Engagement Officer (Jubilee Centre) - Education and Social Justice

Engagement Officer (Jubilee Centre) - Education and Social Justice - 95410 - Grade 8
 - (1900060H)

Position Details

School of Education

University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK 

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £41,526 to £49,553. With potential progression once in post to £55,750 a year

Grade 8 

Full time

Fixed term contract for 24 months with potential extension 

Closing Date: 23rd January 2020

Interviews will take place between 10th and 13th February 2020.

Job Purpose

The Engagement Officer is responsible for developing, planning and executing the successful management and delivery of outreach, public and policy engagement, and other dissemination activities by the Centre, and will lead on co-ordinating bespoke Centre projects and high profile events under the direction of the Director of Strategic Initiatives and other Jubilee Centre Management.

The Engagement Officer will be responsible for planning, and delivering the dissemination and communication of key outputs including major research findings and reports, large scale exhibitions, policy documents and briefings, and media campaigns. As such, the post holder should have extensive experience of project and event management within an inter-disciplinary background, ideally with links to education.

The successful candidate will also lead on managing and delivering effective public and policy engagement and outreach activities with key stakeholder groups across academia, policy, practice and the general public. Examples of successful policy engagement may include but not be limited to liaising and engaging with government departments, MPs, local councils, civil servants, and other stakeholders, or actively disseminating research evidence to a public audience.

The Engagement Officer will take on specific cross Centre responsibilities such as the development of existing networks and engagement with peers, overseeing the portfolio of Centre events, and ensuring that key Centre outputs achieve enduring impact on policy and practice through innovative and successful approaches.

The successful candidate will also provide senior level support in planning and delivering a large-scale public exhibition that will celebrate the Centre’s activities since 2012.

It is important that the post-holder either has, or has the ability to quickly develop, a strong commitment to the vision, aims and goals of the Centre.

The post holder will report to the Centre’s Director of Strategic Initiatives, but will also support the Centre’s Management Team on ensuring effective co-ordination of the Centre’s outreach and public engagement. This may include:

• Speaking externally at a wide range of events on behalf of the Centre;
• Co-ordinating high profile events to reach key stakeholder groups;
• Stakeholder engagement/relationship management;
• Policy development and implementation;
• Producing reports, briefings and information for a range of internal and external audiences;
• Working closely with Centre and University staff to develop a communication strategy and communicate information for a wide range of audiences;
• Leading to co-ordinate Centre events, exhibitions and activities.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsible for the planning, development, delivery and quality of a portfolio of outreach projects managed by the Centre in locations across Britain (and linked to international partners).   This will include ensuring all relevant targets and goals are achieved, within the allocated budgets  and resource constraints, and devising methodology to evaluate outcomes.
• Support Centre Researchers in the delivery of relevant outputs from Centre projects, particularly in relation to the construction and delivery of dissemination strategies.  
• Assist the Director of Strategic Initiatives in developing and maintaining strategic partnerships both nationally and internationally for the benefit of the Centre.  This will include deputising for the Director of Strategic Initiatives when required as well as pursuing new opportunities for  impactful collaborations with relevant external organisations.  
• Work closely with the Director of Strategic Initiatives in relation to outreach and external engagement/messaging.  This will include attending academic and other conferences and events to speak on behalf of the Centre to external audiences, communicating research agendas,  approaches, methodologies, findings and practical implications. 
• Responsible for devising high quality, audience-appropriate communication materials and other appropriate policies and strategies. 
• The post holder is expected to deputise for the Centre Manager and/or Director of Strategic Initiatives on occasion with regards leading and delivering effective partnership engagement, ensuring strategies cohere and link to those of the University.
• Represent the Centre with external and internal stakeholders, from academic institutions, donors, charities, schools and NGOs, to media and government counterparts, including disseminating our achievements and findings.
• Development, management and delivery of an external, national exhibition of the Centre’s work to celebrate its impact since 2012. This will require the post-holder to work closely with the Director, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Centre Manager in taking a proactive role in delivering  the exhibition in a required timeframe and on budget.

Dimensions

The Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues was established at the University of Birmingham with funding from the John Templeton Foundation in 2012.  The Centre aims to contribute to the renewal of character and virtues in Britain.  The Centre is a site of ethical and moral enquiry; the Centre conducts rigorous empirical research and, through the application of its findings, aims to transform character and virtue education, development and training in professional and public life.  The Centre aims to promote, build and strengthen character in the contexts of the family, school, community, university, profession, voluntary organisations and the wider employment scene in Britain.

The Centre will embark on its 4th phase of research in 2020 and will seek to answer big questions around: the advantages of a neo-Aristotelian approach to character education;  how any gaps in the Centre’s existing evidence base can be addressed; why a focus on the civic virtues is necessary in the extension of character cultivation from individual schools and professions to society at large; and, what new challenges and opportunities for character education are brought about by online and digital media.  The work of the Centre is carried out with a belief that character strengths: (a) are critical to human flourishing; (b) can be exercised within all human contexts; and (c) are educable.

The Centre employs over fifteen members of staff to work on its research and specialist projects in the field of character and virtues. The Centre is directed by Professor James Arthur.

Planning and organising

• Leading the delivery of strategic planning throughout the grant phase and contributing to the Centre’s strategic vision beyond;
• High level stakeholder outreach and national and international event leadership management;
• Developing, planning and executing high quality dissemination and engagement activities.

Problem solving and decision making

• Significantly contributing to and maintaining the Centre’s communication and dissemination strategies, including designing and delivering new strategies for the 10th year celebration, public exhibition, and other outreach activities during this grant phase;
• Evaluating regularly the development of the Centre’s approach to outreach and dissemination, identifying problems and deciding on and delivering solutions;
• Take a leading role, in conjunction with the Director of Strategic Initiatives, on ensuring the Centre seeks out and pursues relevant and timely partnerships and collaborations both in the UK and internationally.

Internal and external relationships

• Assisting the development of internal and external networks e.g. by chairing and participating in University committees;
• Develop links with external contacts such as other educational bodies;
• Provide expert advice internally and externally;
• Play an active role in appropriate professional bodies

Person Specification

• A good first degree (First or Upper Second) or equivalent relevant qualifications and experience.
• A higher degree in a related Social Science field is desirable.  
• Relevant professional experience in a complex organisation to a senior level; significant experience working in education or the voluntary sector in a similar role would be an advantage.
• Demonstrable experience of successfully managing a range of projects and events of a high profile nature, either nationally or internationally.
• Experience of developing effective networks and strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels from grassroots to senior government and media; excellent interpersonal skills.
• Outstanding writing skills, with the ability to write/prepare high quality briefing papers, presentations, reports and promotional materials; this includes a clear style of communication and the ability to write for different audiences.
• Experience of exercising a degree of independent professional responsibility in a high pressured environment.
• Highly developed analytical skills and experience of producing and analysing complex source material, information and data and turning these into purposeful reports that influence policy and assist decision making.
• Strong presentation skills and track record of presentations to audiences from grassroots to senior levels, including academic, voluntary sector and practitioner audiences.
• Experience of working with various media, to develop innovative and informative dissemination strategies for achievements and research findings. 
• Excellent oral communication, with an ability to use a range of communication skills and strategies to gain commitment to action or change.
• An ability to work under pressure and maintain a high degree of accuracy. 
• An ability to work simultaneously and effectively to progress several different tasks.
• Excellent IT, organisational and administrative skills.

Personal Characteristics and knowledge 

Strategic Thinking & Perspective:

• Formulates policy and strategy, and develops outreach and engagement plans to deliver an effective communication and dissemination strategy for the Centre.
• Strong intellectual ability and the ability to think critically.

Performance & Resource Management:

• Organises commitments flexibly and efficiently in a complex and pressurised environment, building in time for unexpected issues and changing circumstances to ensure timely delivery of high quality outputs.
• A high degree of initiative, personal judgement, resourcefulness, flexibility and a self-motivating approach. The ability to complete tasks based on only broad direction and with minimum supervision.

Working Collaboratively:

• Demonstrates and promotes collaborative working and actively consults with others across the University, seeking links and alliances in areas of mutual interest. 
• The ability to build open, trusting and effective partnerships.

Communication:

• Excellent interpersonal skills, including tact and diplomacy, and an ability to work at all levels of the organisation.
• Ability to communicate clearly and persuasively to a variety of audiences.
• Demonstrates understanding of own impact and perspectives of others and modifies behaviour accordingly.

The University is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice, therefore all associated pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed.

Due to the nature of the work undertaken in this role all successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory DBS clearance prior to appointment. 

For informal inquiries please contact Danielle Edwards (0121 414 4439) d.l.edwards.1@bham.ac.uk

Valuing excellence, sustaining investment

We value diversity at The University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community’
 
Primary Location GB-GB-Birmingham
Job Specialist/Professional
Organization Education
Schedule Temporary
 Full-time
Job Posting 16.12.2019, 12:00:00 AM
Grade (for job description) Grade 8
Salary (Pay Basis) 41,526.00
Maximum Salary 55,750.00