How do you manage your research management career development?

1 Assess your skills and interests

The first step to manage your research management career development is to assess your current skills and interests, and identify your strengths, weaknesses, and gaps. You can use various tools and frameworks, such as the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF), to map your competencies and capabilities across four domains: knowledge and intellectual abilities, personal effectiveness, research governance and organisation, and engagement, influence, and impact. You can also reflect on your motivations, values, and preferences, and how they align with your current and desired roles and responsibilities.

2 Set your goals and plan your actions

The next step is to set your short-term and long-term goals, and plan your actions to achieve them. You can use the SMART framework to make your goals specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. You can also use the GROW model to structure your action plan, by defining your goal, exploring your current reality, identifying your options, and committing to your will. Your goals and actions should be based on your skills and interests assessment, and should address your development needs and opportunities.

3 Seek feedback and mentoring

Another important step is to seek feedback and mentoring from others who can support your research management career development. You can ask for feedback from your peers, supervisors, collaborators, and stakeholders, and use it to improve your performance, identify your achievements, and address your challenges. You can also seek mentoring from experienced and successful research managers, who can offer you guidance, advice, insights, and connections. You can find mentors within or outside your organisation, or through formal or informal programs and networks.

4 Engage in learning and development activities

To manage your research management career development, you also need to engage in various learning and development activities that can enhance your skills, knowledge, and competencies. You can participate in formal training courses, workshops, webinars, or online programs that are relevant to your goals and needs. You can also learn from informal sources, such as reading books, articles, blogs, or podcasts, joining communities of practice, or attending events and conferences. You can also learn by doing, such as taking on new tasks, projects, or roles, or volunteering for initiatives or committees.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?