NORI Operations Manager
Pro only
Salary
Pro sees the advertised pay
£56,500
Going rate
Skilled Worker going rate
This role may qualify for a Skilled Worker visa
SOC 2440 is an eligible occupation, but we are only 52% sure that is the right code. University of Sunderland is a licensed sponsor, so if the code fits, the role should qualify. Check the occupation eligibility rules against what the job actually involves.
Worth checking: this could also be SOC 3543 (Project support officers), which is not on the eligible-occupation list. Ask University of Sunderland what the duties actually are.
New graduate or PhD holder? Pick one of the lower rates.
What each route needs for this job
| Occupation code | New entrant 70% of going rate | STEM PhD 80% of going rate | Relevant PhD 90% of going rate | Standard rate 100% of going rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2440 Business and financial project management professionals Most likely code | £39,500 Clears | £45,200 Clears | £50,800 Clears | £56,500 Clears |
2161 Research and development (R&D) managers Also possible | £38,100 Clears | £43,500 Clears | £48,900 Clears | £54,400 Clears |
3543 Project support officers Also possible | £33,400 Clears | £41,700 Clears | £41,700 Clears | £41,700 Clears |
We use the lowest threshold across the plausible codes. Likelihood is Possible at most when the pay clears only a lower rate, or only under a less likely code. A mark is for the top of the advertised pay. How the Home Office picks the code
About the role
Proud to be Sunderland
The University of Sunderland offers life‑changing opportunities for more than 27,500 students across our campuses in Sunderland, London and Hong Kong, as well as through global partnerships in 19 countries.
We’re an inclusive, ambitious and forward‑looking University in a vibrant city that’s constantly evolving. We’re also entering an exciting new phase with a refreshed vision and strategic ambitions shaped around the changing higher education landscape.
As we move through 2026, we’re celebrating being recognised as:
- A top 30 UK university (Guardian University Guide 2026)
- 1st in the North‑East for student support services (Daily Mail University Guide 2026)
- 1st in the North‑East for teaching quality (The Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026)
Your next opportunity
Lead the operational delivery of a major five-year health innovation programme.
Help turn an ambitious research and innovation programme into real-world delivery. We are seeking an experienced and highly organised Operations Manager to provide senior operational leadership across the Northern Ophthalmic Research and Innovation (NORI) Institute and its five-year EPSRC-funded Hub.
This is an opportunity to work at the centre of a major collaborative programme bringing together engineering, data science, ophthalmic sensing and health partners to advance earlier disease detection and prevention. You will work across University, NHS, industry and civic partnerships, helping translate ambitious research programmes into coordinated, well-governed and deliverable activity.
You will join NORI at an important stage of growth, with the opportunity to shape how a complex EPSRC-funded programme is mobilised, managed and delivered over its full five-year lifecycle.
Reporting to the NORI executive, you will be responsible for establishing and maintaining the operational grip needed to deliver a complex, multi-partner programme. You will coordinate programme plans, milestones and dependencies; support governance and decision-making; maintain oversight of risk, performance and funder reporting; monitor finances and resources; coordinate recruitment, procurement, contracts and partner commitments; and help resolve operational barriers as they arise.
You will also play an important role in coordinating professional services and external partners, supporting the Hub's Flexible Fund, maintaining audit-ready programme information, and contributing to agreed Faculty research, innovation and income-development priorities.
This is an externally funded 5-year fixed term contract.
Is this you?
The successful candidate will have:
1. Complex programme delivery: significant experience of managing major research programmes, awards or comparable projects involving multiple teams, partners, milestones and dependencies.
2. Operational judgement and control: strong experience of governance, risk, financial monitoring, reporting and corrective action, with the ability to identify what needs resolving, what needs escalating and how to keep delivery moving.
3. Partnership working and influence: excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to coordinate and influence colleagues and partners across organisational boundaries, including where you do not hold direct management authority.
Why join us?
At the University of Sunderland, we’re more than a place of learning, we’re a welcoming community that values inclusivity, collaboration, and well-being. We don’t just offer jobs, we offer careers that come with support, flexibility, and plenty of perks:
- Up to 49 days’ holiday - that’s 36 days’ annual leave, 5 festive closure days and 8 Bank Holidays!
Ready to Apply?
Before getting started, please download the Role Profile under ‘Job Description’ so you have everything you need.
Our application questions assess you directly against the essential and desirable criteria for the role. We do not review CVs at this stage, so please provide detailed, evidence-based answers to help us understand your suitability.
Closing date: Sunday 25th October (23:59 GMT)
If you have questions about the role, please contact:
Professor Matt Campbell, Head of NORI: [email protected]
We may close this vacancy earlier than the advertised closing date if we receive a high volume of applications. If this sounds like the opportunity for you, don't wait – get your application in early!
This description is the source posting as it read when we added it. We are not affiliated with University of Sunderland, so check their own site for the current details.
Where this offer sits in the market
Business and financial project management professionals (SOC 2440) · UK · ONS ASHE 2025 · basic pay · ~314k in sample- Middle half £45,968–76,128
- Median £58,812
- Going rate £56,500
- Threshold £41,700
- New entrant £39,500–50,800
Similar sponsored roles
See all UK visa jobsNo close matches live right now.
Browse more sponsored jobs at University of SunderlandAbout sponsorship for this role
Does this job guarantee visa sponsorship?
Not necessarily. University of Sunderland holds a sponsor licence, but sponsorship for a specific hire is always the employer's decision. Be upfront in your application that you'll require it.
What salary is needed for this role to be eligible?
The offer must clear both the general threshold and the SOC 2440 going rate of £56,500. New-entrant and shortage discounts can lower it.