Communications & Events Officer

• Deliver and develop communications plans, recording and reporting on progress throughout post, with the aim of raising the profile of the Centre’s research and impact both internally and externally.
• Co-ordinateinformation and present key achievements and outputs of the Centre, it’s staff and Associates for annual report and other reporting requirements including internal and external reporting and research funding applications
• Engage with internal stakeholders and form strong professional relationships with academic and Professional Services staff to gain an understanding of strategic priorities and areas of research within the School, College and University.
• Effectively and proactively engage with colleagues from across the communications community of the University, and across the College including the College Research Support Office, to seek out new communications and events opportunities.
• Liaise with appropriate colleagues to review, design, write and produce range of online and offline collateral to represent the Centre’s research and consultancy activity across a broad range of channels and to a broad range of stakeholders (including production of new digital content where appropriate, e.g. videos and newsletters).
• Work with Marketing and Communications team colleagues to continually improve website copy to reflect the Centre’s strengths, including working with academics to improve ‘writing for the web’ skills of the community, and rewriting and developing new digital content as appropriate. Support development of new content for social media channels, and, if appropriate, establish further bespoke channels.
• Work with the Centre Manager to encourage engagement and growth of media coverage of academic colleagues in the School, working closely with colleagues in the University Communications team, and in particular the Communications Manager for Social Sciences.
• Encourage growth of the Centre’s presence in commentary pieces and other associated PR activity through further engagement with academic staff (Birmingham Briefs, The Conversation, trade press, high-quality journals and University website). Work with Digital team to continue to grow the Centre’s blog and disseminate this accordingly.
• Play an integral role in the communication of a distinctive identity across the Centre’s activity. Ensure the effective use and delivery of the Centre’s identity and key messages, and ensure the strengths and ambitions of the Centre are appropriately communicated and are complementary to University branding activities and initiatives.
•  Act as brand manager – liaising with Lloyds Banking Group and the wider University to ensure the brand and key messages of the Centre reflect their requirements as funders, applying and communicating the brand to any collateral and stakeholders.
• Develop high quality marketing and communication materials, and build on the existing on-line presence for research impact
• Develop and manage the Centre’s CRM system, with support from the Centre Administrator, to keep an up to date record of stakeholders and interactions and utilise successfully to achieve optimum awareness raising of the Centre and its activities to a defined target audience.

Events:

• Lead in managing and developing the events calendar, working with the Centre Manager to ensure regular, impactful activity to achieve the Centre’s key objectives.
• Take lead role on events management for selected events, dealing directly with Academics to discuss event plans and the best ways managing all aspects of the event and its organisation.

To effect

• Work with Centre Manager and other team colleagues to develop and deliver training and development activities for Centre staff and Associates, encouraging and enabling them to engage effectively with key stakeholders, including but not limited to the media, policy influencers, general public, and internal stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities for public engagement for Centre with the Centre Manager and work with relevant stakeholders (internal and external) to make this happen where appropriate.
• Develop invitation communications and promotional materials for events and activities – including Annual Conference and guest lectures
• Producing bespoke literature and marketing material for use at events, including PowerPoint presentations , conference packs, creating themed and coordinated information packs and agendas within brand guidelines
• Proactively obtain feedback, to feed into a model of continuous improvement and produce reports and post-event communications
• Seek ways of improving event management, keeping abreast of the latest developments and technologies in the field and sourcing alternative modes of delivery to achieve optimum impact, interest and traction
• Seek opportunities to create and manage joint events with stakeholders to widen the Centre’s reach and achieve research objectivesThe post holder will deliver and develop a communications plan and events in relation to areas of research priority for the Centre, and in line with the University, College and School Strategic Frameworks, raising the profile of our research and impact both internally and externally, through all types of media (internal and external), writing copy for articles and websites, turning research activity into interesting and compelling content for a variety of media, including social media.The post holder will also co-ordinate information and present key achievements and outputs for reporting and promoting the Centre and its work.Developing high quality marketing and communication materials, acting as brand manager, consistently building and developing the Centre’s brand within agreed objectives, growing its presence and reach and evidencing its research impact in meaningful and innovative ways.

The role will be approximately 60% communications and 40% events development, promotion and reporting.