Senior Stakeholder Engagement Manager: Public & Civic Affairs

Salary:
£43,116 per annum

Hours:
Full time or Part time (minimum 0.8 FTE)

Contract Type:
Open Ended

Location:
Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire

Closing Date:
9th June 2024

Proposed Interview Date:
TBC

About the team

AHRCs Strategy, Impact and Engagement team works closely with colleagues across UKRI to define organisational strategy and provide strategic oversight of activities; to evaluate our work, capturing and sharing evidence of impacts and achievements; and to engage key internal and external stakeholders with arts and humanities research, ensuring that our work as a funder is well-understood, well-informed and well-supported.

We work with colleagues across UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to align our strategy and planning; to share intelligence, evidence and successes across the wider organisation; and to contribute fully and effectively to the UKRI vision for an outstanding R&I system in the UK.

Job Purpose

Reporting to the Head of Strategy, Impact and Engagement, the person taking on this role will manage a dynamic, strategically focussed programme of government and civic-sector facing stakeholder engagement that will enable the organisation to build relationships with key actors, support consultation, mutual intelligence sharing and horizon scanning, and raise the profile, reach and impact of arts and humanities research among important decision-making constituencies.

The role will be suitable for individuals with extensive experience of stakeholder engagement, deep knowledge and understanding of arts and humanities research sectors (including challenges), and the drive and enthusiasm to grow and strengthen this part of AHRCs stakeholder engagement function. Strong communication and interpersonal skills alongside the confidence and ability to deliver accurate briefing and persuasive impact materials, to tight deadlines, are essential for this role.

Duties and responsibilities

Stakeholder Engagement Public and Civic Affairs

• To lead the delivery of AHRCs programme of engagement with key stakeholder constituencies, across national, regional and devolved governments, supporting senior leaders and developing strategically valuable independent relationships
• To work closely with AHRCs Senior Management Team and Head of SIE, to develop a suite of briefing materials, impactful products and messaging to support and improve AHRCs advocacy
• To work collaboratively with theSenior Stakeholder Engagement Manager:
  Research Communitiesto build and maintain an overview of wider engagement across the organisation and support colleagues to share intelligence effectively
• To ensure that insights from relevant engagements and meetings are collated and shared within AHRC, and across UKRI as appropriate
• To work closely with colleagues and to coordinate and deliver civic-facing activities that consolidate and grow AHRCs network
• To regularly review and evaluate our approach to government and civic engagement to ensure that it is effectively supporting organisational objectives
• To work in partnership with our UKRI Communications colleagues, to develop and update the AHRC messaging suite

Collaborative working values

• To support cohesion and a sense of shared identity in the Strategy, Impact and Engagement team, modelling behaviours and values aligned to AHRCs priorities
• To build strong supportive working relationships with colleagues at all levels, encouraging a culture of openness and proactive intelligence sharing across the organisation
• To work closely with colleagues within SIE to ensure alignment and coordination between all stakeholder engagement activity and the delivery of organisational strategy
• To represent AHRC on cross-UKRI groups relating to stakeholder engagement, sharing intelligence and advocating for the organisation as appropriate

Shortlisting and Interview criteria

Essential:

• Extensive experience in a stakeholder relations/engagement role, managing stakeholders at all levels across a range of organisations and sectors (S&I)
• Deep knowledge and understanding of the arts and humanities research landscape, including emerging challenges, intersections with government policy priorities and changes on the horizon (S)
• Demonstrable familiarity with UKRI strategic context and AHRCs place within the UKs R&I landscape (I)
• Exceptionally strong communication skills with the ability to produce clear, concise and accurate briefings and presentations and to explain complex ideas to a range of audiences (S&I)
• Demonstrable experience of developing and implementing integrated engagement campaigns for a range of stakeholders (S&I)
• Excellent planning, organisational and time management skills, including the ability to design, initiate and manage successful projects and to manage competing priorities. Able to work independently and manage own workload, and to co-ordinate the work of others (S&I)
• A commitment to working collaboratively with colleagues at all levels, within and across teams; and an ability to initiate and sustain productive working relationships with external contacts (I)
• An enthusiastic, pro-active and flexible approach, and a willingness to take on new challenges (S&I)

Desirable:

• Experience realising positive and inclusive change, and supporting others to do the same (S&I)
• A proactive approach to managing risk, with experience treating and controlling for impacts (S&I)
• Visual design skills, including producing infographics and knowledge of data visualisation tools (I)
• Willingness to travel (primarily within the UK) for assurance and stakeholder engagement (I)

(S) Shortlisting / (S&I) Shortlisting and Interview

Additional information

Developing talent:

We are committed to developing employees in their roles throughout their career. Learning and development plans enable employees to continue their professional development through training and development opportunities such as e-learning, classroom training and on-the-job experiences. We encourage our employees to share their learning across teams and organisations.

Benefits:

UKRI can offer the successful candidate:

- Flexible Working

- 30 days annual leave + Public Holidays

- Access to Civil Service Pension Scheme

- Various everyday discounts through our dedicated provider

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