Communications & Policy Engagement Lead - Glasgow, United Kingdom - University of Glasgow

University of Glasgow

Verified Company

Glasgow, United Kingdom

2 weeks ago

Posted by:

Tom O´Connor

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Description

Job Purpose

The University of Glasgow is seeking an experienced communications professional to lead Communications and Policy Engagement for its new Centre for Public Policy.

The Centre is being established to better connect the policy community with policy-relevant research expertise from across the University of Glasgow and beyond.

The postholder will work alongside the Director, Professor Nicola McEwen, and a growing team within the Centre for Public Policy to establish productive relationships among governments, public bodies, parliaments, media, business and other key audiences.

The postholder will lead the Centre's communications and policy engagement to help establish its reputation as a source of trustworthy and impartial research, analysis and advice on the policy challenges of today and the future.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

You will be an enthusiastic, self-motivated individual, capable of playing a leading role in launching and establishing this new centre as a key player in the UK's research-policy landscape.

Working closely with the Centre Director, the College of Social Sciences' Operations and Communication team, and reporting into the Head of Research Operations and College communications, you will:

Establish and deliver a policy engagement strategy grounded in a relational approach to policy institutions, including local, national and supra-national governments, parliaments, other public bodies, private and third sector organisations.
Establish and deliver a communications strategy for social and traditional media, including strategic development and management of the Centre's website, and supporting the design and delivery of a range of activities that raise the profile of the Centre and maximise the reach of its research.
Establish and develop the Centre's visual identity and voice as a go-to hub for top quality impartial, reliable, and accessible policy-oriented research on key policy challenges.
Identify and support the delivery of income-generating opportunities for the Centre within the policy community, including consultancy, CPD and Executive Education
Collaborate with the College Communications Team to support the delivery of the Centre's portfolio of activities and wider College communications' objectives.
Establish ways of monitoring the reach and impact of communication channels and operate these in a way that meets the recording standards for institutional and national research evaluation, whilst creating and acting upon opportunities to refine the Centre's engagement activities through reflection and appraisal.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Knowledge/Qualifications

Essential
A1) Degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline/business area with evidence of continued professional development in an area relevant to the role.
A3) Knowledge of and networked relationships policymaking institutions at local, Scottish, and UK policy communities.
A4) A command of standard tools of digital communication - such as Tweetdeck, writing press releases, Mailchimp, Canva, Wordpress, etc.

Desirable
B1) Understanding of academic environment including the complex mix of pressures, constraints and motivations of academic staff, schools and universities.
B2) Knowledge of multidisciplinary research, devolved and UK government policymaking structures and practices, and current trends in the interaction of academic research and the policymaking processes.

Skills

Essential
C1) High-level networking and interpersonal skills and the ability to establish working relationships grounded in trust and mutual respect with policy professionals and academics at all levels and in different sectors.
C2) First-class written, oral and aural communication skills, with a proven ability to communicate complex ideas and analyses in accessible, persuasive and engaging ways, through different channels and targeting different audiences.
C3) Highly developed IT skills, particularly in relation to web design, web analytics, and social media use.
C4) Ability to interpret academic work for other audiences, including an understanding of how to repackage or repurpose scholarly outputs for audiences in policy and practice.
C5) A strategic thinker with the ability to consider the impact of communications activities on often-sensitive relationships with stakeholders.
C6) Ability to prioritise, work to tight timescales, manage conflicting demands and interests, and exercising sound judgement on when to work collaboratively across wider academic and professional services teams.
C7) Outstanding and proven analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to make well-considered decisions, prevent and resolve conflicts and demonstrate sound, professional judgement

Desirable
D1) Ability to use video production equipment.
D2) Ability to use photo and/or video editing software.

Experience

Essential
E1) Proven experience o