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Head of Communications and Engagement - External Relations - 53128 - Grade 8

Employer
University of Birmingham
Location
Birmingham, United Kingdom
Salary
£41,526.00 - £55,750.00
Closing date
Aug 24, 2021

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Sector
Pharmaceutical, Sales
Hours
Full Time
Organization Type
University and College
Jobseeker Type
Academic (e.g. 'Lecturer')
Postion Details

Department of External Relations

Location: 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

Grade 8

Full Time/Permanent

Closing date - 2nd July 2021

Job Summary

The Head of Communications and Engagement will play a key role in enhancing the reputation and profile of the University of Birmingham. This will include leading communication and engagement strategies across entire areas of work, often supporting major building and infrastructure projects on campus and further afield, working collaboratively and in partnership with external stakeholders as well as local communities.

A senior manager within the External Relations division the successful candidate will be an outstanding communicator, strategic thinker, well organised and proactive with the ability to engage with a diverse range of audiences from grass roots campaigners to government ministers and royals. Key stakeholders include local community, partners, local politicians and planning authorities, developers and contractors, internal staff and students, and the media.

This exciting and diverse role will include responsibility for developing and leading the communications and engagement plans for a range of significant strategic initiatives across the University as well as providing strategic communications advice to senior leaders within the organisation. This includes, but not limited to, managing the effective communications and public consultations in relation to infrastructure and Estate development, developing communications activities related to the delivery of the University's ambitious sustainability strategy, and leading the University's local community engagement for example in relation to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and our role as official partner.

The Head of Communications and Engagement will be the lead University representative at some external events such as public consultations and key stakeholder meetings as well as being the first point of contact for external parties with an interest in the projects they are leading on. The post holder will lead and represent the University in a range of community engagement activities, particularly with our direct neighbours.

Main Duties

The Head of Communications and Engagement will excel in the following areas:

Strategic thinking & perspective
  • Devising overarching strategies and ensuring that a range of activity is coordinated to ensure that plans are delivered
  • Lead on communications and engagement plans for institution-wide strategic projects as required
  • Developing and delivering communications and engagement strategies and associated action plans, supporting teams where needed
  • Understanding wider socio-political context and articulating projects within this context, the University's civic role and the positive impact it has locally and regionally
  • Working collaboratively with colleagues from a wide range of disciplines to develop an innovative solution to any challenge
  • The ability to translate complex documents pertaining to planning and construction projects into easily digestible summaries
  • Managing correspondence and ensuring that they all enquiries are dealt with efficiently, and where necessary preparing appropriate responses without reference to Directors


Stakeholder engagement and consultation
  • Planning and implementing effective consultation events and capturing relevant data and feedback to follow up
  • Developing effective relationships with key partners and stakeholders including local and regional politicians
  • Arranging meetings both inside and outside the University for example with senior members of the University and local and regional politicians and other key stakeholders
  • Organising events, in conjunction with wider team, for example around planning consultations.
  • Fostering respectful and positive relationships with communications colleagues at third party organisations to ensure that the interests of the University are paramount at all times. These will include working with funding bodies, sector partners, community groups, Birmingham 2022, accommodation partners, charities, political offices, schools, NHS Trusts and agencies.
  • Ensuring that all internal stakeholders are kept appropriately up to date on the progress of individual projects and the overall Estates development plans.
  • Engaging students in the development of significant capital projects, including running a range of reference groups.


Communications
  • Providing Expert Advice
  • Providing expert advice to Senior Professional Services and Academic colleagues and the University's Executive Board
  • Providing expert advice to colleagues across Professional Services (Campus Services, Estates, Legal Services, Academic Services, Development Alumni Relations and Business Engagement).
  • Ensuring all internal stakeholders are kept abreast of developments and communicating key messages in a consistent manner. Chairing or participating in senior level meetings
  • Proactively managing any areas of concern and maximising the positives
  • Written and oral communications
  • Producing communications material of the highest professional standard across a range of formats: online, publications, digital media, briefings for senior colleagues, presentations and speeches, press releases, features and opinion pieces.
  • Actively identifying and promoting positive news stories and features demonstrating the benefits of the developments
  • Preparing and giving presentations and speeches in the appropriate style and to the highest standards
  • Crisis management
  • Managing negative communications and preparing appropriate responses
  • Working collaboratively with the team that deals with the internal and external communications in a crisis for the University and providing a clear steer on estates specific issues.
  • Work as an expert in crisis communications, supporting the wider team as necessary.


Marketing
  • Integrating marketing for specific projects into wider strategic plans
  • Overseeing the production of project-specific marketing materials including social and digital content, newsletters, exhibition and consultation materials, advertising etc
  • Ensuring that all materials produced by partner organisations and contractors is appropriately aligned to the University brand working with the Head of Brand
  • Supporting marketing colleagues across the University in the development of messaging and materials relating to Campus Services and Estates for use in broader institutional marketing materials and marketing campaigns.
  • Experience, gravitas and confidence to deal with assertive and difficult stakeholders, by challenging, influencing and negotiating in order to protect the interests and reputation of the University
  • Confidence, professionalism and expertise necessary to build relationships of mutual trust and respect with colleagues at the most senior level of the organisation
  • Demonstrating the full breadth of ER values and behaviours throughout the delivery of the role's duties


Personal attributes
  • Experience, gravitas and confidence to deal with assertive and difficult stakeholders, by challenging, influencing and negotiating in order to protect the interests and reputation of the University
  • Confidence, professionalism and expertise necessary to build relationships of mutual trust and respect with colleagues at the most senior level of the organisation
  • Demonstrating the full breadth of ER values and behaviours throughout the delivery of the role's duties


Administrative and other tasks
  • Responsibility for the administrative tasks that must be fulfilled as part of the role including budget planning and management, enquiry management , line management of direct reports and via matrix management structures.
  • Out of hours working and participation in the communications on call rota.
  • Contributing as a senior manager within both the Communications and Reputation team and wider External Relations division.


Person Specification

Specialist Knowledge and Skills
  • Experience of working at a senior level in a communications or stakeholder engagement role
  • Educated to degree level or equivalent
  • Experience of managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders
  • Experience of advising Board Level


Leading People
  • The ability to work effectively both in a team and independently and to remain cheerful in times of pressure
  • Demonstrable experience of building excellent working relationships based on trust and respect
  • Ability to work collaboratively and build consensus amongst diverse groups of people
  • To constantly exhibit the agreed values and behaviours of the University and ER
  • Experience of line managing direct reports and developing comprehensive development plans


Strategic thinking & perspective
  • The ability to articulate the University's civic role and the positive impact with passion and enthusiasm
  • Knowledge of, and commitment to, the higher education sector and a strong belief in the importance of universities in society, coupled with an awareness of the issues that they face.


Communication
  • Experience of developing strategic communications and engagement strategies
  • Superb verbal and written communication skills including the ability to write for multiple audiences such as the press, politicians, community groups as well as preparing reports, documents and presentations for senior management across the University
  • Experience of utilising digital and social media channels and repurposing content to suit differing channels and audiences
  • The ability to demonstrate a high level of accuracy and attention to detail in all aspects of work and deliver on time
  • Demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with colleagues at all levels
  • Experience of and sensitivity to the constraints of working in a confidential environment
  • A commitment to actively promoting equality, diversity and inclusion across all communications and engagement activity
  • Negotiation skills and the ability to persuade, influence and de-escalate with diplomacy and sensitivity
  • The ability to represent the University with confidence, integrity and authority


Performance / Resource Management
  • Ability to prioritise own work under pressure
  • The ability to work with initiative, to take decisions and think creatively and laterally
  • A flexible approach to work, with the ability to multi-task to meet changing priorities
  • Excellent budget and time management including the rigorous prioritisation of resources and where necessary ability to negotiate additional resources in order to ensure projects are successfully delivered


General
  • Good all-round IT skills including competence with all aspects of MS Office, email, the internet and contact management databases.
  • Knowledge and understanding of, and empathy for the UK HE sector


Valuing excellence, sustaining investment

We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working.

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