Impact Officer

Newcastle University; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent benefits

Generous holidays

Pension schemes

Wellbeing initiatives

Job summary

Newcastle University is a global institution where research and learning go hand in hand. This role supports researchers across the Faculty of Medical Sciences to embed impact early in their work and to identify opportunities to enhance and accelerate its influence.

You will gather evidence of impact, support REF submissions, and build strong relationships inside and outside the university to promote impactful research.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of the national/international research environment related to impact.
• Understanding of the research lifecycle and translation into policy/practice.
• Ability to build a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Effective collaboration, influencing and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver a strategy for research impact across the faculty.
• Build relationships with the researcher community to understand research breadth.
• Help articulate impact for REF case studies and evidence impact for funding applications.
• Contribute to creating an aspirational research culture at the faculty level.
• Develop resources, tools and training to help researchers identify and enhance impact.
• Provide advice to researchers to develop impact plans for new and existing projects.

Skills

Impact research

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic thinking

Collaboration

Influencing skills

Education

Degree in research/impact field

Job description

Salary: £37,369 to £39,560 with progression to £46,970 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 26 October 2026

The Role

You will support researchers across the Faculty of Medical Sciences to embed impact within their research at an early stage in its development and to help them identify opportunities to enhance and accelerate its impact.

You will help identify, track and evidence the impact of research and support the University to make best use of this information for submissions to national research assessment exercises. You will build and maintain strong working relationships both within and out with the University to help enhance and deliver impact.

The role is fixed term, for 3 years.

If you have any queries about the role, please reach out to [e-mail].

Key Accountabilities

• Work with the Head of Faculty Research, Deputy Head of Research and the Faculty Dean of Research and Innovation to develop and deliver a strategy for research impact that embeds impact at an early stage of research; ensuring a consistent approach across the faculty that supports researchers to develop and deliver compelling and evidenced impact from their research.
• Develop strong relationships with the researcher community to gain an in-depth understanding of the breadth of the Faculty’s research and its potential for impact.
• Work with the Deputy Head of Research and Impact leads in other faculties to help researchers articulate the impact of their research in the form of high-quality REF Impact Case Studies, in line with published requirements. This will include supporting researchers to identify, capture and evidence the impact of their research in line with REF guidelines, including the use of University’s research information management systems.
• Contribute to the development of a positive and aspirational research culture and work with the Head of Faculty Research and Deputy Head of Faculty Research to operationalise this at the Faculty level.
• Work with the Deputy Head of Faculty Research, funding development and innovation colleagues across the University to develop and deliver a range of resources, tools and training to help researchers to identify, enhance and accelerate the impact of their research.
• Provide comprehensive advice and support to researchers to develop impact plans for new and existing research projects. This will include providing advice to researchers around embedding impact in funding applications.
• Work with the University and Faculty Marketing and Communications Teams to support the communication and dissemination of our impactful research.
• Ensure that impact systems, processes and data collection are in place in a timely manner to ensure day to day monitoring of impact and readiness for future internal and external quality assessments.
• Develop and maintain a network across the University and HE sector more widely with regards to impact, gathering market intelligence, best practice and using this expertise and evidence base to influence policy and practice within the Faculty.
• Develop and maintain an awareness and understanding of higher education policy developments relating to impact including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Research England and other key funders and agencies relevant to the faculty.
• The post holder will report to the Deputy Head of Faculty Research.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• A sound understanding and knowledge of the national and international research environment, particularly relating to impact.
• A sound appreciation of the research lifecycle, including the conduct of research, its translation into policy, practice or product, and the role of different stakeholders in this process.
• A demonstrable understanding of how to build a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Effective collaboration, influencing and negotiation skills in an environment where resources may not be within their direct control.
• An ability to recognise and analyse the dynamics of problems and issues and provide innovative solutions.
• An ability to think strategically and comfortable working at a complex level including the management of conflicting priorities and demands

Attributes and Behaviour

• Acts in a collaborative, inclusive, collegiate, transparent and open manner, acting with integrity and able to build trust with colleagues and partners.
• An energetic and “can do” approach which will inspire and enthuse others, ready to take the lead in driving forward initiatives.
• A role model of the University values and guiding principles who promotes a culture of mutual respect.
• An articulate and confident communicator, able to deal with difficult situations and to challenge where necessary.
• An exceptional team player confident in working in partnership with others within and outside the organisation.
• An ability to act objectively in dealing with complex problems, issues and decision making.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent level qualification and/or experience in a similar research or impact related role.

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.