External Liaison Officer

The new Sustainable Futures platform aims to align, connect, celebrate, and grow the University of Manchester’s exceptional and diverse research on environmental sustainability, and represents both a celebration and an ambition. It is a recognition that we are already world leading in tackling and importantly helping other organisations tackle global challenges in environmental sustainability. It is also a recognition that the urgency and complexity of these challenges continues, and we have an opportunity to grow our global leadership in transforming our world for the better.

The many opportunities available to build impact (with industry, local government, national policy and the public) require expanding from the traditional “technology push” model of engagement to “challenge pull” strategies. The postholder will support the delivery of external-facing events and relationship building activities, with a particular focus on translational activities with industry and government.

**The post-holder will be responsible for leading the development of**:

- Challenge-led workshops in Sustainable Futures’ challenge areas, developing both new and deeper external relationships that showcase the interdisciplinarity of our expertise at UoM as solution provider
- Facilitating collaboration between Sustainable Futures and UoM research institutes to develop industry-facing events to further contribute to impact with a focus on relationship creation, and strong engagement through existing BE/KE support structures
- Support for the mechanism of engaging with government on environmental sustainability tenders; supporting teams and building structures to facilitate this form of impact generation in environmental sustainability through flexible resource deployment.
- Support for translational activities adjacent to Sustainable Futures, including Innovation Greater Manchester, ID Manchester, and the Manufacturing Innovation Network, as well as emerging opportunities through the Innovation Accelerator programme (i.e. GAMMA, Graphene, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Alliance; SMTRC, Sustainable Materials Translational Research Centre) to ensure alignment and value is synergistic.
- Assist in growing our local engagement with GMCA and the N8 university cluster, as well as with our strategic international university partners.

This work will not only cement Manchester’s position as a global leader in environmental research, but will lead to significant engagement with our research at the business and policy level, developing and growing partnerships. Sustainable Futures will also work to identify and overcome existing barriers to interdisciplinary problem solving and academic/SME collaboration, resulting in positive outcomes and opportunities for the University and business community, and the postholder will be central to this activity.

The position offers an ideal opportunity for an enthusiastic, well-motivated individual with excellent management, networking, communication and interpersonal skills to work in an exciting research environment. The successful applicant will be educated to degree level (or equivalent), experienced in delivering complex portfolios of activity and have a proven track record of developing collaborative relationships and professional networks.

**Interviews are scheduled to take place on 25**th** September 2024.**

**What you will get in return**:

- Fantastic market leading Pension scheme
- Excellent employee health and wellbeing services including an Employee Assistance Programme
- Exceptional starting annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays
- Additional paid closure over the Christmas period
- Local and national discounts at a range of major retailers

As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit.

Our University is positive about flexible working you can find out more here

Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.

Any CV’s submitted by a recruitment agency will be considered a gift.

**Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting and interviews**:
**Name**:Hannah Baron

**General enquiries**:
**Technical support**:
**Please see the link below for the Further Particulars document which contains the person specification criteria.