Spotlight On…Jessica Napthine-Hodgkinson

Jessica Napthine-Hodgkinson, Research Support Officer

Please can you tell us about your role as a Research Support Officer?

Research Support Officers support researchers with preparation of research proposals. This is mainly focused on preparing the costing for the project and ensuring that this meets the criteria provided by the funder. We work closely with Research Grant Writers and applicants to prepare proposals and ensure that they have undergone internal review and have been approved. All applications are logged on RMS and we work closely with the Research Finance team to set up account codes for successful applications. Once a project has been awarded, we process the acceptance and contract with the funder and advise on recruitment processes where needed and any governance issues. It’s a busy and varied role that often involves working to tight deadlines but we try our best to provide an efficient and helpful service to researchers.

You recently featured on the Association of University Administrators (AUA) website.  How does the AUA support people who work in university administration or management, and how has the organisation helped you in your role?

The AUA is a fantastic organisation that supports university administrators by providing a variety of resources and events aimed at furthering professional values and behaviours within the sector. There are online tools such as good practice guides and a professional development log as well as a variety of events across the country featuring sector experts and AUA members at all levels. There is also the forum which allows any AUA member to email the whole membership with queries – I found this feature incredibly useful in finding out about best practice from other universities when looking at process development. Becoming an AUA Advocate for The University of Manchester branch team has allowed me to quickly expand my professional network and get to know people within the University, and presenting at the AUA Annual Conference 2017 was an incredibly positive opportunity to test my presentation skills which I would not have had in my day-to-day work.

What are you most looking forward to at work during 2018?

I’m looking forward to continuing to learn about the wider research landscape and seeing how I can support my colleagues in finding new funding opportunities. I’m keen to keep expanding my knowledge of the Research Excellence Framework and hope to have the opportunity to be involved in this. Currently I am involved in planning a research showcase event in 2018 so that will also be a highlight.

What’s the best bit of advice you’ve ever been given, and how did it help you?

“You don’t ask, you don’t get”. This is the mantra of the director of the entertainments company that I used to be part of and it was the driving force that led to many fantastic experiences. It’s something I’ve taken to heart in my working life so whenever I see a project that I am interested in, I ask if I can be involved in some way. A large part of my career development has been taking on secondments which has allowed me to broaden my skills and make useful connections which have in turn led to other opportunities. I also think it’s important to look at what you can give to your organisation so, wherever possible, I try to get involved in equality and diversity forums and other community groups.