co-funding opportunities that catalyse investment in novel space technologies and services. NSIP runs a wide portfolio of space-related projects across the country, led by a mix of industry, academia and research teams.

The NSIP programme consists of three elements; ‘NSIP Kick Starter’, focused on supporting low Technology Readiness Level (TRL), lower value projects with an emphasis on developing novel and disruptive outputs; ‘NSIP Major Projects’, focused on supporting higher TRL, long term projects with an emphasis on commercialisation and catalysing investment; and ‘NSIP PMO’ which provides overarching support to the grant funding elements, ensure effective governance, reporting and support for the programme. 

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 NSIP 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
• Assurance and governance processes
• Supporting financial processes
• Risk and issue management
• Monitoring and Evaluation of grant funded projects
• Benefits tracking and development of products and events to showcase successful NSIP projects
• Task management and guidance for NSIP support officers
• Support for NSIP business case development

To support effective delivery of the role and career development the post holder will be supported to undertake relevant professional learning and development courses.

Depending on the role selected, successful post holders will report to either, the NSIP Kick Starter Lead, the NSIP Major Projects Lead, or the NSIP PMO Lead. All posts will within the UK Space Agency’s Investment Directorate.

Key Responsibilities:

• Planning: Support successful project teams and key stakeholder to plan and finalise the scope and schedules for funded activities.
• Manage funding calls: Organise and run funding calls to identify innovative and feasible projects that represent good value for money. Work with internal and external experts to assess proposals and ensure their viability and strategic fit with the Agency ambitions. Provide guidance to ensure project teams are familiar with their responsibilities and the requirements of UK Space Agency.
• Governance: Ensure that governance controls and approvals routes are appropriate, adhered and recorded effectively.
• Assurance: Working with in-house technical experts, manage reviews of project progress against schedules, milestones, budgets and scope. Where necessary undertake change management processes in line with commercial best practice.
• Financial: Monitor and report to UK Space Agency management and finance teams, providing information to support payment processes.
• Risk and issue management: Work closely with the sector and project leads to identify and respond to emerging risks and issues and oversee mitigation.
• Benefits Management: Work with senior management to design, manage, monitor and report on the benefits of selected investments, utilising a broad range of external and internal expertise available. Produce publishable materials and support the organisation and deliver of showcase events to promote the programme.
• Stakeholder engagement: Support industry, academia and research project teams to effectively deliver on investments. Lead senior level stakeholder management by developing effective collaborative relationships.
• Contribute to business case development for selected projects (supporting Grade 7 Programme Leads).
• Contribute as required, and on an ad-hoc basis, to Ministerial briefing and engagement with cross-government senior stakeholders and the UK Space Agency Executive in respect of the Programme.
• Provide task management and task management to NSIP support officers.

Essential:

Demonstrable experience of:

• Project/programme management
• Managing commercial and financial tasks in line with best practice
• Leading assurance reviews to monitor project progress against milestones
• Financial monitoring and reporting
• Risk management
• Monitoring and Evaluation and benefits tracking
• Strong communication skills and proven ability to navigate and communicate complex issues clearly and concisely
• Strong organisational skills and experience managing competing workloads
• Confidence in stakeholder engagement and presenting

The postholder will be expected to be competent in the use of standard MS office IT and project management tools.

Desirable:

• Experience of supporting or managing grant funding processes, or other equivalent funding activities.
• Experience of working with the national space sector, understanding its priorities and the benefits of government interventions.
• Understanding of or interest in space, innovation or technology.
• Experience of working with Government and public sector bodies.
• Project Management qualification at foundation or practitioner level, or willingness to undertake relevant training as required in the position.

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service

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. 

Job contact :

• Name : Iain Hughes
• Email : iain.hughes3@ukspaceagency.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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