The Network Director had the opportunity to join the School of Biological Sciences, based at the University of Southampton. The successful candidate will support the network leadership team to develop and manage a national network focused on developing UK research into new and unexploited crops.

Climate change could cost the UK billions a year, partly due to its impact on agriculture. Diversifying current agricultural practices is essential for the UK to continue growing nutritious foods in a changing climate, without deteriorating biodiversity and resilience to global shocks. The use of new and underutilized crops (NUCs) is one of the unexplored ways to diversify. Identifying and overcoming barriers to their integration into the food system requires a broad multidisciplinary team, bringing together representatives across the entire food system, from farmers, breeders, processors and retailers, across science to communities, ensuring that the approach explored delivers multiple net benefits for all participants, as well as the environment. This is the mission of NUCNet.

The aim of NUCNet is to build a vibrant, diverse and multi-disciplinary UK-wide research community to advance understanding of New Urban Communities, particularly by bringing together diverse stakeholders from academia, agriculture and crop breeding, consumers, retailers and charities. The goals of NUCNet are:

(1) Stimulate and connect the NUC research community to diverse producers and communities across the UK, creating a comprehensive multidisciplinary network of expertise.

(2) Identify barriers and opportunities to integrating new urban communities into the UK food system.

(3) Infuse small research projects and support teams to develop capabilities that lead to larger bids, adding value to the network and BBSRC investment.

(4) Develop relationships between the network and community groups to allow knowledge exchange and influence on community and policy.

About you:

The job holder will be required to manage the day-to-day operations of the network, working collaboratively with network partners and stakeholders. This includes members of the leadership team at the Universities of Southampton and Reading, the James Houghton Institute and NIAB as well as other members of the University of Southampton in relation to communications, public policy, IT and finance. The Network Manager will be responsible for organizing and managing national events to support outreach and training. The role will also require organizing and disseminating funding calls from the network and the processes required to review them. In addition, it will include monitoring and reporting on research projects, fellowships and training places supported by the network.

The role requires experience in project management, event planning and reporting. The successful candidate must have experience working independently to manage and monitor budgets and financial processes and the ability to identify and communicate with stakeholders from diverse organizations. 60% FTE (full-time equivalent) is offered for a fixed period of 36 months. The position will be aligned with the School of Environmental and Life Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Highveld Campus. Hybrid work will be considered.

For further information please contact Professor Mark Chapman (m.chapman@soton.ac.uk).

As a university, we aim to create an environment where everyone can thrive and be proactive in promoting a culture of inclusion, respect and equal opportunities. We believe that we can only truly achieve our goals if we are a reflection of society, so we are passionate about creating a work environment where you are free to bring your whole self to work. Thanks to our generous holiday allowance plus additional university closure days, we are committed to supporting our staff and students and are open to a flexible working approach.

Apply by 11.59pm GMT on the closing date. For assistance, contact the recruitment company on +44(0)2380 592750 or recruitment@soton.ac.uk Mentioning the job number.