Research Grant Management Unit Head

Role overview

The Research Grant Management Unit Head will oversee the full lifecycle of assigned research grants, with a focus on funding honorary chairs at leading universities to expand research on Arabic language and culture and strengthen its international reach. This role also ensures the planning, supervision, and publication of scientific research that meets the required quality, output, and compliance standards.

Position details

• Department: Arabic language Education & Research Department
• Section: Arabic language Research & Studies Section
• Unit: Research Grant Management Unit
• Reports to: Arabic language Research & Studies Section Head
• Direct reports: Research Grant Management Specialist; Research Grant Management Officer

Core duties

This role combines strategy, grant oversight, budget monitoring, stakeholder coordination, reporting, and team leadership to support research advancement related to Arabic language and culture.

Planning and strategy

• Support the creation of grant management plans that advance Arabic language research and broader cultural research in coordination with the relevant committees.

Grant and research administration

• Oversee the search for and assessment of funding opportunities for organizations working in Arabic language and culture research.
• Provide ongoing guidance to researchers, universities, and higher education institutions locally and internationally on grant goals, priorities, and scholarship details.
• Track funding opportunity selection and ensure research progresses according to approved timelines, standards, and requirements.
• Define, update, and maintain the criteria used to select and finance research, aligning them with priorities and approved plans in collaboration with the relevant teams and committees.
• Review, measure, and evaluate the performance of grant and scholarship programmes, and develop improvement actions that strengthen support, funding, and research dissemination.
• Coordinate the funding of honorary chairs at top international universities to support research into the challenges and opportunities affecting the Arabic language, in partnership with relevant institutions.

Budget and awareness initiatives

• Monitor research funding budgets allocated to researchers, universities, and higher education institutions, and ensure forecasts are aligned with plans, objectives, and expected outcomes.
• Lead the design and delivery of awareness initiatives that help researchers and institutions understand research procedures, standards, methods, and quality expectations.
• Ensure grant-related meetings with universities, researchers, and partner institutions are scheduled and attended within the required timelines.

Shared responsibilities

• Translate functional strategy into section-level business plans to maintain alignment across related teams and functions.
• Set team objectives, manage performance, motivate staff, and develop section capability to achieve assigned goals.
• Support talent development efforts with technical and discipline experts to ensure the section has the skills required for business needs.
• Model organizational values and ethics and promote a strong values-based culture within the team.
• Prepare and recommend the section budget and monitor spending against approved allocations.
• Ensure policies, procedures, and controls are applied consistently and that all legal and procedural requirements are met.
• Identify opportunities to improve systems, processes, sustainability, productivity, and cost efficiency.
• Prepare section reports accurately and on time in line with DCT requirements, policies, and quality standards.

Business relationships

• Internal: ALC relevant departments/offices/sections; Support Services Sector in DCT HQ
• External: Higher education institutions; relevant internal and external institutions; partners and stakeholders

Qualifications

A bachelor’s or master’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Project Management, or a closely related field is required.

Experience

Applicants should bring 5 to 7 years of experience managing research or research grants at a university or academic institution, or working in scholarship administration, a financial aid office, or student affairs administration. Experience in finance or budgeting management is preferred.

Skills

• Strategic planning and organization
• Financial planning and budget control
• Relationship building and stakeholder communication
• Research grant administration
• Negotiation and problem-solving
• Analytical thinking
• Decision-making
• Results orientation

Additional information

This position is part of the Arabic language Education & Research Department at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and supports research initiatives that promote Arabic language and culture globally.

Document version: Version 1

Approved on: 7 March 2021

Approved by: Department of Culture and Tourism, Organization Development Section