Job Title: Head of Public Affairs
Location: Hybrid working with a base on Jubilee Campus, Nottingham
Salary: £43,155 to £54,421 per annum (pro-rata if applicable) depending on skills and experience. Salary progression beyond this scale is subject to performance.
Job Type: Full time, Permanent
Closing Date: Monday 08 May 2023
The University of Nottingham is a leading Russell Group university providing an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience for our students, who are consistently targeted by leading graduate employers. We deliver world-leading research that transforms lives, improves societies, and shapes the future.
The Position:
The Head of Public Affairs is responsible for leading and co-ordinating the University’s public affairs programme to develop and strengthen relationships with the full range of key external stakeholders. This role manages the Civic and Political Affairs team to ensure the University has a positive profile with key decision-makers and influencers and to support the University’s senior leadership to develop and maintain key relationships.
Main Responsibilities:
Leadership and Management:
- Responsibility for leading the Civic and Political Affairs team and ensuring they are managed, motivated and developed to consistently deliver results
- Budgetary responsibility to ensure that spend on public affairs activity is cost-effective, monitored and within budget
Strategy Development:
- Develop an effective overarching public affairs strategy that supports the University’s strategic goals and builds institutional reputation
Delivering effective public affairs and stakeholder relations activity:
- Provide expert and credible political and public affairs advice and support to the University Executive Board and other senior leaders
Partnership Building:
- Work effectively and confidently with a diverse range of partners, including the Vice-Chancellor and members of the Executive Board as well as senior politicians locally and nationally
Candidate Requirements:
Skills:
- Personal credibility, presence and excellent presentational skills
- Strong interpersonal skills including negotiating, influencing and relationship building
- Problem-solving capability with an ability to identify opportunities and turn them into positive outcomes
- Evidence of a positive, enthusiastic and creative approach, with the drive and tenacity to deliver new initiatives and improve existing programmes
- Proven skills to plan and manage multiple priorities simultaneously
- Ability to handle sensitive and confidential issues and manage conflict effectively
- Ability to work with data and CRM/SRM systems (Desirable)
Knowledge and Experience:
- Track record of developing and delivering effective public affairs strategy
- Experience of developing and delivering strategies and securing buy-in at the most senior level in an organisation
- Significant knowledge and understanding of current affairs and political process
- Experience of people management and leadership of teams
- Knowledge and understanding of the latest developments in Higher Education policy (Desirable)
- Good contacts in the national government and policy community (Desirable)
- Experience of working within a large and complex organisation (Desirable)
Qualifications:
- A degree qualification in a relevant subject/relevant formal training plus some hands-on experience in a similar or related role
- Relevant professional qualification or post graduate degree(Desirable)
OR
- Proven track record of extensive relevant work experience, demonstrating practical and theoretical knowledge of public affairs and stakeholder relations
Statutory, legal or special requirements:
- Commitment to equal opportunities
- Knowledge or experience of handling sensitive data and an understanding of UK Data Protection legislation
- Willingness to work outside normal hours and to travel throughout the UK (with the possibility of occasional international travel)
Further Information:
Our University is a supportive, inclusive, caring and positive community. We warmly welcome those of different cultures, ethnicities and beliefs – indeed this very diversity is vital to our success, it is fundamental to our values and enriches life on campus. We welcome applications from UK, Europe and from across the globe. For more information on the support we offer our international colleagues.
For successful international applicants, we provide financial support for your visa and the immigration health surcharge, plus an interest-free loan to help cover the cost of immigration-related expenses for any dependants accompanying you to the UK.
Please click APPLY to be redirected to our website to complete an application form.
Candidates with experience or relevant job titles of; Public Affairs, Policy Manager, Senior Policy Manager, Senior Policy Adviser, Local Council Policy Manager, Non-Profit Programme Manager, Policy coordinator, Policy Adviser, Non-Profit Programme Manager, Public Sector Policy Management, Policy officer, officer and Committee Support Officer may also be considered for this role.
