The Operation Teams provide a service to academic and professional support colleagues across three distinct but interrelated teams.

The Contracts team covers a wide remit for contracts (excludes procurement contracts) while the Grants team’s focus is to support Research and Research-related project grants, including overall responsibility for research support processes and systems, and funder audits.

Supporting across the full range of RIKE activities, the Policy, Integrity and Performance team’s remit includes compliance with funder and University policies and procedures within a governance and legal framework. It also supports the URC and UPEC, has a monitoring and reporting function and manages the University’s REF return as part of the Performance remit.

• Contracts (formerly Research and KE Contracts) 
• Grants (formerly Research Grants Operations)
• Policy, Integrity and Performance (formerly Research, Strategy and Policy Office)

Associate Director (Operations): Jennifer Gilmartin

Our teams support the development of our research students, staff, partnerships and strategic projects by helping build relationships, create new ideas and share best practice across the University community and beyond, contributing to an environment and culture that fosters excellent research, innovation and knowledge exchange.  We provide hands-on support for grant applications, training, events, mentoring, communications and the management of external relationships of all kinds.

Teams:

• Research and Innovation Development 
• Building [Research and Innovation] Capacity (BRIC - formerly RET)
• The York Policy Engine

Associate Director (Development): Rachel Curwen

Our teams support staff who wish to increase the impact from their research or teaching through a variety of knowledge exchange activities including the development of short courses, consultancy, public engagement activities, developing spins outs and identifying licensing opportunities.

We also provide advice and support around emerging and existing economic development funding opportunities, eg UKSPF funding, and provide post-award support for this type of funding.

Teams:

• Corporate Training (formally CPD) 
• Commercialisation
• KE Enhancement 
• Economic Development

Clare Usher (she/her), clare.usher@york.ac.uk

As EDI Champion Clare is charged with promoting awareness of equality and diversity issues in the day-to-day operations of the Directorate, working in collaboration with the Equality and Diversity Office, as well as ensuring that the Department promotes, celebrates and raises awareness of equality, diversity and inclusivity. They chair the Directorate's Equality Group which meets quarterly and includes representatives from each of the different teams within the Directorate.

Emma Montgomery emma.montgomery@york.ac.uk

Emma is the Directorate Safety Adviser and as such she is responsible for advising and assisting the Director and section heads in delivering their responsibilities under the University's Health, Safety and Welfare policy and for liaising with the central Health and Safety Services Department.

Samantha Keenan samantha.keenan@york.ac.uk

As Covid Secure Lead Sam ensures that the Directorate has the correct procedures in place to be compliant with the current regulations, liaising with Estates as new developments arise. She is also planning for the return to campus and working with the Senior Management Team to discuss the options available.

Members:

• Karen Clegg karen.clegg@york.ac.uk
• Colin Poma-Young colin.poma-young@york.ac.uk 
• Anna Hastie anna.hastie@york.ac.uk

The panel considers applications within the Directorate for HR's 'Making the Difference' bonus scheme to recognise exceptional one-off or short-term contributions from staff or staff teams.