Community and Engagement Manager

About us UCL is a radically different university. Founded in 1826 in the heart of London, we were the first university in England to welcome students of any religion and the first to welcome women to university education. Today, UCL has over 50,000 students and 18,000 staff, and is recognised as one of the most successful research institutions in the world and is consistently ranked among the top ten universities globally (QS World University Rankings 2010-2024). UCL Public Art and UCL Cultural and Community Engagement team are part of the UCL East campus, within the Office of the Vice-President (Strategy). UCL East represents the next chapter in UCL's long history, a pioneering new campus at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (QEOP) designed to be open, accessible, and deeply embedded in the communities of east London.
Through partnerships with residents, cultural organisations, and local authorities, the UCL East team creates opportunities for collaboration, creativity, and shared learning. The Community Engagement Manager (East) plays a vital role in ensuring that UCL's presence at East Bank continues to deliver meaningful benefits for local communities and contributes to the social, cultural, and civic life of the area.

We are seeking a Community Engagement Manager (East) to join UCL Cultural and Community Engagement on a 6-month maternity cover basis, with a start date in January 2026.
This role will be based primarily at UCL East in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, with some travel to our Bloomsbury campus.
In this key position, you will lead the delivery of UCL's community engagement activity in east London. You will be responsible for implementing the UCL East Community Engagement Strategy, developing innovative programmes that connect UCL academic and professional staff, students and local communities, and supporting a culture of collaboration and inclusion.
train and advise academic and research colleagues on best practice; and broker partnerships with local authorities, community groups, and cultural and educational partners. You will also oversee community engagement budgets, identify fundraising opportunities, and report on activity and impact.
This is a dynamic and outward-facing role that will see you representing UCL across the Olympic boroughs, ensuring our work aligns with both community priorities and UCL's institutional strategy.
This role is available as a 6-month FTC or secondment for internal staff.

You will be an experienced community and public engagement professional with a strong record of developing and delivering partnership-based initiatives in Higher Education and diverse urban contexts. You'll have experience of working with academic and research staff, communities, local authorities, and voluntary sector organisations, and be adept at bringing people together around shared goals.
You will have a strong understanding of public engagement and creative engagement practices, with experience of developing or supporting cultural projects that engage communities, within Higher Education.
You will be skilled in project and relationship management, with excellent communication and interpersonal abilities and a collaborative, inclusive approach. Familiarity with East London's communities and civic landscape would be a distinct advantage.

41 Days holiday (including 27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
~ Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
~ Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
~ On-Site nursery (Bloomsbury campus)
~ On-site gym (Bloomsbury campus)
~ Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
~ Employee assistance programme: Discounted medical insurance


Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
As London's Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world's talent. disabled people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.
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