National Project Manager Scotland

Contract type: Fixed term (18 months)
Working hours: Part time (28 hours per week)
Location: Edinburgh
Salary: £49,204 (pro-rated to £39,363)
Department: Preserved Collections
Division: Science

Job Description

Purpose

The National Project Manager Scotland supports the successful delivery of a flagship project to establish a national hub for digitisation of natural science collections in Scotland.

Working closely with project leadership at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and National Museums of Scotland, the job holder helps to coordinate project activity, governance, and communication within the project and facilitate delivery throughout a network of partner organisations in Scotland. With strong organisational skills, and inclusive ways of working, the role contributes to efficient project delivery to the highest standards.

Main Duties

Project management (40%)

• Work collaboratively with the Principal Investigators and project team to support successful project delivery.

Work with the Principal Investigators to develop the project plan, monitor progress, manage decision points, and ensure timely reporting throughout the project.

Help to compile and analyse progress data, ensuring current information is available to support decision-making.

• Maintain oversight of project partner agreements; work with colleagues at RBGE and NMS to keep these updated.

Manage a register of risks for the project and work with the Principal Investigators to mitigate and report on these.

• Provide proactive and flexible support to the Principal Investigators, taking on additional agreed tasks, to help ensure the smooth delivery of the project.

Facilitate partnerships (30%)

• Build and maintain positive, effective relationships with teams at RBGE and NMS, partner institutes in Scotland, and the wider community.

• Manage the calendar of meetings for different project teams.

Participate in project meetings, contributing to discussions and provide clear and timely updates as required.

• Work with the RBGE and NMS communications teams to plan and coordinate clear, timely and inclusive communications, ensuring communication routes are well-understood and consultation takes place at the right stages.

• Support the Principal Investigators with reporting and ensure data are accurate.

• Prepare, review, and contribute to project presentations for different audiences.

Financial administration (20%)

Work collaboratively with the Principal Investigators and Finance teams at RBGE and NMS to support the effective management and oversight of the project budget.

• Use available digital and financial systems to raise purchase orders, process invoices, and track expenditure.

Help to prepare and review financial reporting for the project.

Line management (10%)

Provide line management of the Project Assistant.

Person Specification

Essential

• Experience of project management, with a proven track record of delivering projects from planning through to completion.

• Excellent organisational and communication skills, enabling clear, timely and consistent information sharing.

Strong interpersonal, numeracy, written and digital skills, supporting effective analysis, decision making and reporting.

• Proactive and motivated self-starter, comfortable working independently as well as collaboratively within a small team.

• Proven ability to manage competing priorities and adapt to changing demands.

• Recognised project management accreditation, for example Agile, Waterfall or hybrid approaches.

A relevant degree or qualification, or equivalent knowledge and expertise gained through professional experience.

Desirable

• Well-developed influencing skills, with the ability to build positive relationships and achieve shared outcomes.

Previous experience of botanic gardens, museums, galleries or other collections-based institutes.

• Demonstrable experience of line management.