Communications and Impact Manager: IDS, Brighton

Deadline: 23:59 GMT, Tuesday, 3 November, 2020
Location: Brighton, Sussex, UK
Term: Full Time, 35 hours per week, Fixed Term (12 months)
Salary: £36,810 to £48,654 per annum

Job Description

Knowledge, Impact and Policy Team

The Knowledge, Impact and Policy Team supports both IDS and our international partners in universities, think tanks, donors, INGOs, governments and development agencies to broker knowledge more effectively and improve its use in research, policy processes, programming and learning. It provides strategic support to the use of ICTs to curate and share knowledge and develops innovative research communications products. It also provides projects and organisations with support around the development of monitoring, evaluation frameworks and supports organisational learning initiatives.

The team also coordinates IDS own scholarly publishing and research data management programme, overseeing the publication of IDS’ in-house open access journal (The IDS Bulletin) and the production and online curation of hundreds of research and policy articles, reports and briefings every year. Research Uptake, Engagement and Communications This role is crucial in helping a portfolio of projects to promote messages and research effectively to a large range of audiences- including media, academia and policy makers globally.

The post-holder will work with the senior management team to set the strategic direction around research communications approaches to support knowledge exchange, learning and impact. This will involve line managing a small team and overseeing the quality and credibility of a portfolio of related products and services. She/he will play a key role in supporting IDS and its partners to develop new approaches and strategies in relation to knowledge exchange and innovative communications processes.

The Communications and Impact manager will liaise with external partners, policy actors and the media. She/he will liaise closely with Cluster leaders, Senior Fellows and Knowledge and Strategic Communications staff across the Institute and contributes to broader institutional positioning and influencing activities through membership of the Strategic Communications Group.

Key Responsibilities

Designing and Delivering Communications – 60%

• Keep abreast of latest theory and practice in the areas of research communications and impact.
• Lead knowledge exchange events, identifying key audiences, appropriate venues and formats, working closely with senior academics, senior management and communications specialists.
• Ensure appropriate mechanisms are in place for monitoring and evaluating outputs and services.
• Lead the development and delivery of a range of project Media strategy (including pitching to outlets, writing press releases for events and responding to enquiries.)
• Writing and editing published material – Including blogs, policy briefs and learning resources.
• Responsible for providing editorial guidance and content strategies for a range of project related social media (including advertising across Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn).
• Responsible for providing editorial guidance and content strategies for a range of project websites.
• Responsible for coordinating regular newsletters to mailing lists.
• Producing multimedia content (writing briefs and contracting internally or externally for creating videos, infographics, data visualisations, etc.)
• Design communications strategies that support the development of impact pathways and keep abreast of latest theory and practice in the areas relating to assessing research uptake.
• Capacity building: Ability to lead sessions with partners on communications skills such as writing a working paper, writing a policy brief, and writing a blog/op-ed for research methods and dissemination, as well as facilitating sessions on research uptake and impact.
• Contribute to the broader strategic positioning of IDS through active membership of the IDS Strategic Communications Group.

Programme Management – 30%

• Lead a portfolio of knowledge exchange/mobilisation related programmes.
• Serve on KIP management teams and contribute to the strategic direction of the cluster.
• Input into strategic planning and monitoring, evaluation and learning plans.
• Oversee the financial management of projects. Ensure that budgets and forecasts are up to date, that expenditure is managed effectively, and that funders are invoiced accurately and on time, in accordance with financial regulations.
• Help maintain effective relationships with donors and partners.
• Support IDS proposals and mobilise key internal colleagues and external partners to respond.
• Contribute to proposal ideas/strategies in relation to impact work and overseeing quality assurance.
• Support team to achieve collective financial target – working with the Head of KIP and IDS Fellows to generate new business and build external partnerships and funding opportunities.

Line Management – 10%

• Line manage KIP Communications support staff supporting their professional development and managing their performance.
• Oversee consultancy work and identify preferred communications suppliers and delivery partners.

This post will involve travel on a regular basis within the UK and some internationally.

Click here for Person Specification

Information for Candidates

Benefits At IDS we offer a number of additional benefits to staff. These include:

• a competitive salary, including cost of living awards and incremental increases on an annual basis as per policy and the option to join our pension scheme.
• interest free travel loans, following successful completion of a probationary period
• support in attainment of a relevant professional qualification in line with the Professional Development Policy
• childcare fund
• competitive maternity and paternity policies that offer compensation above the statutory minimum
• 24 days annual leave per year (pro-rata for part-time), plus public holidays and up to 6 non-negotiable closure days
• enhanced sickness pay entitlements
• support with relocation costs for staff joining us from outside the EU
• eligibility to use the University of Sussex gym and sporting facilities at staff rates

To apply use online application form.