Manager, Research & Grants Office

About the role

The Manager of the Research & Grants Office supports the Assistant Vice President for Research by managing the operational, administrative and grant-related functions of the Academic Research & Grants Office (RGO). The role covers research operations, grant administration, ethics and compliance, reporting, faculty and student research support, and research partnerships, in line with the university's research strategy and accreditation requirements. The position is based in Jahra, Kuwait.

Key responsibilities

• Manage daily office operations: workflow planning, calendars, project tracking, SharePoint, documentation, records management, forms, templates, SOPs, meetings and action tracking.
• Coordinate internal and external grants: funding opportunities, proposals, submission tracking, reviews, awards, reporting, close-out, post-award monitoring, budgets, procurement and liaison with funding agencies.
• Run the Research & Ethics Committee: ethics submissions, records, approvals, compliance files, conflict of interest records, training and audit-ready documentation.
• Prepare weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reports, KPIs, dashboards, executive briefings and accreditation evidence.
• Support faculty research (grant writing, workshops, publications) and student research (internships, showcases, poster competitions).
• Coordinate research partnerships, MoUs, events, seminars and conferences, and work with Marketing & Communications to promote research visibility.
• Build working relationships with faculty, Deans, academic leaders, students, funding agencies and partners, and carry out special projects assigned by the Assistant Vice President for Research.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Project Management, Research Administration, Science, Engineering, Health Sciences, Communication or a related field.
• At least four years of progressively responsible experience in research administration, grants management, academic administration, institutional reporting, accreditation support, project management, committee administration or higher education operations.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating projects, maintaining documentation, preparing reports and managing stakeholders.
• Preferred: Master's degree, experience in a university research or grants office, and professional certifications in project management, grants management, research administration, compliance or ethics.

Required skills

• Project management, planning, organisation, analysis, documentation and reporting.
• Strong written and verbal communication, able to prepare executive reports and presentations.
• Attention to detail, follow-up skills, confidentiality and commitment to continuous improvement.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, SharePoint, Excel, reporting tools, dashboards and project trackers.

Candidates apply through the university's online career page with a resume and cover letter; applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.