Policy Fellow (Clean Maritime Research)

The University

At Durham University we are proud of our people.  A globally outstanding centre of educational excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other. We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things professionally and personally.

Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is a key hub of activity within our region and nationally.  We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thriving University. Further information about the University can be found here

The Role and Department

Durham University has been successful in securing funding to lead a UK Clean Maritime Research Hub and is seeking a Policy Fellow to act as the key link between the research consortium, UK government and other stakeholders.

The research hub will coordinate a major programme of research activity aimed at understanding how to accelerate the decarbonisation and elimination of harmful pollution for the maritime sector. The project presents a major opportunity for research to inform future policy in this area at all levels and as such will need support to connect research and policy agendas.  

The Policy Fellow (Clean Maritime Research) will play an important role in ensuring that research activity is informed by the interests and priorities of key policy and industry stakeholders, through intelligence gathering and dissemination, stakeholder engagement and facilitation and will aim to work with partners to develop actionable policy recommendations underpinned by the research findings aimed at national, regional and local Government, Industry and regulators. They will be the primary point of liaison between the research consortium and the major stakeholders, including Department for Transport and the UK SHORE team, industry bodies, local authorities and a broad range of other interested parties. A key responsibility will be coordinating a policy forum, which will bring together these stakeholders regularly to engage with the research programme and develop collaborative working practices.

The Policy Fellow will be line managed from Durham University’s Research and Innovation Services Department but will work flexibly across the consortium of partners to understand research strengths, engaging closely with the projects supported through the hub to identify and promote policy insights and learning. The role is fixed term for three years and open to hybrid working and flexible location, although there would be an expectation of being in Durham on a regular basis. The position would potentially suit a secondment from a related policy role, but previous policy experience is not necessarily a prerequisite. We would welcome interest from people with experience of clean energy, transport or environmental policy or other relevant areas.

Responsibilities

The postholder will:

• Familiarise themselves with all aspects of the UK Clean Maritime Research portfolio and develop and understanding of the perspective of key policy and industry partners.
• Identify Clean Maritime research that is policy relevant and report/synthesise/communicate that work in a timely and appropriate manner to relevant stakeholders.
• Develop good working relationships in key government departments and keep and keep abreast of policy developments.
• Communicate policy Clean Maritime policy developments to the research consortium and support researchers to understand the potential policy relevance of research.
• Coordinate and convene the Clean Maritime Policy Unit, a forum for knowledge exchange between researchers and policymakers in the maritime sector.
• Develop briefings and other materials that translate research for policy audiences that are relevant and timely. 
• Work with government  officials to identify gaps in existing knowledge that could be met by the UK Clean Maritime Research Hub research community.
• Manage the delivery of policy engagement support to a high standard and ensure that they are delivered in a customer focussed way.
• To plan and co-ordinate hub presence at international, national and local events in support of policy impact objectives, including

  o   organising and implementing conferences, webinars and briefings

  o   publicising events and identifying appropriate invitees/attendees

  o   Working with researchers to design and generate appropriately targeted publicity and outreach material (newsletters, fliers, videos, webcasts etc.)

• Show a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion across all areas of responsibility.

Working at Durham 

A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University: you will also receive access to the following fantastic benefits: 

•    30 Days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 42 days per year.  
•    The University closes between Christmas and New Year
•    We offer a generous pension scheme, As a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled  into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS).
•    No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered.  We have parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies.
•    There is a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally.  There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University.  All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities. 
•    Lots of support for health and wellbeing including discounted membership for our state of the art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
•    On site nursery is available and access to holiday camps for children aged 5-16 throughout the year.
•    Family friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, which are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
•    The opportunity to take part in staff volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community
•    Discounts are available via our benefits portal including; money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, the cinema and days out at various attractions. 
•    A salary sacrifice scheme is also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits. 
•    If you are moving to Durham, we can help with removal costs and we have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools.  If you need a visa, we cover most visa costs and offer an interest free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas.

Durham University is committed to equality,  diversity and inclusion

Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work.  As a University equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do.  We also live by our values and our Staff Code of Conduct.  At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. It’s important to us that all of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.

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.  If you have taken time out of your career, and you feel it relevant, let us know about it in your application.  If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

What you need to demonstrate when you apply/Person Specification  
  
When you apply it is important that you let us know what skills/experience you have from a similar role and/or what skills/experience you have which would make you right for this role.  Please make it clear how you meet each of the essential criteria. Further information about the role and responsibilities is at the end of this job description.  Where a criteria has an asterisk* next to it, it may be given additional weighting when your application is considered.    
  
Your application should cover the following criteria:  

Essential Criteria

Qualifications/Experience

1.    Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience).

2.    Experience of delivering knowledge exchange activities and providing advice to a range of internal and external stakeholders.

3.    Experience of developing strong and productive working relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders. 

4.    Experience of managing competing organisational demands and work practices.

5.   Experience of working in a public policy environment and understanding of the needs and interests of policymakers and other policy actors. 

6.   Experience of working at the interface of research and policy.

7.    Experience of the Higher Education sector and knowledge of research processes.

Skills/Abilities/Knowledge

8.    Knowledge of the UK net-zero policy landscape and international agreements relating to decarbonisation and trade.

9.   Excellent spoken and written communication skills including the ability to communicate complex information to a range of audiences through presentations and written outputs such as briefings. 

10.  Strong digital competence across a range digital devices and apps including digital communication tools, Microsoft 365 applications and business systems.

11.  Committed to continuing professional development.

12.  Ability to solve problems and decide on and plan appropriate solutions.  

13.  Strong planning and organisation skills. 
   
Desirable Criteria

14.  An understanding of policy issues relating to maritime, transport or related sectors.

How to Apply   

To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification above. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria.  Please don’t forget to check if there is any weighted criteria (see above).

While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.   
  
Submitting your application 

We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about 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 make sure you have not missed any of our updates.
  
What you need to submit   

•    A CV: and   
•    A supporting statement or covering letter which outlines how you meet all of the essential criteria within the Person Specification. Please include headings to show which of the essential criteria each element of the letter/statement relates to.   

Contact details   
  
For a chat about the role or any further information please contact Neil Heckels, Senior Policy Engagement Manager: [email protected] .

About the UK National Clean Maritime Research Hub

Co-funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and UK Government Department for Transport, The Clean Maritime Research Hub will deliver a programme of activity that will accelerate the decarbonisation and elimination of harmful air pollution for the maritime sector through:

• Delivering a world-leading programme of Research Exploration focussing on research themes and work packages co-developed with the maritime stakeholder community.
• Using innovative approaches to draw together research outcomes, from exploration and responsive research activity, through to long term solutions.
• Engagement and workshops with the maritime stakeholder community to map the state-of-the-art landscape, identify research challenges, co-create exploration and responsive research activity and accelerate the deployment of sustainable solutions for the maritime sector.
• Identifying emerging areas of research and gaps, engaging with the wider research community to commission research through a Responsive Research Fund.
• Establishing a Clean Maritime Policy Unit, to provide advice and evidence, through policy briefings and papers for policymakers and to work with the CMRP, policy experts, the DfT, DLUHC, DESNZ and local government to contribute towards policy development aimed at overcoming barriers and to support a rapid transition to a clean maritime sector.
• Establishing a Clean Maritime Network+, as a forum to facilitate knowledge exchange and dissemination of research and policy outcomes from the Hub and all relevant UKRI, UK SHORE and other research and innovation activity, to share best practice, accelerate exploitation and maximise impact.

Embedding EDI and the development of under-represented groups and ECRs through every aspect of UK-MaRes Hub activity. The delivery will be the responsibility of an EDI Champion and through establishing an EDI Action Group.

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 Privacy Notices - Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.   

SECONDMENT
The post is full time, fixed term for a three year period and may be offered on an internal secondment basis. As part of the role, the postholder may be expected to undertake a secondment in the Department for Transport to gain greater experience of the specific policy context relating to the Maritime Research Hub. 

When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.