The Alan Turing Institute is the UK’s national institute for data science and artificial intelligence. The Institute is named in honour of the scientist Alan Turing and its mission is to make great leaps in data science and artificial intelligence research in order to change the world for the better.

The Alan Turing Institute has ten Programmes of scientific research in key areas of AI and data science, each led by a Programme Director. There are also a small number of significant programmes of activity which sit across several research Programmes.

This role sits within the Institute’s Programme Management Directorate, which is responsible for the management and delivery of these programmes in support of the senior academic Programme Directors. The team oversees millions of pounds of data science and AI research, training and knowledge exchange programme initiatives in these programmes, ensuring they are managed to business requirements, specification, time and budget.

There are a number of Programme Managers within the team, usually focussed on one research Programme or programme of activity, but who may provide programme management capabilities and support to other projects or activities from time to time as required. Programme managers are not permanently attached to programmes and may be moved to other research programmes in-line with business needs. Programme Managers may also have the opportunity to support other programmes ad-hoc or more formally, where there is a business need.

Turing Research and Innovation Cluster, Digital Twins

A digital twin (DT) is a virtual replica of a physical process or system that is dynamically updated using data collected from real-time monitoring of its physical counterpart. Although they originated in the engineering sciences, DTs are starting to be used to successfully approach a wide range of complex scientific and social problems, including in healthcare, environmental monitoring, urban analytics, and economics.

Digital Twins are a strategic priority for the Institute and area of research and innovation strength. Through ongoing work within the Data-Centric Engineering, Urban Analytics and AI for Science and Government (ASG) Programmes, and the Environment and Sustainability interest group, The Alan Turing Institute has established one of the largest impactful portfolios of Digital Twin research and innovation in the UK – in areas from aerospace and civil engineering to urban modelling and agricultural and environmental monitoring – supported by a total investment of more than £26M.

Building on this momentum, and supported by a further £6M investment, the Alan Turing Institute is establishing a new Turing and Innovation Cluster in Digital Twins (TRIC-DT) to support research and innovation at the interface of AI and DT technologies, ensuring UK leadership in these technologies. This cluster will work closely with partner organizations and coordinate activity with other national DT initiatives to extend the Institute’s substantial DT research and innovation activity, and will explicitly focus on solving significant societal challenges and generating tangible societal benefits in three interrelated areas:

1. Environment and sustainability: predicting and mitigating the negative impacts of climate change

2. Infrastructure: enhancing the efficiency and resilience of critical infrastructure (e.g., energy)

3. Health: improving human health and wellbeing

These focus areas will provide a set of defined case study projects on which to anchor the development of interoperable software and open science tools that will help move DTs from a powerful yet bespoke technology to a more easily adoptable industrial technology. The TRIC-DT will be governed by principles of open and reproducible research and effective innovation.

This vision will be achieved by establishing knowledge exchange between a central Turing Impact Hub, and a network of collaborators across the academic, government and private sectors. The Impact Hub will support a team of funded postdoctoral research fellows, dedicated DT software engineers, research application managers, community managers and ethics advisors.

ROLE PURPOSE

Programme Managers oversee and manage delivery of research projects within the designated programme/s, within funding parameters and to meet agreed delivery milestones and impact objectives. We anticipate that the postholder will to demonstrate initiative, balance and accountability in addition to the core values of Turing and their commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion as described in the Turing’s EDI Principles and Our Values (below).

The post holder plans, organises and communicates the start-up of individual projects and initiatives and is responsible for oversight of ongoing activities within the Programme. Funding may originate from Research Councils, external partners and sponsors, or Turing core funding.

Programme Managers report either to a Senior Programme Manager or the Director of Programme Management, and may have line management responsibility for one or more Research Project Managers. Their relationships are broad and varied, spanning a diverse team of academic research and business staff within the Institute, together with researchers and operational and senior stakeholders within partner organisations (both university partners and funding partners).

This post holder will support the Institute’s Turing Research and Innovation Cluster in Digital Twins (TRIC-DT). The Programme Manager is responsible for facilitating smooth operational links between the partner universities and research institutes as well as close working within The Alan Turing Institute to deliver high-quality research projects, research programmes, and knowledge exchange in data science and AI.

DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

• Oversee the delivery of millions of pounds of data science and AI research, training and knowledge exchange programme initiatives, ensuring they are managed to business requirements, specification, time and budget
• Provide support, advice, and challenge to the TRIC-DT Co-Directors and Senior Programme Manager in the implementation of robust programme management processes and protocols. Ensure the TRIC-DT complies with Institute policies and governance.
• With the PI and Industry lead and other colleagues, shape the programme strategy and set, implement, and regularly review programme objectives and activities, in alignment with the Institute’s strategies
• Foster, grow and develop the research community engaging with the programme through activities that meet the mutual needs of the programme and the research community
• Manage the budget for some aspects of the programme, which includes estimating proposal/project costs, forecasting, tracking actuals, and reconciliations.
• Highlight impact, outcomes, outputs of the programme and promote its successes with stakeholders.
• Monitor all activities, review risks, issues and progress, taking actions or escalating as necessary to ensure minimum impact on programme.
• Deliver regular updates and communications of programme information, highlighting risks and opportunities to stakeholders, internally and externally. Cultivate strong relationships with programme stakeholders.
• Responsible for performance management and professional development of one or more Research Project Managers (where applicable).
• Cultivate strong relationships with programme stakeholders, including strong open working relationship with funders, strategic partners and delivery partners across the programme.

• Degree or equivalent level of professional qualifications and/or experience with a demonstrated interest in data science and artificial intelligence
• Demonstrated programme and project management and organisational skills
• Experience managing multi-disciplinary projects, involving external and internal partners;
• Budget management and financial processes; experience working with Finance on budget planning, reporting, reconciliations;
• Experience negotiating, managing and monitoring contracts;
• Experience facilitating research using sensitive data, including an understanding of information governance requirements;
• Ability to work in uncertainty, and to map out risks/benefits of potential solutions to problems arising;
• Structured and proactive approach to work, comfortable multi-tasking and able to re-prioritise as required;

Please see the job description for a full breakdown of the duties, responsibilities and person specification

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This full-time post is offered on a permanent basis. The annual salary for full-time hours is £49,025 - £54,500, plus excellent benefits, including flexible working and family friendly policies, https://www.turing.ac.uk/work-turing/why-work-turing/employee-benefits

The Alan Turing Institute is based at the British Library, in the heart of London’s Knowledge Quarter.

From 01 March 2022 we will trial a Hybrid Working Model for an initial six-month trial period. During this period, staff will be expected to work at our British Library office for a number of days per month, dependent on the requirements of the role. As a guide, we anticipate this will be between 2-4 days per month, but the hiring manager will be able to confirm this during the interview.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

If you are interested in this opportunity, please click the apply button below. You will need to register on the applicant portal and complete the application form including your CV and covering letter. If you have questions about the role or would like to apply using a different format, please contact us on 020 3862 3546 or email [email protected].

If you are applying for more than one role at the Turing, please note that only one Cover Letter can be visible on your profile at one time. If you wish to apply for multiple roles and do not want to overwrite your existing Cover Letter, please apply for the role using the button below and forward your additional cover letter directly to [email protected] quoting the job title.

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS - Wednesday 20 July 2022 at 23:59

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

The Alan Turing Institute is committed to creating an environment where diversity is valued and everyone is treated fairly. In accordance with the Equality Act, we welcome applications from anyone who meets the specific criteria of the post regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. Reasonable adjustments to the interview process will be made for any candidates with a disability.

Please note all offers of employment are subject to obtaining and retaining the right to work in the UK and satisfactory pre-employment security screening which includes a DBS Check.

Full details on the pre-employment screening process can be requested from [email protected].