Graduate Research Manager

Job Description:

Te Kura Tāura| UC Graduate School
Located in Ōtautahi | Christchurch, Aotearoa | New Zealand

• Permanent position / 37.5 hours per week

Āu Mahi | What You Will Do
We are seeking a collaborative and highly capable Graduate Research Manager to play a pivotal role in supporting graduate research excellence across the University. This is an opportunity to influence institutional strategy, lead complex academic processes, and contribute to an outstanding research student experience within a values-led environment.

You will work closely with the Dean and Associate Dean of Postgraduate Research to oversee research candidature processes, academic milestones, policy implementation, and strategic projects across Te Kura Tāura | UC Graduate School. You’ll provide expert advice on regulations and policy, build strong relationships across faculties and service units, and help shape a high-quality and culturally responsive graduate research environment.

You will be responsible for:

• Leading and supporting complex graduate research and candidature processes
• Providing trusted advice on regulations, policies, academic quality, and research programme matters
• Supporting strategic projects, reporting, and institutional initiatives
• Building collaborative relationships across faculties, academic leaders, and service units
• Contributing to researcher and supervisor development initiatives
• Driving continuous improvement in systems, processes, and service delivery
• Leading with a strong commitment to manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, and tiakitanga.

Mōu | Who You Are
You’ll bring substantial experience within a tertiary education environment, along with strong leadership capability and excellent relationship management skills. You will also have:

• Significant experience interpreting and applying university regulations, policies, and procedures
• Strong analytical, organisational, and problem-solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Experience managing complex workloads and competing priorities
• A collaborative and student-centred approach
• An understanding of culturally responsive practice and a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi
• Advanced attention to detail and confidence working with reporting and data analysis tools
• An alignment with our organisation's values and culture, promoting a positive and inclusive work environment.

Experience supporting postgraduate or research environments will be highly regarded.

Mahi Ngātahi | Who You Will Work With
Te Kura Tāura | UC Graduate School is a space where our graduate research students can access wraparound support at every stage of their journey, from initial enquiry through to graduation.

Ngā Painga o UC | Why UC
At UC, being part of our team means more than just a job. We are committed to supporting our kaimahi | staff’s career and wellbeing with benefits designed to help our kaimahi grow and feel connected, supported and valued. We offer a range of benefits, for more information, please visit us: https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/about-uc/work-at-uc/benefits-working-uc . (For more information about Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury, please visit https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/ )

The closing date for this position is: 4 June 2026 (midnight, NZ time)
Please note applications will be reviewed after the close date.

Pēhea te tono mai | How You Apply
Applications for this position must be submitted via our careers website and should include a cover letter and resume.

Please note, we do not accept applications by email, however we are happy to answer your queries in relation to the application process, please forward these to [email protected]

You must have Aotearoa New Zealand or Australian citizenship/permanent residency to be considered for this role.

Please note, this is an onsite position.

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