Head of Technical Support Unit (Operations), IPCC Working Group III [Now closed]

The Centre for Environmental Policy wishes to appoint a Head of TSU (Operations) for the Technical Support Unit (TSU) of Working Group III of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The TSU will be based at the South Kensington Campus. The Head of Operations will have overall responsibility for the operational, administrative and financial aspects of the TSU.

The Centre for Environmental Policy (CEP) provides a unique interface between science and technology and the economic and policy context in which it is developed and applied. Its focus is on environmental and development issues, including climate change, energy, pollution, conservation of natural resources, food and health security and poverty reduction. The Centre is host to a variety of exciting interdisciplinary research programmes, as well as the Working Group III Technical Support Unit (TSU) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

The IPCC Working Group III is one of the three IPCC Working Groups looking at different aspects of climate change. Working Group III assesses options for reducing the rate at which climate change is taking place: what is called climate mitigation. Over the next few years, the Working Group III TSU will play a significant role in supporting the coordination of a major IPCC report: The Working Group III contribution to the Sixth Assessment report.

Location: South Kensington Campus

Duties and responsibilities

  • Team Management: line management of the technical support unit administrative team including the TSU Senior Administrator and PA/Administrator.
  • Funding and Budgetary Control: manage TSU budgets and expenditure, approximately £4 million over three years. Approve and monitor spend by following College’s financial procedures.
  • Record Keeping: Develop and maintain record keeping systems to facilitate links with Working Group III bureau members, authors and review editors.
  • Work Planning: Develop and lead on the implementation of the TSU workplan.
  • Meeting Management: Convene and chair regular meetings of TSU staff located in the UK and India by conference/WebEx calls.

Essential requirements

Candidates/post holders will be expected to demonstrate the following:

  • Educated to degree level or equivalent experience in a relevant subject
  • Experience of managing staff
  • Substantial experience of managing budgets
  • Substantial experience of producing and interpreting financial reports
  • Experience of working directly with senior academics
  • Proven experience in international collaborative activity
  • Knowledge and experience in the management of finance activities
  • Strong, interpersonal and influencing skills with staff at all levels
  • Excellent organisational skills
  • Excellent verbal, written communication and presentation skills
  • Proven ability to identify, propose, plan and implement to services and processes
  • Ability to work autonomously, plan and prioritise work activities
  • Ability to work under pressure whilst managing conflicting deadlines
  • Ability to work as part of a team and to be open-minded and cooperative
  • Evidence of adaptability and flexibility in a rapidly changing environment.
  • A high level of accuracy and consistent attention to detail
  • A high standard of numeracy, and the ability to interpret financial information and communicate it to academic and research staff
  • The ability to handle confidential information with tact, discretion and diplomacy
  • Ability to own and resolve problems using own initiative where necessary
  • Willingness to travel occasionally, usually overseas, for periods of up to seven days as a member of the TSU team

Further Information

This is a fixed-term, full-time position available immediately and until 31 December 2022

Should you require any further details on the role please contact: Prof. Jim Skea – j.skea@imperial.ac.uk

For technical issues when applying online please email recruitment@imperial.ac.uk

The College is a proud signatory to the San-Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions, we evaluate applicants on the quality of their work, not the journal impact factor where it is published. For more information, see https://www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-evaluation/

The College believes that the use of animals in research is vital to improve human and animal health and welfare. Animals may only be used in research programmes where their use is shown to be necessary for developing new treatments and making medical advances. Imperial is committed to ensuring that, in cases where this research is deemed essential, all animals in the College’s care are treated with full respect, and that all staff involved with this work show due consideration at every level. http://www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-integrity/animal-research/

Imperial College is committed to equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination and to creating an inclusive working environment. We are an Athena SWAN Silver award winner, a Stonewall Diversity Champion, a Disability Confident Employer and work in partnership with GIRES to promote respect for trans people.

Closing date: 22 March 2020

To apply, visit www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs and search by the job reference NAT00670