Senior Project Officer

University of the West of England; Bristol; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dynamic team at the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement, where you will enhance services for the Higher Education sector. This role involves improving existing offerings and developing new training and consultancy services, ensuring inclusivity and diversity in all practices. You will collaborate with university colleagues and contribute to impactful projects, all while enjoying the benefits of working at a leading university in a vibrant city.

Benefits

Competitive Pay

Generous Leave

Pension Schemes

Retail Savings

Onsite Nursery

Development Opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience in training and service development.
• Strong people skills and commitment to inclusivity.

Responsibilities

• Manage and improve existing services for the Higher Education sector.
• Identify opportunities to develop training and consultancy.

Skills

Customer Service

Project Management

Service Development

Budget Management

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Job description

You will join a small, busy but friendly team at the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) and play a key role in managing the portfolio of services we offer to the Higher Education sector.

Current Services Include:

1. Training and resources for researchers wishing to work in more engaged ways with diverse groups
2. Consultancy to universities wishing to develop their organisational strategy and approach to embedding public engagement
3. NCCPE’s flagship offer, the Engage Watermark – an organisation development and assessment process leading to an award which recognizes the degree to which an organisation has embedded public engagement.
4. The Manifesto for Public Engagement – a way in which sector organisations can publicly commit to developing their approach to public engagement

You can find out more about the NCCPE’s services here.

About NCCPE

The National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) supports culture change in the UK higher education (HE) sector. We aim to build an inclusive higher education sector where communities can contribute to, and benefit from, knowledge, teaching, and research. Our work includes supporting excellent public engagement practice, creating conditions for public engagement to thrive, and building networks and partnerships to amplify impact.

Funded by UK Research and Innovation, Research England, Wellcome, Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, Scottish Funding Council, and the Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland, as well as income from services and projects, the Centre is jointly hosted by the University of the West of England (UWE) and the University of Bristol (UoB). This role is being recruited through UWE.

About You

Working alongside the Director of Programmes, you will help improve existing services and identify opportunities to develop and expand training, consultancy, and resources for the HE sector. You will work with university colleagues and our associates to identify needs and develop marketable offers. You may also contribute to other NCCPE projects that utilize your experience and expertise.

You should have excellent customer service and people skills, experience in training, service development, project management, reporting, and budget management. An understanding of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion is essential, along with a commitment to inclusive practices.

Location

The role is based at 4, Portwall Place, Bristol, BS1 6NB.

Why UWE Bristol?

UWE Bristol is a large provider of Higher Education in the South West, with 38,000 students and 4,000 staff. Located in Bristol, a vibrant city, we offer extensive benefits including competitive pay, generous leave, pension schemes, retail savings, onsite nursery, and development opportunities.

Our Commitment to Diversity

We value diversity and are committed to an inclusive environment. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, especially from global majority candidates, and those with disabilities, recognizing the benefit of diverse perspectives.

Additional Information

If you have questions, please post on our Padlet here. Interviews may be online initially, with final in-person interviews scheduled for June 12, 2025. This is a full-time, fixed-term role until March 31, 2027, with options for part-time work. The role is primarily office-based with some remote work.

Right to Work

Applicants must demonstrate their legal right to work in the UK, with documentation as per Home Office guidelines.

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit an application detailing how they meet each criterion in the Person Specification, with examples. For more details, visit our Padlet here.