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. They believe that inspiring their people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things in the world. Durham University finds it easy to be proud of the extraordinary people they have at Durham. They offer the inspiration, they achieve the outstanding, they invite you to join them.

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. This role reports directly to the Senior Communications & Engagement Manager (Internal) and sits within the Communications Team, comprised of External and Internal Communications.

The role holder will be expected to work in an integrated way with colleagues from across the Communications Team, as well as those from Marketing and Development & Alumni Relations.

Across the three separate teams listed above, and led by the Director of Advancement, Marketing & Communications, the over-arching ambition is to achieve a step-change in awareness and reputation of Durham University. Contributing to the advancement of the University’s strategic plan, delivering to the ‘4Rs’: Reputation, Recruitment, Retention, Return.

Through their activity they want to create connected communities of brand ambassadors and advocates – how they communicate and engage with their current staff and students is a core part of this.

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 the complexity of data and information sources, interpretation and analysis.
• Contribute to the 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.