That the money is coming from a grant doesn’t resolve this: the university would still not let you pay a higher salary because you need to go through university HR and follow their approach to compensation.
Would the following solution work? 1. academic applies for funding but ask for it not to be paid out until they make a hire 2. academic finds a hire 3. uni pays hire as normal 4. funder tops up the hires salary to market rate (or whatever was agreed on)
Alternatively, you can just get rid of step 3 but maybe the hire loses benefits like a uni affiliation, pension contribution etc.
Would the following solution work?
1. academic applies for funding but ask for it not to be paid out until they make a hire
2. academic finds a hire
3. uni pays hire as normal
4. funder tops up the hires salary to market rate (or whatever was agreed on)
Alternatively, you can just get rid of step 3 but maybe the hire loses benefits like a uni affiliation, pension contribution etc.