XCEPT Research Commissioning and Grant Management Process Review

Enhancing the Research Commissioning and Grant Management Processes for Research Grants in the XCEPT Programme.

Purpose:

The XCEPT programme is seeking an experienced professional to assess our existing research commissioning and grant-making processes and tools. You will provide actionable recommendations to further streamline processes and strengthen alignment with the specific needs and best practices of research commissioning and grant-making.

1. Objectives

• Conduct a review of the current research commissioning and grant-making processes in the XCEPT programme to further streamline and align with research commissioning and grant-making best practice.
• Identify inefficiencies related to supporting commissioning and dispersing research grants.
• Benchmark current processes against industry best practices in research commissioning and grant-making and in full compliance with donor requirements.
• Refine processes to promote partnerships with researchers of diverse backgrounds and organisations of varying institutional capacity and experience, with reference to Global South and equity considerations/objectives.
• Develop a clear, actionable framework for aligning current processes to suit research commissioning and grant-making.
• Provide recommendations for implementation, including tools, training, and policies.

2. Responsibilities

Process Review and Assessment:

• Analyse current research commissioning and grant workflows, from solicitation to funds disbursement and reporting.
• Review process and methods of research proposal solicitation.
• Review criteria and methods used to evaluate research applications.
• Assess the current stakeholder engagement process, including early engagement, communication with applicants and grant recipients.
• Evaluate compliance and reporting mechanisms, particularly for research-focused grants.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Conduct interviews and/or focus groups with internal programme and corporate teams.
• Gather feedback from past and current grantees on their experience with the process.

Benchmarking and Best Practices:

• Research industry standards and best practices in research commissioning and grant-making.
• Provide case studies or examples from similar organisations or sectors.

Recommendations and Alignment:

• Identify specific areas of improvement to align processes with the unique demands of research grants.
• Propose an updated workflow, including key stages such as soliciting, application, evaluation, award management, financial and grant monitoring and reporting.
• Recommend tools or platforms that can enhance efficiency and transparency.

Implementation Strategy:

• Develop a phased approach to implement the recommended changes.
• Identify training needs for staff and create a training outline.
• Provide suggestions for ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the updated process.

Final Report and Presentation:

• Deliver a comprehensive report summarising findings, recommendations, and an implementation roadmap.
• Present findings and recommendations to key stakeholders.

3. Deliverables

• Detailed assessment report of the current research commissioning grant-making processes.
• Benchmarking report with industry best practices and relevant case studies.
• Recommendations document outlining updated workflows and tools.
• Implementation roadmap with timelines and milestones.
• Final presentation of findings and recommendations.

4. Timeline

We anticipate this assignment will require 15 days and expect completion by 31st March 2025, with the following milestones:

Example:

• Week 1-2: Kick-off, data collection, and process review.
• Week 2-3: Stakeholder interviews and benchmarking.
• Week 4: Draft recommendations and implementation strategy.
• Week 4: Final report and presentation.

5. Qualifications

The consultant will have:

• Expertise in grant-making, particularly in research-focused grants in the academia and/or think tank spaces.
• Experience in process evaluation and optimisation.
• Familiarity with compliance and reporting requirements in research funding.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and facilitation skills.
• Reference for similar past work undertaken.

6. Reporting and Communication

• Regular updates via email or virtual meetings at key milestones.
• Point of contact: XCEPT Research Fund Director.

To Apply: Please apply by send your CVs along with a one-page cover letter detailing relevant experience and proposed daily rate to [email protected] by Wednesday, 5th March. We encourage early applications and reserve the right to close this vacancy if a suitable candidate is found before the deadline.