What Makes a Great Project Officer - And How We Fit In
Jan 15
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When a new research project starts to gather momentum, the pressure to deliver can build quickly. Timelines move fast, and there’s often a long list of deliverables - events to organise, budgets to track, team members to coordinate, stakeholders and advisory board members to keep updated – with the responsibility often falling to the Principal Investigator, unless additional research support is in place.
That’s where a great Project Officer makes all the difference.
At The Remote Assistant, we’ve supported various research teams in exactly these moments - providing proactive, flexible project support that gives Principal Investigators and academic leads the space to focus on the big picture while we take care of the detail.
But what makes a Project Officer truly great?
1. They Bring Structure from Day One
The best Project Officers bring shape and momentum to a project. They get up to speed quickly, keep key deliverables visible, and help everyone stay on track - whether that means preparing timelines, setting up clear meeting rhythms, or making sure tasks are progressing.
That clarity helps busy academic teams move forward with confidence, even while managing multiple priorities.
2. They Communicate Clearly and Often
Academic teams are often balancing multiple projects at once, with stakeholders spread across departments, universities, and organisations.
A great Project Officer keeps everyone aligned with clear, timely, prompts - whether that’s arranging meetings, keeping internal stakeholders informed, or managing external comms with speakers and delegates ahead of an event.
It’s about being a central point of clarity, especially when there are multiple moving parts.
3. They Anticipate Needs Before They’re Asked
One of the things we hear most from our clients is how much they value a proactive approach. The kind that says:
“I’ve already chased the suppliers - here’s where we’re at.”“I’ve drafted the agenda for the next team meeting.”“I’ve sent a reminder email to the speakers of what’s required ahead of the symposium.”
It’s not about waiting to be briefed. It’s about spotting gaps, solving problems, and being a quiet force of progress behind the scenes.
Our Experience in Action
Here are just a few examples of how we’ve brought this approach to life:
Supporting the Birmingham Brain Tumour Network with everything from stakeholder comms to finance, distributing a project newsletter, and organising a 90-person symposium - all within weeks of a new grant being awarded. Read the case study here.
Providing project management support for the WHISPAs study, a £120k NIHR-funded project involving six universities and national organisations, including events, advisory board setup, finance management, and a national launch attended over 100 people.
How We Fit In
At The Remote Assistant, our Project Officers are selected for their experience, clarity, and are confident at working with Higher education systems and processes.
Whether you need help coordinating a one-off workshop, managing a project with multiple partners, or supporting a senior academic across several areas of delivery, we offer flexible, embedded support that feels like part of your team – without the overhead of permanent recruitment.
🔗 Explore how we support Higher Education teams
