Vice-President (External Engagement), UCL

TN United Kingdom; London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player seeks a dynamic Vice-President for External Engagement to enhance its global influence. This leadership role involves shaping strategies that unify communications and stakeholder management, aiming to amplify the organization's voice and impact. With a focus on collaboration and trust, the successful candidate will lead initiatives that capitalize on research and thought leadership, ensuring the organization’s vision resonates with diverse audiences. This is a unique opportunity to drive change and make a significant impact on a world-class institution's external profile.

Qualifications

• Senior public affairs experience in a large organization.
• Proven ability to influence and build networks.

Responsibilities

• Establish and grow the External Engagement function.
• Lead strategic planning for visibility and impact.
• Deliver public affairs activities to enhance best practices.

Skills

Public Affairs

Stakeholder Management

Communication Skills

Negotiation Skills

Job description

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Vice-President (External Engagement), UCL, London

Client: Ellwood Atfield

Location: London, United Kingdom

Job Category: Other

EU work permit required: Yes

Job Reference: 38ab0030f918

Job Views: 15

Posted: 02.05.2025

Expiry Date: 16.06.2025

Job Description:

UCL is a diverse community with the freedom to challenge and think differently. With over 12,500 staff and more than 41,500 students from 150 countries, UCL pursues academic excellence, breaks boundaries, and makes a positive impact on real world problems. We champion innovation, creativity, and cross-disciplinary working in our teaching and research, and we are consistently ranked among the top 10 universities in the world. From the start, we opened higher education to students from a wide range of backgrounds and have changed the way we create and share knowledge. The courageous attitude and disruptive spirit of our founders is still alive today.

Our new President & Provost Dr. Michael Spence joined UCL in 2021. As he builds UCL's senior leadership team, we now seek to appoint a new Vice-President (External Engagement). This new leadership team will deliver a unified strategy for UCL, through collaboration built on trust, openness, collaboration, and commitment.

The opportunity:

The main purpose of this role is to establish, consolidate, and grow the external engagement function at UCL. As a member of UCL’s leadership team, the Vice-President (External Engagement) will report to the President & Provost and oversee externally facing functions to raise UCL’s profile nationally and internationally. The Vice-President will also help strengthen UCL’s presence in London as a hub for global influence.

The external engagement function will unify communications, media relations, public affairs, events, and stakeholder management to build an integrated team that leverages UCL’s influence on various stages. The team will aim to tell UCL’s story and utilize networks and partnerships to maximize the impact of its research and amplify the voices of its scholars.

Main responsibilities include:

• Scope, establish, and grow an effective External Engagement function to support the senior leadership and President & Provost’s office.
• Lead strategic planning to capitalize on UCL’s research and thought leadership for greater visibility.
• Deliver public affairs and external engagement activities to enhance capacity and best practices.
• Provide visionary leadership as part of the Provost’s senior team, contributing to UCL’s strategy and external profile, and advising the President & Provost.

Required skills, experience, and abilities include:

• Senior public affairs, stakeholder management, or communication professional experience within a large organization.
• Proven ability to influence and build networks across government, industry, and media.
• Strong communication skills to articulate the organization’s vision to diverse audiences.
• Negotiation skills and ability to act as an ambassador in cross-cultural settings.
• Track record of outstanding achievement in senior leadership roles.

This leadership role offers a rare opportunity to shape the voice and influence of a world-class organization.