The Research & Knowledge Exchange Funding Lead is part of the centralized Research, KE and Innovation Office at UCA, led by the Director of Research, Knowledge Exchange and Innovation. The team provides support for academic staff, schools and research centres to facilitate, advance and evaluate their research and knowledge exchange activities. 

The RKE Funding Lead provides support to researchers across all aspects of pre-award research funding. Their responsibilities include developing, writing, editing, and costing funding bids, gathering intelligence about funding opportunities and providing training to staff to enhance their knowledge and skills in securing external funding.

Reporting to the Research & Knowledge Exchange Manager and working collaboratively within the team, the RKE Funding Lead helps researchers develop and secure external research & KE grants by providing specialist support throughout the pre-award and contracting process. Their responsibilities include developing, writing, editing, and costing funding bids, gathering intelligence about funding opportunities, providing training to staff to enhance their knowledge and skills in securing external funding, providing data analysis and reports for the Director/Committees. Acting as a key point of contact for researchers, the RKE Funding Lead offers expert guidance on funder terms and conditions, costing and pricing, due diligence of external partners, and submission processes. They also play a vital role in negotiating research agreements, setting up projects, and ensuring a smooth transition from pre-award to post-award support by working closely with colleagues in RKEI Office and Finance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Identify and disseminate relevant funding opportunities from UKRI, EU, Arts Council, charities, and other funders.
• Support researchers in writing, editing, costing, and submitting competitive funding bids.
• Align external opportunities with UCA’s research strengths and strategic goals.
• Coordinate collaborative bids, including international and interdisciplinary partnerships.
• Deliver training sessions and maintain guidance materials on research funding.
• Track application outcomes to inform strategy and success rates.

For an informal conversation regarding the role please contact Professor Jane Pavitt, Director RKEI @ jane.pavitt@uca.ac.uk

At UCA, creativity and innovation are at the heart of what we do. Our legacy of educating eager and passionate artists, makers and thinkers runs back almost 160 years, and today we’re helping shape a global future that supports and nourishes talent worldwide.

Our campuses across Surrey and Kent are vibrant communities, each specialising in different areas of the creative industries. We are also home to a thriving research hub, with academic experts and fellows leading the way in research on sustainability, design, textiles, animation, history and culture, and more.

Are you ready to share your passion for creativity with the next generation of innovators? If so, we want to hear from you.

Support for Applicants - If you require any reasonable adjustments during the redeployment or selection process, please let People & Culture know when submitting your application, or at any stage during the process, so that we can discuss appropriate support.

Closing Date: 18 Oct 2026

Department/School: Professional Services

Salary: £41,064 per annum