Behind UCC’s Research HR Strategy: Mary Kate O’Regan

27 Jun 2025

We’re pleased to bring you a feature article based on a recent conversation with Mary Kate O’Regan, the People and Culture Business Manager for Research, at University College Cork.

The article explores the wide-ranging responsibilities of her role, from supporting over 1,100 research staff at UCC to managing contracts, recruitment, and training opportunities that empower researchers at every stage of their career.

The comms team would especially like to highlight Mary Kate’s recent success in securing a Horizon Europe grant focused on professionalising the role of research manager across Europe, as well as the significance of the visit from the European Commission Expert Group.

Photo: Mary Kate O’Regan Finally, the piece showcases how Mary-Kate’s team’s work dovetails with that of the UCC Research Staff Association (UCCRSA), illustrating a shared commitment to making UCC a truly supportive and dynamic environment for research staff.

We hope you enjoy this inside look at the collaborative efforts shaping the research experience at UCC.

Who Are They and What Do They Do?
With one of the longest job titles at UCC, ‘the People and Culture Business Manager for Research’, Mary Kate O’Regan leads a team of seven, ensuring research staff and principal investigators (PIs) are supported throughout their time at UCC. From contracts of employment to compliance with public sector regulations and salary structures, this team is deeply involved in the operational backbone of research life on campus.

What’s the European Commission Expert Visit All About – and Why Does It Matter?
In April, UCC welcomed two external assessors from the EC Expert Group as part of the university’s ongoing participation in the HR Excellence in Research Award. UCC first received this prestigious recognition in 2013, and the recent visit marks the third time the university is undergoing the award renewal process.

The assessor’s role was to evaluate the progress UCC has made in supporting its research community since 2012. This visit was perceived as a crucial step in maintaining the university’s commitment to improving conditions for researchers and ensuring alignment with European standards.

But why is this important?

• Quality Assurance: It serves as a formal check on UCC’s efforts, overseen by the European Commission.
• Research Funding: Holding the award is a significant advantage when applying for Horizon Europe funding, as it shows adherence to the Charter for Researchers.
• Community Voice: Assessors met with research staff, PhD students, and academics to get a full picture of UCC’s progress.
• Staff Representation: The Research Staff Association also held a dedicated meeting with the assessors, along with other sessions involving different researcher groups.

This review was not just a formality, but a chance to highlight the meaningful changes made over the past decade and reinforce UCC’s standing as a supportive environment for researchers.

Working with UCC’s Research Staff Association (RSA)
‘The People and Culture Research team’ led by Mary Kate O’Regan, works in tandem with the UCCRSA, as both teams sharing a goal: to improve the experience of researchers at UCC.

One key example of this is their work in relation to the HR Excellence in Research Award, which UCC has held since 2013. This initiative focuses on fair policies, training, mentoring, and ethics in research.

Training and Development: More Than Just Research
Understanding that academic positions are increasingly scarce globally, the team has developed comprehensive training opportunities to prepare researchers for diverse career paths. This includes:

• The Odyssey Programme for postdocs and final-year PhDs
• Advancing Your Research Career for research support officers – this programme is accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management
• Weekly online sessions open to all research staff and PhD’s
• Access to both research-specific and general staff training initiatives

Diversity and Mentorship
With over 50% of research staff coming from outside Ireland, the team led by Mary Kate ensures that every researcher receives a mentor upon joining. This mentorship provides crucial support in navigating UCC's large and complex environment.Photo (L-R): Rinkse Van Den Berg (CARDEA Project Officer European Research Executive Agency, European Commission), Dario Capezzuto (Policy Officer European Commission), Doris Alexander (CARDEA Advisory Board Committee Member), Mary Kate O’Regan (Project Co-Ordinator UCC), Dr Olivia O’Leary (Project Manager UCC).

Fair Recruitment Practices
Mary Kate emphasised that ‘all research roles are publicly advertised in line with open, transparent, and merit-based recruitment principles. From job ads to salary placement, everything is designed to ensure fairness and compliance with national guidelines’.

Shaping the Future of Research Management in Europe
In 2022, Mary Kate O’Regan was awarded the prestigious Horizon Europe grant, coordinating a consortium of eight partners. The project recently delivered the European Competence Framework for Research Managers, aiming to formalise and standardise research management as a career across Europe.

Mary Kate highlighted that the CARDEA Competence Framework for Research Managers (RM Comp) is a framework created by CARDEA to help people working in research support roles grow their skills and careers. It’s also meant to make research management more consistent and professional across Europe.

Why Was It Created? Mary Kate said:

• It provides consistency and coherence across different organisational and national contexts and career levels, facilitating an understanding of research management competences. This consistency is essential as Research Managers often work in various roles and organisations throughout their careers.
• It is user-friendly by clustering competencies into a manageable framework, allowing Research Managers to easily identify and address specific skill set needs based on their career stage.
• It provides Research Managers and employers of research managers with a basis to enable career training and development.
• Establish a shared understanding of the RM career architecture “language” within the European Research Area. By providing a standardised reference point, the framework promotes consistency in the expectations and standards for Research Managers across member states, enhancing collaboration and communication within the research community.
• Serve as a tool for encouraging the importance of research management careers, encouraging stakeholders to appreciate the diverse contributions Research Managers make to the success of research and innovation endeavours within the European context.

Photo: Mary Kate O’Regan (top Left) along with the People and Culture Research Team

How to Use RM Comp
For Individual Research Managers:

• Self-Assessment: Identify your current skills and areas for improvement using the RM Comp framework.
• Professional Development: Use the outlined competencies to plan training or mentorship opportunities.
• Daily Application: Align your work practices with RM Comp standards to improve efficiency and collaboration.

For Research Performing Organisations and Industry:

• Integrate RM Comp into Policies: Embed it in hiring processes (e.g., job specifications), training programs, and performance reviews.
• Enable Staff Development: Provide RM Comp-aligned resources, platforms, and budgets (where possible) for professional growth.
• Monitor Impact: Use RM Comp to track the effectiveness of research management practices and identify gaps.

For Funding Agencies and Policy Advisors:

• Set Standards: Use RM Comp competencies as criteria for funding applications and evaluations.
• Promote Capacity Building: Fund training programs and conferences focused on RM Comp skills.
• Facilitate Collaboration: Work with institutions to develop RM Comp-aligned policies and share best practices.

What’s Inside the Framework?
The framework includes:

• 50 key skills (called competencies) that research managers should have.
• 4 levels of experience for each skill:
• Foundational: developing expertise and guidance.
• Intermediate: building independence.
• Advanced: taking responsibility and guiding others.
• Expert: driving transformation, innovation and growth.
• 800 learning outcomes that show what someone should be able to do at each level.

Who Can Use It?
The framework is designed to work at different levels:

• For institutions – to check how well they’re supporting and training their research staff.
• For teams or job roles – to define what skills are needed for different research support positions.
• For individuals – to track personal progress, identify areas for development, and plan careers.

Types of Research Manager Roles
The framework also describes four main types of research managers:

• RM 1 First Stage Research Manager
• RM 2 Recognised Research Manager
• RM 3 Established Research Manager
• RM 4 Senior Research Manager

Why It Matters
This framework helps:

• Make research management a more recognised and respected career.
• Support better career development and job mobility.
• Align research support practices across Europe, so everyone is working to the same high standards.