Communications Office

Grade 7: - £33,797 - £40,322
Open-Ended/Permanent - Full Time
Contracted Hours per Week: 35
Closing Date: 04-Mar-2021, 7:59:00 AM 

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.  The role will sit within the Marketing and Communications Office and report directly to the Senior Manager Communications & Engagement (External). The responsibility of the Marketing and Communications Office is to develop and deliver, amongst others:  

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

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

• Other colleagues in Communications and Engagement (External and Internal) 
• Colleagues in the Marketing team.  

About Durham University

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. 

Job Family: Business Process and People Services  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. 

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.

The role will sit within the Marketing and Communications Office and report directly to the Senior Manager Communications & Engagement (External). 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.

Further information related to the specific functional area for this role (External Communications) and associated responsibilities is available in the attached document Supplementary Information – Job Profiles.

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

• Other colleagues in Communications and Engagement (External and Internal)
• Colleagues in the Marketing team.

Core responsibilities

• 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.  
• Management of the mass media, including building and developing extensive contacts and relationships with the regional, national and international media to promote awareness of the brand and reputation of the University; exercise sound judgement, diplomacy and political awareness in engaging with journalists and other external stakeholders. 
• 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 local, national and international audiences, acting as a first port of call for enquiries from the media about the University’s activities and functions. 
• 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 complexity of data and information sources, interpretation and analysis. 
• Contribute to 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.  
• 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 other colleagues in Research and Innovation Services; International Office; Strategic Planning Office; Strategy Delivery Unit; Colleges and Wider Student Experience. 
• Deliver training, teaching and/or development delivery for stakeholders. 
• Maintain an awareness of current policy for University business goals such as widening participation and access, and provision of advice using specialist knowledge. 
• 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.  

Role responsibilities

• Devise, develop, lead and evaluate external communications and engagement activity regionally, nationally and globally across the Paid Earned Shared and Owned (PESO) model, including proactive campaigns, crisis communications and issues / reputation management, informed by comprehensive customer and stakeholder intelligence.   
• Initiate and manage communications and engagement activity on key traditional and digital communications functions, including web and social media channels. 
• Use audience and communications channel analytics and insights, working with other specialist colleagues in Marketing and Communications as required, to optimise influence and persuasion through communications and engagement activity and encourage advocacy.  
• Deliver media and communications training for University colleagues, including senior leaders and academics.   
• Use stakeholder mapping and analysis techniques to identify and prioritise audiences and develop targeted communications and engagement strategies and plans.  
• Benchmark, track and report on reputation building at project level using monitoring and analytical tools where required. 
• Provide professional advice, consultancy, support and training on external communications matters to University professional services and academic staff.  
• Play a role in excellent crisis communications to protect the reputation of the University.  
• Awareness of the external environment and sector best practice to support high quality services.   
• Provide proactive and comprehensive input and support to Head of Services, School and/or Department to achieve strategic and operational priorities. 
• Provide management for stakeholder service areas and/or processes ensuring a high-quality and timely service to all stakeholders, including prospective, existing and past students and staff. 
• Contribute to operational leadership teams and decision making to shape the nature and level of support services. 
• Analyse service data and provide reports to Service Heads making recommendations for improvement as appropriate. 
• Provide advice to stakeholders in relation to University, School and or Department policy, procedures and regulations. 
• Ensure the review and improvement of systems and procedures in line with University, School, Department or unit frameworks. 
• Distribute service information and provide advice to stakeholders regarding compliance and regulations. 
• Ensure regulations and procedures are updated to take account of internal and external changes. 
• Coordinate and oversee committee working and deal with complaints. 
• Any other reasonable duties.   

Specific role requirements 

• The role is based in Durham 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 provide support for 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.  
• Will be required to monitor for urgent and significant reputational threats and opportunities out of office hours as part of the 24/7 on call rota and take action as necessary.   
• Some out of hours / evening and weekend work will be required to deliver projects and build and maintain networks. 

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 

• A CV of no more than two sides of A4; 
• A covering letter of no more than one side of A4 which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out above; 
• A person specification grid covering the essential and desirable criteria. Please submit evidence in a table format into a separate Microsoft Word document alongside your other application material. 

Please ensure that you submit all documentation listed above or your application cannot proceed to the next stage. 

For informal enquiries, please contact Mark Tallentire, Senior Communications and Engagement Manager: mark.tallentire@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 

Essential Criteria

• Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to develop excellent working relationships both internally and externally.  
• Strong interpersonal skills including motivational, negotiating, influencing and networking. 
• Proven IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office and web and social media 
• Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience). 
• Continuing professional development required to maintain professional recognition. 
• Professional practitioner with knowledge and expertise used to contribute to the delivery and development of services, events and activities within the organisation. 
• Experience of implementing policy and procedures and involvement with future changes for a service area. 
• Knowledge and experience of ensuring compliance with regulatory and organisational policy and guidelines.    
• Experience of providing specialist advice, guidance and training, including media training, to a range of customers and colleagues, including more senior colleagues.. 
• Well-developed knowledge of systems and services for own area. 
• Extensive experience of contributing to external communications campaigns, including engagement with traditional and digital media.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of using stakeholder mapping and customer / audience and communications channel analytics to target and evaluate communications activity.  
• Extensive experience of supporting reputation management and crisis communications activity.  

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.

DBS Requirement: Not Applicable.