Communications and Public Engagement Manager

Posted to IASSIST on: 2013-12-12

Employer: U.K. Data Archive (at University of Essex)

Employer URL: http://www.data-archive.ac.uk/

Description

The Administrative Data Service (ADS) is part of the Administrative Data Research Network, a highly innovative new infrastructure to facilitate linkage and analysis of routinely collected administrative data for research purposes. The ADS will act as the coordinating body for the Network, setting standards and acting as a first point of contact for all stakeholders. The ADRN was announced by the Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts MP, on the 10th October and forms part of a major new government investment in ‘Big Data’. Because of potential public concerns surrounding the ethical use of personal data in research, communications and public engagement will be a key area of activity for the Network.

The ADS is seeking to appoint a highly motivated Communications and Public Engagement Manager to be responsible for coordinating the Communications and Public Engagement activities of the whole of the ADRN, in addition to managing and overseeing the communications and public engagement activities undertaken by the ADS. The successful candidate will manage a team of three at Essex, and will liaise with staff across the 4 national Administrative Data Research Centres (ADRCs) and the ESRC to develop the Comms/PE Strategy for the Network, and oversee its implementation. Among other skills and experience the successful candidate will have specialist expertise of a wide range of activities, methodologies and practices (including interdisciplinary) in the area communications and public engagement. S/he will have a knowledge of the wider landscape on communications and publishing within the academic and/or public sector environment, and will have experience setting priorities and managing projects, staff planning, budgets, resources and time. This post involves access to Government systems, information or data and will be subject to the staff vetting process. Further information can found in the Recruitment Pack.

This is a full time, fixed-term position until September 2018. The UK Data Archive is ISO 27001, certified for Information Security Management.

Duties:

• Research and plan an effective communications and public engagement strategy for the whole of the Administrative Data Research Network, in conjunction with Communications/Public Engagement leaders from the Administrative Data Research Centres in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

• Create an implementation plan for communications/public engagement strategy and oversee and manage its implementation within the ADS.

• Oversee and manage all communications/public engagement activities for the service, including but not limited to the network website, publications, promotional and educational events, and public engagement events and activities.

• Coordinate all communications/public engagement activities across the 4 ADRCs to maximise synergies, minimise overlap, and ensure consistency of approach and philosophy. Head the cross-centre communications/public engagement working group.

• Develop and manage the service’s Impact Strategy, in conjunction with the senior management team.

• Manage the relationship with external design and branding teams to develop the network brand, and work with the cross-centre communications/public engagement working group to ensure its reliable implementation.

• Line manage the communications/public engagement team and set their working agenda.

• Liaise with high level external stakeholders (government departments, UK Statistics Authority, senior researchers and funders) over communications and public engagement strategies, plans, and activities.

• Provide day to day, operational service management within the Communications & Public Engagement section.

• Undertake line management responsibilities for staff in the Communications & Public Engagement section including but not exclusively: appraisal and performance management; managing and monitoring staff attendance and the achievement of contractual goals, including the analysis of key management information.

• Support senior staff in all aspects of the recruitment process, e.g. preparing job descriptions, chairing and participating in interview panels.

• Be responsible for section procedures; and for ensuring that staff in the section are familiar with basic security awareness; understand the need for accurate records management; and adhere to University and UK Data Service procedures.

• Manage and participate in projects; represent the section at management and other meetings; contribute actively to information exchange within the section and between other sections and service partners.

• Undertake a minimum of one information exchange activity (e.g. conference or training presentation; blog or other publication) annually. Engage with the Service/Department planning activities.

• Any other duties required by the Director or his/her nominee.

• Graduate Degree or equivalent.

• Specialist expertise of a wide range of activities, methodologies and practices (including interdisciplinary) in the area communications and public engagement.

• Knowledge of the wider landscape on communications and publishing within the academic and/or public sector environment.

• Experience with designing public engagement strategies and activities.

• Experience of managing a small team.

• Experience of presenting to a wide range of audiences.

• Experience setting priorities and managing projects, staff planning, budgets, resources and time.

• Experience coordinating work across different partner institutions/organisations

• Proficiency and experience in authoring and editing articles in English.

• Computer literate, specifically with Microsoft packages.

• Willingness to keep up to date with ongoing developments within communications and technology.

• Ability to communicate in a persuasive way to a wide range of audiences.

• Ability to represent the organisation in a highly professional manner.

• A pro-active approach to work.

• Able to travel in the UK when required on a regular basis.

• Can meet the requirements of UK ‘right to work’ legislation.

• Can fulfil the staff vetting procedure for Government contracts (see general information for more details)

Archived on: 2014-01-03