Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron science facility. Located on the Harwell Science & Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire a 20 minute drive south of Oxford in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Diamond Light Source conducts world-class research in virtually all fields of science and offers rewarding career opportunities covering both technical and scientific disciplines.

Diamond is a multidisciplinary facility that offers access to instrumentation to the Scientific Users from the UK and around the World, to perform their experiments.   All aspects of the 5000 (approx.) visits per year are managed by the User Office and the function is essential to allow users to undertake their experiments with minimal administration. We require an Office Manager (User Office Manager) to ensure we continue to provide a first class service and with the vision to see the opportunities in how new developments can enhance this service to the Users. Because of the “User facility aspect” the job will require good interaction and communication with many other groups inside Diamond; collecting information and providing feedback to management, but having an oversight of the processes. You will also be required to establish good collaborations with other similar facilities at a national and international level. The successful candidate will have a First degree in a scientific or technical discipline or equivalent and customer service experience with proficiency in communicating and information transfer. 

Duties: Manage the User Office covering all the aspects of the User access to Diamond ensuring a first-class and continually improving customer service, enabling Users to undertake their experiments with minimal necessary administration.  Provide feedback and professional advice to Diamond/Management regarding the User Access related processes.

• Manage day-to-day operations of the User Office, including user access, and associated peer review processes, ensuring that the provision of information is relevant, accurate and delivered in a timely manner.  Contribute to the overall strategy of the User Office;
• Work alongside the User Office team to deal with User complaints, resolving issues in a timely manner;
• Line Management and development of the User Office team;
• Monitor and manage the agreed UO budget;
• Provide professional advice and corresponding feedback, to senior management in the development of strategic objectives for the User Office, ensuring efficient integration of Diamond’s processes with other groups (both internally and externally to Diamond);
• Manage and coordinate the Peer Review process. Assist the Scientific Operations Coordinator with feedback to formulate the panel members;
• Contribute to the continuous improvement, development and implementation of the User Administration System and other IT systems and procedures for the User Office to ensure best and most efficient practice is in place;
• Provide professional advice and support to management as necessary on all matters related to User access to Diamond. This includes the provision of data and standard and ad-hoc reports as required, monitoring User feedback, analysing data and providing/delivering feedback, highlighting issues to the Scientific Operations Coordinator;
• Manage the User Office web pages, working with Diamond’s Science Division Coordinators, Principal Beamline Scientists, IT, and Communications team, ensuring accurate and up-to-date publicity and information for Users to access Diamond;
• Work collaboratively with the User offices on the Harwell campus-and to other European facilities- to facilitate common best practice for user access. 

• First degree in scientific or technical discipline or equivalent;
• Extensive experience in managing and developing multidisciplinary teams in a technical/scientific environment;
• Strong customer service experience with a strong component in communication and transfer of information;
• Proven advanced IT skills including a variety of software for data management, reporting and, planning projects;
• Experience in leading setting up complex procedures with strategic views;
• Extensive experience in managing budgets;
• Good interpersonal, communication, written and presentational skills;
• Ability to interact effectively and diplomatically with staff and facility users at all levels;
• Ability to design, plan, organise, and implement projects and tasks within an allotted timeframe;
• Ability and initiative to recognize and get to the heart of an issue and take it effectively through to completion;
• Strong organisational skills and methodical record keeping;
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and independently;
• Ability to find solutions with a proactive approach, to adapt quickly to changes in the policies;
• Ability to prioritise work and manage demands, from various sources and time pressures.

• Knowledge of the scientific community;
• Knowledge about technology based communications and applications. 

If you would like to discuss this role, please email your request to [email protected] and we will direct your message accordingly.