Meet Chris Dolan

10 Sep 2024

Chris Dolan is the Faculty’s Head of Research and Business Engagement. We caught up with Chris to find out more about his role and what he likes to do outside of work.

Can you tell me about your role and the teams that you work with?

My role is focused on research support and research delivery. My team works with academic colleagues, with other Professional Services teams in the Faculty and with the central Research and Business Engagement directorate to support research bids and collaborations such as events and visits. We develop partnerships with industry partners in the UK and internationally. The Doctoral Academy also sits within Research and Business Engagement and they support the full lifecycle for postgraduate researchers and PhD students.

Ultimately, Research and Business Engagement supports researchers ranging from those who are starting their journey to experienced professors - and all career stages in between.

What are your priorities at the moment?

A priority for my team is supporting research growth. The University has a plan to grow research by 8% year on year which although might not sound like a huge amount, it equates to nearly £60 million growth in income over five years. We therefore need to make sure that the team is supported to facilitate large scale bids. This might see us exploring different ways of working or greater collaboration across the team. We also need ensure that there is sufficient resource in order to support this ambition.

Another priority is around managing change within the team. The launch of the Doctoral Academy just over a year ago has been a great success so far and we need to continue to embed this into our service provision. We’ve seen a lot of change in other areas too. The Research Services and Research Development and Innovation sub-teams have recruited several new colleagues. There is now over 100 people within my team who we need to continue to support and develop.

What’s your favourite thing about the role?

The variety of the work and the partnership element. I work very closely with Richard Curry, the Faculty’s Vice-Dean for Research and Innovation as well as other members of the Professional Services Leadership Team such as Finance, Communications and Marketing and Planning. I wouldn’t be able to undertake my role in isolation and having a supportive network makes it a lot easier and more enjoyable. Another thing I enjoy about this role is the exposure to areas outside of research.

How long have you worked at the University?

Five years.

What roles have you held previously?

I’ve worked in research support for the last 16 years. I joined FSE five years ago as Research Services Operations Manager. I then moved to the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health as a Research Development and Innovation Manager two weeks before the pandemic. Working in this Faculty during a health crisis was interesting! I then returned to FSE in my current role three years ago.

Prior to joining the University of Manchester, I worked at Sheffield Hallam in Research Development and Imperial College London as a Grants Manager.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I like running and going to the gym. I enjoy setting myself a challenge such as a half marathon and throwing myself into it for a focused period of time. I find having a goal really motivates me to push myself. I have two children aged seven and five so they keep me busy. I also like football and am a United fan.

If you could only eat one thing, what would it be?

I'm quite partial to a rocky road!