Position Details
Department of Applied Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £46,735 to £55,755 with potential progression once in post to £62,728
Grade: 8
Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to March 2029
Closing date: 31st March 2025
UK travel may be required for this role
Our offer to you
The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.
We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.
We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.
Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University, and we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high-quality subsidised day nurseries.
The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.
Role Summary
The Manager of Strategic Engagement is a new role within the NIHR Research Support Service (RSS) National Collaborative (NC) responsible for leading the development and implementation of internal and external communication and engagement functions to support an effective, collaborative and coordinated approach to service delivery.
The RSS NC is hosted by the University of Birmingham. The purpose of the RSS NC is to provide strategic leadership and to coordinate operational efficiencies across the RSS Hubs and Specialist Centres for Public Health and Social Care research, in order to ensure:
1. All health and care researchers are provided with seamless support from pre-application through to post-application;
2. The RSS collectively provides consistency of service across the system, providing expert research design, methodological support, advice, and collaboration throughout the pre- and post-application/research process regardless of geographic location and research interest;
3. Coordination of research and methodological capability and capacity development, including supporting career paths locally and nationally and linking with other NIHR-funded initiatives where appropriate.
The post holder will be responsible for:
1. Fostering and facilitating a collaborative and harmonised approach to internal and external messaging and communications to support a consistent and accessible national service.
2. Establishing and implementing engagement strategies and frameworks that will promote and increase engagement and understanding of the RSS and promote service impact.
The post holder will work alongside the RSS NC Operational Leadership Team to support the effective delivery of NC strategic objectives and operational work packages, leading on multiple projects concurrently across service activities, including leading the national RSS Communications Working Group. The post holder will work with senior stakeholders across the NIHR RSS, NIHR Infrastructure and wider to build and maintain a high level of influence and act as an ambassador for the RSS and NIHR vision.
Main Duties
Leadership and Coordination
1. Provide effective and efficient leadership to coordinate national communications and engagement functions essential to a unified service delivery.
2. Responsible for the delivery of national programmes and projects, translating strategic vision and planning into reality on a national scale.
3. Coordinate and liaise with RSS NC Director, Manager and Work Package Leads to provide communications and engagement support to optimise delivery.
4. Lead in the production of reports that demonstrate progress and performance, presenting to appropriate stakeholders such as the RSS Leadership Group and other senior stakeholders.
5. Manage dedicated resources, including financial resources and direct line management of administrative staff, including recruitment, training and development, monitoring and evaluating performance.
Communications
1. Facilitate the development of the RSS identity and brand by working with senior RSS stakeholders. Lead the development of guidance, assets (including digital resources) and frameworks needed to enable consistent brand adoption and implementation across RSS Hubs.
2. Convene and lead the cross-RSS Hub Communications Working Group, ensuring best practice and knowledge is shared to provide efficient and effective internal and external communications activities that comply with NIHR communications and branding guidelines.
3. Management, oversight and coordination of marketing activities on behalf of the RSS, such as the website, newsletter, social media, events and outreach exhibitions.
4. Establish and embed a data and insight driven approach to planning and implementing integrated communications and engagement activities.
5. Work closely with RSS NC Operational Leadership Team and the NIHR Communications Team to develop and disseminate strategic messaging, including press, publicity and internal communication activities.
Engagement
1. Work closely with senior RSS stakeholders to ensure consistent and valued engagement with RSS Hubs and Specialist Centres to build a culture of partnership and collaboration.
2. Support the development of RSS network-wide engagement strategies, and lead on national implementation programmes and initiatives, such as RSS expertise and stakeholder mapping, that align to strategic priorities and objectives.
3. Build, maintain and coordinate relationships with the Director and Manager for a wide range of stakeholders including NIHR, Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), funding bodies, industry, charity, academic organisations to support the delivery of mutually beneficial outcomes, and act as an ambassador for the RSS and NIHR vision.
4. Using a collaborative approach, maintain a pipeline of current opportunities, ensuring the RSS network is responsive and aligned with key NIHR and government priorities.
Other
1. Promote equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
2. Support the University’s sustainability agenda through resource efficient working.
3. Any other duties commensurate with the grade.
Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience
1. Educated to degree level, with a post graduate qualification in a relevant specialist area.
2. Specialist knowledge and understanding of the health and care research sector, preferably with knowledge and experience working with/in NIHR infrastructure.
3. Experience of strategic vision and planning with the ability to translate strategic planning into successful operational delivery on a regional and national level.
4. Experience of large-scale programme and project management processes, and use of relevant performance metrics to evaluate success.
5. A proven track record of achievement in the fields of stakeholder engagement and strategic communications at a national level.
6. Experience working collaboratively, with evidence of successfully developing and maintaining effective working relationships with a wide range of internal and external partners and stakeholders to achieve shared goals.
7. Highly developed negotiation, communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate priorities and effectively engage and influence others at all levels internally and externally.
8. Brand, marketing and communications experience, with experience planning, coordinating and implementing integrated communications strategies.
9. Highly proficient IT and digital skills, with a deep understanding and experience across multiple digital channels, audiences and digital innovation.
10. Experience line managing and motivating administrative staff.
11. Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day-to-day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.
Further particulars can be found here
Informal enquiries to Sopna Choudhury, email: s.m.choudhury.1@bham.ac.uk
View our staff values and behaviours here
We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.
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