Communications Office

Grade 8: - £41,526 - £49,553
Open-Ended/Permanent - Full Time
Contracted Hours per Week: 35
Closing Date: 26-Nov-2020, 7:59:00 AM

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. Successful implementation of the strategy is in part dependent on our approach to promoting the University in respect of:

• prospective applicants to our programmes of study;
• potential partners in teaching and research;
• current and potential collaborators in business and industry;
• current and future alumni;
• potential employers of our graduates;
• national and international policymakers and influencers.

The over-arching ambition is to achieve a step-change in awareness and reputation of Durham University globally.

This role will sit within the Marketing and Communications Office and report directly to the Head of Marketing. The responsibility of the Marketing and Communications Office is to develop and deliver, amongst others:

1. marketing our programmes to and assisting with the recruitment of home and international students;
2. promotion of the University to and managing engagement with multiple stakeholders and influencers locally, nationally and internationally;
3. promotion of the University’s brand and proactive management of its global reputation.

The purpose of this role is to provide a responsive and expert marketing and communications support service to the Faculties, Professional Service Departments and the Colleges.

The role-holder will work within the Marketing and Communications Office in collaboration with:

• Senior Managers in the both the Marketing and Communications team.
• Faculty/Professional Service/College Heads 

Specific Role Requirements

The role is full-time, based in Durham City, 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.

Will be required to play a leadership role in 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.

Core responsibilities:

• Provide expert professional subject and/or managerial and leadership expertise.
• Manage and develop service, infrastructure and people performance across one or more teams.
• Provide feedback on team and individual performance and identify development needs, conducting regular staff ADR and performance reviews.
• Recruit, induct, train and develop new team members.
• Help to shape the skills and expertise of future team members and design work structures to meet operational and strategic goals.
• Handle the vast majority of HR issues within a team, referring more complex HR issues to appropriate support services/senior management.
• Liaise and engage with key stakeholders and internal and external contractors to influence opinion, delivery and reputation of services, including working closely with other senior managers in Research and Innovation Services; International Office; Strategic Planning Office; Strategy Delivery Unit; Colleges and Wider Student Experience.
• Contribute to the scoping and resource planning across a range of activities at operational and possibly strategic level.
• Lead on the design, implementation and monitoring of policy and quality standards, procedures and systems to ensure effective working and continuous improvement.
• Promote and develop a deep understanding of organisational policy and external developments.
• Devolve responsibilities to team members to ensure continuity of service provision and encourage skills development.
• Ensure all activities, processes and transactions are accounted for accurately and promptly to meet regulatory and professional service and policy standards.
• Ensure all stakeholder-facing staff provide an accessible, friendly and professional service by shaping processes for inducting and developing staff.
• Implement processes to manage the integrity and security of all commercially and professionally sensitive and personal data.
• Lead internal business meetings, working groups and sub-committees at operational service level to influence governance, organisational policy and standards for the service.
• Responsible for allocating and monitoring financial budgets and resources.
• Analyse stakeholder feedback, implementing and reviewing service provision.

Role responsibilities:

• Manage quality and regulatory audit process for student and staff services over-arching systems and procedures.
• Work with team members and stakeholders to build and maintain excellent working relationships.
• Provide professional guidance to stakeholders regarding welfare, employment and wellbeing.
• Produce communications for promotion and reporting purposes, designing and structuring information and fact, applying creative and innovative principles to influence and engage.
• Deliver professional expertise with investigative and service methodologies, make recommendations and identify priorities to achieve business outcomes and objectives.
• Maintain an oversight of the service and performance metrics to provide reports for higher level managers and committees.
• Represent the service and University at promotional events and contribute to the delivery of presentations at conferences.
• Develop external relations, identify and develop opportunities for communities of practice, employers, alumni and donors via extra-curricular activities and increased levels of participation.
• Work with the Heads of Faculties, Professional Service departments and the Colleges to develop marketing plans that support their objectives. 
• Provide a responsive and expert marketing and communications support service to the Faculties, Professional Service Departments and the Colleges.  
• Ensure that the Business Partnering team are appropriately and strategically deployed to meet the needs of Faculties, Professional Services Departments and Colleges. 
• Ensure that the Faculties, Professional Service Departments and the Colleges are provided with a set of tools and toolkits, together with appropriate training to produce their own marketing collateral and to run their own media and social media campaigns. 
• Any other reasonable duties.

Job Families Information

Durham University is one of the world's top universities with strengths across the Arts and Humanities, Sciences and Social Sciences. We are home to some of the most talented scholars and researchers from around the world who are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives.

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

Durham University seeks to promote and maintain an inclusive and supportive environment for work and study that assists all members of our University community to reach their full potential. Diversity brings strength and we welcome applications from across the international, national and regional communities that we work with and serve.

It is expected that all staff within the University:

• Contribute to our learning culture by engaging in mentoring, training and coaching.
• Positively contribute to fostering a collegial environment; as well as demonstrating commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Have due regard to Health and Safety requirements appropriate to grade and role.

OUR CHARACTERISTICS: We are welcoming, collegiate and inclusive.    
OUR VALUES: We are motivated, inquisitive, challenging, rigorous and innovative.

Family key attributes

Roles in this family provide a comprehensive service and deliver the efficient administration and governance of the University.

Overall family purpose

• Deliver direct and indirect services to stakeholders.
• Provide advice and answer queries as part of an enquiry-desk/help-desk function.
• Respond to and manage requests for information and resources.
• Deliver services to meet regulatory requirements and procedures.
• Plan and deliver a joined-up approach to University business and people services.
• Align business processes and services to meet operational and strategic policy objectives. 
• Deliver business processes to ensure effective management, governance and the economic viability of the University.
• Encourage, collaborate and participate in the development of productive cross-institution relationships and working.
• Provide excellent professional services that meet strategic and operational goals and business needs.
• Carry out monitoring, analysis, development and planning to design new services and service updates for continuous improvement whilst meeting changes in regulations.
• Engage with specialist professionals, consultants, and suppliers to exchange knowledge and facilitate partnership working.
• Work collaboratively and network across the University with staff in other families to ensure a smooth, timely and high-quality delivery of service.
• Align and deliver programmes and activities to meet operational and strategic objectives to enhance the stakeholder experience
• Engage and encourage participation with external professionals, schools, alumni and donors.

Link to key strategic plan

• An economically sustainable approach to delivering Professional Services across the University;
• A joined-up approach to University professional services, regardless of location or line management;
• A culture and practice of continuous improvement;
• Design services that meet business need;
• A stakeholder-focused orientation, offering satisfying careers to all staff;
• Support and facilitate programmes that offer intellectual challenge, cohesiveness and a strong sense of progression;
• Ensure that an increasingly diverse workforce is treated equally, fairly and with respect, and that all staff are demonstrably valued and actively engaged.

Recruiting to this post

In order to be considered for interview, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification above. In some cases, the recruiting panel may also consider the desirable criteria, so we recommend you evidence all criteria in your application. Please note that some criteria will only be considered at interview stage.

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.

What you are required to submit

1. A CV of no more than two A4 pages in length;
2. A covering letter of no more than one A4 page in length which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out above;
3. A document providing evidence and examples of how you meet the Person Specification Criteria for the job.

Please ensure that you submit all documentation listed as detailed above or your application cannot proceed to the next stage. For informal enquiries please contact Marketing Operations Manager rebecca.richardson@durham.ac.uk. 

At Durham University, our aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work. 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.

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.

Realising Your Potential Approach

The Realising Your Potential Approach clarifies the behaviours expected to be demonstrated by all staff across Professional Services in the University regardless of their role. Along with the core responsibilities, role responsibilities and the person specification, the Realising Your Potential Approach behavioural indicators are used to inform the recruitment and selection process. Further information on the Realising Your Potential Approach is available here.

Essential Criteria

• Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally.
• Strong interpersonal skills including motivational, negotiating, influencing and networking.
• Proven IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office, web and social media.
• Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience).
• Professional practitioner with significant specialist knowledge and expertise used to influence events and activities within the organisation. 
• Continuing professional development required to maintain professional recognition.
• Knowledge and experience of ensuring compliance with regulatory and organisational policy and guidelines.
• Experience of being able to network effectively and develop strong and productive working relationships, to influence perceptions of the University.
• Ability to contribute to planning at operational and strategic levels.
• Awareness and understanding of the activities, objectives and strategic direction of a University, both current and future.
• Well-developed knowledge of systems and services for own area.
• Experience of leadership, line management and managing performance at individual level.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of developing innovative solutions and practical implementations for strategic change.
• Demonstrable ability to provide specialist advice and influence others at operational and strategic levels.
• Breadth of vision gained from extensive experience in field of expertise.

DBS Requirement: Not Applicable.