Communications, Events and Engagement Manager LMS 2386

View Vacancy -- Communications, Events and Engagement Manager LMS 2386
Open Date
08/04/2024, 17:00
Close Date
28/04/2024, 23:55
Research Institute 1  
MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences
Research Institute / Unit Information 1  

The LMS is a world-class research laboratory  where scientists and clinicians collaborate to advance the understanding of biology and its application to medicine. Funded by the MRC  as part of UK Research and Innovation , the LMS has a collaborative working culture and new state-of-the-art building based in the heart of West London in the Hammersmith Hospital Campus (W12).

The LMS aims to deliver transdisciplinary team science, in synergistic interaction with Imperial College and the wider national research environment.

UK Research and Innovation is a new entity that brings together nine partners to create an independent organisation with a strong voice for research and innovation, more information can be found at www.ukri.org
Band 1  
MRC - 4
Location 1  
London
Salary 1  
£34,905 - £43, 962 plus London Allowances (£3,913 & £1,472) per Annum
Contract Type 1  
Permanent
Job Type 1  
Administration & Management
Full Time / Part Time 1  
Full Time
Job Description 1  

Overall Purpose:

GECo’s core purpose is scientific writing, content creation and engagement activities to disseminate research findings, and communicate discoveries to wide audiences. It does this via communicating across multiple platforms, including news and media outlets, social media platforms (Twitter, Linked-In, Instagram, Facebook and Threads), and via its website and public engagement activities.

GECo plays a strategic role in supporting the Director’s vision for translational science, and wider MRC and UKRI organisational strategies. A key objective for the Director is supporting bringing future generations and women into science, as well as making science more accessible to wider communities, through planning and holding interactive events, including festivals, pop-up shops, schools outreach events and other creative engagement activities.

Some of the special projects undertaken recently include A Picture of Health (an exhibition of art, publication of a community-sourced book and a series of panel events), the LMS Gene Home (a pop-up science shop in Westfield London), and planning and delivery of an incredible Royal visit to formally open the Institute in January 2024.

In addition to its external facing activities, GECo is also responsible for Internal Communications and the staff intranet, creating weekly and monthly newsletters and supporting the delivery of events. Through its presence and support of a number of committees, GECo also contributes to creating a vibrant, supportive and open research environment for its staff in which they can flourish and carry out their best work.

The Communications, Events, & Engagement Manager is an important role, supporting the Head of Communications and Engagement with project management, science-communications support (both written and through public engagement activities), external engagement and outreach activities, and working closely with a wide range of stakeholders to help facilitate a joined up and intersectional approach.

The main stakeholders include, senior scientists, post-doctoral staff, facilities and operational staff and PhD students. The post holder will also work with the Partnerships Manager to manage stakeholder relationships with charities, schools and other external partners.

The post holder will be expected to manage their own activities, involving small scale project management, and flexible organisation of multiple aspects of work to meet strict deadlines, including co-ordination and administration of work, as well as line-manage two Science Communication Officers.

  

Main duties:

1. Project management:

• To provide effective project management for both external and internal projects. Tasks will include, developing guidance documents and templates, assigning tasks and deadlines, audience targeting, format development, speaker recruitment, and brand awareness for the LMS, event management, collection of feedback and evaluation, and learning tasks

2. Science communications:

• To establish goals and objectives for external and internal communications campaigns
• To develop creative concepts, content and copy for science communications and public engagement with science campaigns both online and live
• To manage dissemination of science publications across multiple media channels. Including news outlets, social media and through direct relationships with journalists
• To raise awareness of LMS science and reach of LMS publications in the wider scientific community and the public

3. Strategic management:

• To support the Head of GECo to organise, co-ordinate and manage media planners, the GECo planning grid and staff, including liaison with Imperial and UKRI/MRC colleagues and communications teams
• To support the Head of GECo to engage with LMS colleagues across multiple committees and provide communications support to contribute to a strong and supportive research and work environment for staff

4. Event and engagement management:

• To develop and deliver public engagement events, including written content, production management and event-planning and logistics for external and internal engagement events
• To undertake effective marketing for public engagement projects

5. Impact analysis:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of communications campaigns using evaluation metrics and analytics to assess and improve engagement
• Working with the EDI Manager and HR to support EDI initiatives and their impact

6. Science outreach:

• To provide creative and logistical input for public engagement and educational community outreach projects organised by the GECo Facility
• To develop science led coms, to support scientific and engagement strategies

7. Line management:

• To implement LMS line management practices for the Communications, Events and Engagement Officers, and to continually monitor their effectiveness
• Working through staff matters, according to best practice guidance and appropriate organisational policies, whilst in liaison with the Head of GECo

Person Specification 1  

Education / Qualifications / Training (will be assessed from application form):

Essential:

• To be educated to degree level, in a related subject

Desirable :

• A project management qualification
• A Masters degree in a relevant field

 

Previous Work Experience Required (will be assessed from application form and at interview):

Essential:

• Experience of delivering science communications, including professional science writing and/or editing
• Use of digital tools (MSPlanner, Asana etc) for project managing teams
• Experience of delivering projects, on time, and in budget
• Delivery of effective internal and external events, including science outreach activities that provided impactful outcomes
• Effective management of staff, ensuring their development and pastoral needs are catered for
• Management of websites and internal communications
• Experience of using digital tools for project management

Desirable:

• Experience of working in a scientific based and/or academic research organisation
• Use of Wordpress and Sharepoint sites to support internal and external communications
• Brand development
• Stakeholder management

 

Knowledge and Experience (will be assessed from application form and at interview) :

Essential:

• Ability to translate complex science (i.e. from published articles) into accessible content
• Ability to communicate complex science in an engaging way that hooks public attention

 

IT skills:

Essential:

• Skilled in social media management and content creation

Desirable:

• Competence in Adobe Photoshop and InDesign
• Proficient in a range of software packages, such as Adobe Creative Suite software, to prepare and produce documents, reports, grant applications, forms etc., formatting and proofreading

 

Personal skills / Behaviours / Qualities (will be assessed at the interview):

Essential :

• Ability to work as part of a team and independently
• Ability to prioritise workload, including management of multiple projects and meet agreed deadlines
• Working under pressure to short deadlines for example for time sensitive press releases

Further Information 1  

Please upload your CV (including details of two references) along with a covering letter stating how your experience is suited for the job, and why you would like to work for LMS. Please quote reference number LMS 2386. 

Applications without a supporting covering letter will not be considered. 

The MRC is a great place to work and progress your career, be it in scientific research or the support functions.The MRC is a unique working environment where our researchers are rewarded by world class innovation and collaboration opportunities that the MRC name brings. The MRC is an excellent place to develop yourself further and a range of training & development opportunities will be available to you, including professional registration with the Science Council.
Choosing to come to work at the MRC (part of UKRI) means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme and excellent holiday entitlement to access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme, as well as the chance to put the MRC and UKRI on your CV in the future.
Our success is dependent upon our ability to embrace diversity and draw on the skills, understanding and experience of all our people. We welcome applications from all sections of the community irrespective of gender, race, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, disability or age. As "Disability Confident" employers, we guarantee to interview all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.
UKRI supports research in areas that include animal health, agriculture and food security, and bioscience for health which includes research on animals, genetic modification and stem cell research. Whilst you may not have direct involvement in this type of research, you should consider whether this conflicts with your personal values or beliefs.
We will conduct a full and comprehensive pre-employment check as an essential part of the recruitment process on all individuals that are offered a position with UKRI. This will include a security check and an extreme organisations affiliation check.  The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role.  UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.