Behind the Scenes of a Research Project: What We Actually Do

Oct 23

3 min read

Flexible project support that helps higher education teams deliver at pace.

Delivering research projects is complex, as academics often manage events, keep the budget on track, and coordinate with multiple stakeholders and team members from various institutions and partners, all while pursuing their own research interests and future grant writing.

That’s where we come in.

At The Remote Assistant, we work with Principal Investigators and research support teams to provide structured, flexible support across the full project lifecycle. From resourcing and finance admin to marketing and event delivery, we help keep everything moving, without adding pressure to the team.

Here’s what that actually looks like in practice.

Supporting Research Teams in Action

We’ve supported several research projects across the higher education sector, including:

A £120k NIHR-funded workplace health initiative, involving six university partners, a growing network of over 400 contributors and over 60 government-funded initiatives
The launch and delivery of the Birmingham Brain Tumour Network, including the concept and delivery of a 90-person symposium and ongoing project management

For both projects, our role was to step in quickly and provide structured, practical support - from planning events and managing finances to building websites, coordinating stakeholders, and keeping teams aligned.

So… What Do We Actually Do?

We adapt to the needs of each project, but here are some of the tasks we’ve delivered across our HE work:

1. Strategic Setup & Project Planning

Developing a project map and defining tasks, resources and budget
Supporting early-stage coordination with internal team and collaborators

2. Project Coordination & Day-to-Day Admin

Acting as the central point of contact for the project team and external partners
Scheduling project meetings, keeping track of actions and maintaining momentum
Providing dedicated admin support to the PI

3. Finance, Budget & Supplier Management

Tracking project budgets and reporting on spend
Liaising with university finance teams and suppliers
Coordinating contracts, managing invoices, and event budgets

4. Resource Coordination & Onboarding

Helping onboard suppliers and service providers
Managing logistics for new team members
Coordinating travel and accommodation

5. Digital Communications & Content

Designing and launching project websites
Managing project newsletters
Coordinating webinars and workshops

6. Stakeholder Engagement

Managing communications between the project team, public contributors, advisory board members, and collaborators
Coordinating logistics for meetings and events

7. Events & Launch Planning

Organising high-profile online and in-person events
Coordinating speakers, managing registrations, and supporting delivery

Our Approach

We embed seamlessly within your team. That means:

Communicating professionally with funders, collaborators, and internal teams
Taking initiative, solving problems, and flagging issues before they escalate
Being flexible - whether you need a few hours a week or a more hands-on involvement

“Thanks to Tom’s professional and proactive approach, everything - from our website to events, finance, and reporting - ran seamlessly and on schedule.”

Dr Laura Kudrna, Associate Professor, Centre Co-Director, University of Birmingham, University of Birmingham

When We’re Most Helpful

We’re often brought in when: