Communications and Engagement Manager (Internal) - Fixed Term

The closing date for applications is Wednesday 8thDecember 2021 at 11.59pm.

When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.

Durham University

As one of the UK’s leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to define your career while enjoying a high quality work/life balance.

The University sits in a beautiful historic city where it shares ownership of a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Durham Cathedral. A collegiate University, Durham recruits outstanding students from across the world and offers an unmatched wider student experience.

We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things in the world.

We find it easy to be proud of the extraordinary people we have at Durham. We offer the inspiration, they achieve the outstanding. We invite you to join them.

As a University we foster a collegiate community of extraordinary people aligned to the University’s values. Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive, and in doing so, recruit the world’s best candidates from all backgrounds and identities. It’s important to us that all of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.

Durham University’s Athena Swan institutional award recognises and celebrates good practice in recruiting and supporting the development of women. We have also signed up to the Race Equality Charter, a national framework for improving the representation, progression and success of minority ethnic staff and students within higher education.

Diversity brings strength and we welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

Durham University uses a job families approach for Professional Services roles. The job families underpin ourcareer pathwaysand clearly demonstrate how all of our roles contribute to ourstrategyand provides a framework for how you can develop your career at Durham.

The Department and role purpose

Durham University has an ambitious ten-year strategy (2017-2027) to achieve its objectives of becoming world-leading in research, teaching and the wider student experience.

The Director of Advancement, Marketing and Communications is the professional lead for teams spanning Communications, Marketing and Development and Alumni Relations. Our teams support the University’s strategy to enhance global awareness and reputation of Durham University.

Through our communications and engagement activity we create connected communities of brand ambassadors and advocates – both externally and internally with our students, staff, alumni and supporters.

This role sits within the Communications team, reporting to the Senior Communications & Engagement Manager (Internal), who reports to the Head of Communications and Engagement. The successful candidate will focus on internal communications and will be expected to work across teams to deliver integrated communications strategies, plans and activity. There are two roles available for a period of 24 months. One will focus on predominantly on the University’s Respect agenda and related project work, and the other on Estates Futures and Finance.

Core responsibilities:

• Designing and developing internal communications and engagement strategies, and associated activity plans, in support of pan-University programmes of work and core, institutional strategic priorities.
• Contribute to the overall strategy for the promotion of the University’s activities in teaching and learning, research and business engagement and the wider student experience, including designing and developing related communications and engagement strategies and plans that support it. Activity will be focused on internal staff and student audiences.
• Proactively research, develop, package and promote compelling narratives and stories of the University’s excellence in teaching and learning, wider student experience, research and impact to internal (staff and student) audiences using a range of channels and methods.
• Collect and analyse stakeholder feedback to inform service and activity improvement.
• Internal and external relationship development and partnership working, networking and participation to engage and influence future services and the University reputation. This includes working closely with colleagues in other Professional Services, especially the Vice-Chancellor’s Office, Human Resources & Organisation Development, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, Strategy Delivery Unit, Estates & Facilities, and Finance.
• Maintain an awareness of current policy for University business goals such as widening participation and access, and provision of advice using specialist knowledge.
• Recognised professional practitioner and service specialist.
• Implement changes to the design and development of service processes, techniques and deliverables for one or more service strands or project streams.
• Provide specialist expertise and support with complexity of data and information sources, interpretation and analysis.
• Contribute to development of operational service activities to ensure excellence in the stakeholder experience.
• Collect and analyse stakeholder feedback to help define needs and requirements and the design and planning of services.
• Deliver training, teaching and/or development delivery for stakeholders.
• Contribute to and lead business meetings, working groups and sub-committees at departmental and operational service levels.
• Responsible for managing small budgets for consumables and some capital items, keeping records and processing invoices.

Role responsibilities:

• Devise, develop, lead and evaluate internal communications and engagement activity, including proactive campaigns, crisis communications and issues / reputation management, informed by comprehensive audience intelligence.
• Initiate and manage communications and engagement activity on key internal communications channels, including traditional and digital methods.
• Use audience and communications channel analytics and insights, working with other specialist colleagues across Advancement as required, to optimise influence and persuasion through communications and engagement activity, and encourage advocacy for the University brand, values and Strategy.
• Use stakeholder mapping, segmentation and analysis techniques to identify and prioritise internal staff and student audiences and develop targeted communications and engagement strategies and plans.
• Benchmark, track and report on internal communications and engagement using monitoring and analytical tools where required.
• Proactively research and develop compelling narratives about Durham University for internal staff and student consumption and engagement.
• Contribute to the review and improvement of internal communications and engagement systems, channels and procedures.
• Provide professional advice, consultancy, support and training on internal communications matters to colleagues across the University.
• Maintain an awareness of the internal and external environments and sector best practice to support high quality services.
• Provide proactive and comprehensive input and support to the Head of Communications, and other members of the Advancement Senior Leadership Team, to achieve strategic and operational priorities.
• Contribute to operational leadership teams and decision making to shape the nature and level of support services.
• Deliver internal communications training for University colleagues, with a particular focus on senior leaders.
• Play a role in excellent crisis communications to protect the reputation of the University.
• Analyse service data and provide reports to Service Heads making recommendations for improvement as appropriate.
• Provide advice to stakeholders in relation to University, School and or Department policy, procedures and regulations.
• Ensure the review and improvement of systems and procedures in line with University, School, Department or unit frameworks.
• Distribute service information and provide advice to stakeholders regarding compliance and regulations.
• Ensure regulations and procedures are updated to take account of internal and external changes.
• Coordinate and oversee committee working and deal with complaints.
• Any other reasonable duties.

Specific role requirements

• The role is based in Durham but travel in the UK and, where appropriate, overseas, will be required to deliver projects, take part in training and to build and maintain networks.
• Throughout academic year 2021/22 we will be trialling hybrid working, allowing for time to be spent on and off campus. These arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the Senior Communications & Engagement Manager (Internal). Where ad-hoc on-campus meetings are required, you will typically be given 48 hours notice, though shorter notice may be given at times to meet business needs.
• The role-holder will be required to provide support for the University’s Major Incident Response Plan and major reputational incidents during and out of office hours, including participating in a 24/7 on call rota arrangement.
• Some out of hours / evening and weekend work will be required to deliver projects and build and maintain networks.

Working Arrangements

At Durham we recognise that our staff and students are our greatest asset and we want to support the health and wellbeing of all. Hybrid working supports this ethos and provides many benefits to our colleagues, including empowering people, where their role allows, to work in a manner which is more suitable for them, whilst encouraging our commitment to environmental sustainability.

Depending on the needs of the business and the job role, Durham University is piloting hybrid working for all Professional Services colleagues in the academic year 2021/2022, which may include the opportunity to work both on and off campus and to flex working hours. If appointed to the post, your line-manager will discuss the specific arrangements with you. Any hybrid arrangements are non-contractual and may change within the pilot and when the pilot ends.

Reward and Benefits

To support the delivery of the University’s People Strategy to attract, retain and reward the very best, we offer a fantastic range of rewards and benefits to our staff, including:

• 30 days annual leave, plus 4 customary days and 8 bank holidays (pro-rata for part time) and the option to purchase additional leave;
• Automatic enrolment into a pension scheme;
• Corporate and local discounts;
• Wellbeing resources and discounted health benefits;
• Health discounts on sports and activities at Maiden Castle Health and Activity Centre;
• Reward and Recognition Schemes;
• Personal and career development;
• And SO much more, with further information availablehere

How to apply

We prefer to receive applications online.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement https://www.dur.ac.uk/ig/dp/privacy/pnjobapplicants/ which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

Information if you have a disability

The University welcomes applications from disabled people. We are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

If you are unable to complete your application via our recruitment system, please get in touch with us on e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk.

What you are required to submit

Please ensure that you submit all documentation listed above or your application cannot proceed to the next stage.

Contact details

For further information regarding this post, please contact; Rebecca Grundy, Senior Communications and Engagement Manager, r.s.l.grundy@durham.ac.uk

We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails.

Person specification - skills, knowledge, qualifications and experience required

Essential Criteria

Desirable Criteria