Salary: Competitive

Closing Date: Sunday, 3 May 2020

For more information, click here.

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 has 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 has established an operational delivery Team (the AIC Team) to manage and deliver an ERDF funded initiative targeting SMEs in the offshore wind and low carbon supply chain to improve their productivity and enhance their competitiveness through product and process innovation. This activity takes 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. The team has relocated to the Aura Innovation Centre, which will be fully operational during the early part of 2020 and which is also part-funded with ERDF.

The team operates from the Aura Innovation Centre at Bridgehead Business Park in Hessle, but are often required to attend meetings on the University of Hull campus and the premises of external stakeholders.  The post holder will work to ensure the efficient and effective marketing and promotion of Aura and the Aura Innovation Centre, its facilities and the innovation support available to SMEs. The post holder will develop – in collaboration with key partners – and deliver a focused marketing and communications strategy in support of Aura’s strategic objectives and vision. As part of this strategy, the post holder will organise, manage and deliver a comprehensive programme of events, workshops and technical briefings to stimulate demand and engage SME interest in the Aura Innovation Centre as well as showcasing and promoting its successes.

The Aura and AIC Marketing and Communications Manager will work closely with a wide range of external stakeholders, including Ørsted, Siemens Gamesa, the Humber LEP, Catch, local authorities, Catapult Centres, representative business organisations and other university partners – namely Durham and Sheffield - to actively promote Aura and the Aura Innovation Centre, driving interest and engagement in Aura and stimulating demand for the innovation facilities and support accessible through the AIC.

The Aura and 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.  The postholder will lead the delivery of the Aura (including Aura Innovation Centre) marketing strategy and communications programme in support of the strategy, business development and operations models.

Working with the University’s central Marketing & Communications team, the post holder will develop and implement a focused marketing and communications strategy to support Aura’s strategic priorities as well as shaping 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 Aura’s and the Centre’s priorities and objectives.

The Aura and AIC Marketing and Communications Manager will be a user and customer champion, using relevant insight and research to shape their decisions as well as to influence others.

Responsibilities will include:

• Lead the design and delivery of the Aura (including AIC) marketing strategy, developed in conjunction with the University’s Marketing Project Manager for Research and Enterprise, the AIC Programme Manager and the Aura Leadership;
• Work closely with the University’s Marketing and Communications Team to effectively position Aura in key markets and to promote the AIC to targeted audiences including SMEs, key partners, stakeholders, business membership organisations and academic and technical support staff;
• Developing integrated, user focused marketing campaigns to fulfil a specific brief. This will involve liaising and networking with a range of internal and external stakeholder including colleagues, partners and stakeholders and agency suppliers. As part of the development and delivery of campaign activity, the post holder will liaise with agency partners to review advertising (digital and out-of-home) opportunities and commission campaigns, adverts and materials when necessary.
• 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 Aura and the AIC are appropriately positioned and that broader innovation support messages are clearly communicated;
• Co-ordinate Aura’s and the AIC’s social media presence and ensure consistency and coherence with the wider Aura (including 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 Aura and AIC websites and implement appropriate data capture and enquiry response mechanisms;
• Plan, organise and deliver events such as business briefings, conferences and exhibition attendance
• Evening and weekend work, as well as UK and overseas travel, may be required as a result.

To discuss this role informally, please contact Sarah Clark, Aura Innovation Centre Programme Manager T: 01482 462027, E: S.Clark3@hull.ac.uk

For information about the department visit https://aura-innovation.co.uk/

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