Salary: £33,519 to £38,833 per annum pro rata | 50% FTE Fixed Term - 3 Years

Closing Date: Thursday, 17 May 2018

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The Marketing and Communications Manager will actively promote the AIC with businesses and collaborators, raising awareness of the Centre, its innovation facilities and the support that is available. The post holder will work closely with the Aura partners and a wide range of external stakeholders including the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership, local authorities, Catapults and representative business organisations.

Details Specific to the Post

1          Background and Context

The University of Hull is securing its position as a leader in low carbon innovation and offshore wind through the collaborative development of Aura: a multidisciplinary, multi-stakeholder initiative bringing together UK expertise in engineering, and physical, environmental and social sciences to establish a global centre of industrial and academic excellence in renewable energy. Aura will include dedicated new facilities in the Humber – The Aura Innovation Centre (AIC) - at the geographical heart of an active, diverse and growing low carbon supply chain and located at the Humber Bridgehead Business Park.

The University of Hull is establishing an operational delivery Team (the AIC Team) to manage and deliver a 3-year initiative which will target SMEs in the offshore wind and low carbon sector to improve their productivity and enhance their competitiveness through product and process innovation. This activity will take place across the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership (Humber LEP) area.

The AIC Team is part-funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) programme for England 2014-2020. Initially, the team will operate from the University of Hull. In due course it will relocate to the Aura Innovation Centre, which is expected to be fully operational before the end of 2019 and is also ERDF funded.

The post holder will work to ensure the efficient and effective marketing and promotion of the Centre, its facilities and the innovation support available to SMEs. The post holder will organise, manage and deliver a comprehensive programme of events, workshops and technical briefings to stimulate demand and engage SME interest as well as showcasing and promoting the Centre’s successes.

The AIC Marketing and Communications Manager will work closely with a wide range of external stakeholders, including the Humber LEP, local authorities, Catapult Centres and representative business organisations, to actively promote the Centre and stimulate demand for the innovation facilities and support accessible through the Centre.

The AIC Marketing and Communications Manager will report to the AIC Programme Manager. The AIC Team will operate independently from the academic faculties within the University, who will be delivering innovation support to SMEs.

2              Specific Duties and Responsibilities of the post

The AIC Marketing and Communications Manager will lead the delivery of the AIC marketing strategy and communications programme in support of the strategy, business development and operations models.

The post holder will shape the marketing materials, opportunities, tools and techniques required to engage SMEs and stimulate demand for the AIC, its facilities and the package of innovation support available. The post holder will work closely with marketing and communications professionals within the University of Hull and with key stakeholders, both across the University as well as the wider partnership, to ensure that marketing, communications and events are properly co-ordinated and aligned to the Centre’s priorities and objectives.

Responsibilities will include:

• Lead the design and delivery of the AIC marketing strategy, developed in conjunction with the AIC Programme Manager and the Aura Leadership;
• Work closely with the University’s Marketing Team to promote the AIC to targeted audiences including SMEs, key partners, stakeholders, business membership organisations and academic and technical support staff;
• Work collaboratively with the wider AIC Team, in particular the Innovation Managers, to develop and promote a rolling programme of events, workshops and briefings designed to maximise business engagement and develop opportunities for innovation collaborations;
• Work with colleagues internally as well as with key stakeholders and partners to ensure that the AIC is appropriately positioned and that broader innovation support messages are clearly communicated;
• Co-ordinate the AIC’s social media presence and ensure consistency and coherence with the wider AIC marketing strategy and compliance with ESIF branding guidelines;
• Oversee the production and update of tangible marketing materials (e.g. information leaflets, brochures etc.) verifying content accuracy and compliance with ESIF branding guidelines;
• Manage and oversee the development and content of the AIC’s website and implement appropriate data capture and enquiry response mechanisms;

3              Generic responsibilities

Role holders will:

• Be experienced professionals who are expected to exercise a significant degree of specialist and independent responsibility;
• Have gained a professional and/or academic qualification and have extensive specialist experience including developing and managing systems and processes to ensure compliance with ERDF requirements under funding agreements and national ERDF guidance

Main work activities will include:

Communication

• Communicate marketing strategy and message to AIC staff, external businesses and key stakeholders and partner organisations.
• Give advice and guidance to AIC staff on various marketing and communications related topics.
• Present information to staff and colleagues through PowerPoint presentations and/or practical demonstration.
• Create technical instructions and user guides.

Teamwork

• Provide advice and guidance to other members of the AIC team.
• May be required to supervise the work of others.

Liaising and Networking

• Work in collaboration with staff and colleagues to maintain and implement existing services.
• Work in collaboration with staff and colleagues in relation to new services/initiatives, procedures and processes to ensure requirements are met.
• Liaise with staff to coordinate project development and completion.
• Contact external organisations.
• Participate in internal committees/groups.

Service Delivery

• Provide marketing and communications support to AIC staff and centre beneficiaries
• Oversee and co-ordinate AIC website development and social media activities
• Provide advice to Line Manager on potential service improvement and implementation methods.
• Determine how marketing and communications services are developed.

Planning and Organisation

• Plan and prioritises own work in order to meet deadlines.
• Participate in strategic planning to advise on technical developments.
• May be required to manage the delivery workshop and briefing sessions.

Additionally the post holder will be required to:

• Fulfil the employees’ duties described in the University’s health and safety policies
• and co-operate with the health and safety arrangements in place within the department. May be required to undertake specific health and safety roles on request e.g. Display screen equipment assessor, departmental safety officer, fire warden
• Show a commitment to diversity, equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practices This includes undertaking mandatory equality and diversity training
• Comply with University regulations, policies and procedures

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