Marketing and Communications Coordinator, SCENE Commercialisation Programmes (Job Number: 25000818)

We are seeking a skilled, creative and experienced Communications Co-ordinator who can provide excellent communications and events support to the delivery programmes within the SCENE programme and work with the programme team to support the  commercialisation eco-system with a programme of excellent internal communications activity. The postholder will work closely with the Northern Accelerator Communications Manager and Partnership managers to ensure a seamless communications effort within the University partnership and with our key partners and strategic stakeholders.

The project is an ambitious and complex project with a number of workstreams which also interact with existing Northern Accelerator programmes and the role of communications will be key in ensuring the visibility of the various aspects of the programme and maintaining a strong sense of common endeavour.

Ideally, the postholder will have a good understanding of innovation and commercialisation purposes and mechanisms and be able to work flexibly and collaboratively with our partners and stakeholders to design and ensure delivery of effective communication plans. They will also need to understand the purpose of our national and regional funders in allocating the resource, in order to maintain alignment of SCENE communications activity with the economic plans in the North East and commercialisation objectives of Research England and the Government.

The main duties of the post will be:

• Working with the Head of Regional programmes, Programme Manager and other team members, design and ensure a strong and visible communications and events plan to support the effective delivery of the workstreams and key projects set out in the SCENE programme.
• Co-ordinate internal communications activity between the University partners and the wider network of Strategic partners to underpin the success of the commercialisation eco-system.
• Work closely with the Communications manager and wider network of Communications staff to ensure that there are complementary communication activities across the SCENE programme, Northern Accelerator, the Commercialisation and Spin Out Fund, and any other projects which re-enforce their brands and demonstrate the collaboration between North East universities.
• Provide support, advice, information, presentations and guidance to University staff regarding the communications activities within the project, including ensuring compliance with the expectations of partners and funders with respect of use of logos and other corporate or programme identities and to be the focal point for communications across the University and strategic partners.
• Monitor communications activities against a key set of metrics and make proposals for improvement

An illustration of the UNEE Governance Structures and SCENE Staffing Structures will be available here.

The Department 

The postholder will sit within Durham University’s Research and Innovation Services (RIS) team, accountable to the Head of Regional Programmes.

RIS is a professional services directorate at the heart of Durham University which provides expertise, leadership and support to academics and professional colleagues across the University for all research, research-related, knowledge exchange and economic development activities and aims to strengthen their University’s role at the leading-edge of research and innovation, inspiring change across the world and in our region.

The team is based in our exciting new professional services hub at Bolden House, which is located on the outskirts of Durham near the Arnison Centre in Pity Me. Bolden House brings professional services teams together across the University in a vibrant office environment which supports collaborative working and is designed to embrace hybrid working.

Useful Links:

• Helping Business – Durham University
• Home – Northern Accelerator
• Universities for North East England – Durham University
• £30 million to grow regional research commercialisation ecosystems – UKRI
• University spinouts to grow industries of the future with new government backing – GOV.UK
• UNEE Governance and SCENE Staffing Structures

The University

At Durham University we are proud of our people.  A globally outstanding centre of educational excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other.

Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is a key hub of activity within our region and nationally.  Whether you are at the very start, middle or end of your career, there is a role for you. We believe everyone has their own unique skills to offer.

We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thriving University.  Further information about the University can be found here.

Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Join Us? – Information Page.

Working at Durham  

A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University: you will also receive access to the following fantastic benefits:

• 27 Days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 39 days per year.
• The University closes between Christmas and New Year.
• No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered.  We have parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies.
• Lots of support for health and wellbeing including discounted membership for our state of the art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
• On site nursery is available plus access to holiday camps for children aged 5-16.
• Family friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, which are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
• There is a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally.  There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University.  All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities.
• The opportunity to take part in staff volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community.
• Discounts are available via our benefits portal including; money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, the cinema and days out at various attractions.
• We offer generous pension schemes.

Since 2018, the five North East universities have worked increasingly closely to build a strong collaboration to commercialise our research through the creation of high-growth businesses. Since launching the Northern Accelerator programme, 54 spinouts have been created, catalysing new investment and jobs.

Supported by Research England’s CCF-RED fund with £8.9m in funding over a five year period, the Strategic Commercialisation Eco-system North East (SCENE) programme represents an exciting next phase in our regional collaboration with the aim of wrapping new activities around and into Northern Accelerator to strengthen our support for the spin out process, and building new services and activities to extend successful research commercialisation in new areas, such as licensing and commercial partnerships.

Underpinning these propositions is the creation and development of a structured and connected ecosystem around University research commercialisation, drawing together partnerships with business, investors and institutions to drive a sustainable step-change in our impact.

Through the delivery of seven workstreams over a five year programme, SCENE will:

• Strengthen and expand the region’s ecosystem, engaging businesses, sector bodies, Catapults and investors more actively in commercialising university research;
• Expand the pipeline of high-quality, investible new spinouts;
• Support growth for existing spinouts, helping secure them for the long-term;
• Increase adoption of university IP by businesses of all sizes in strategic sectors;
• Attract new UK and international investment into the formation and growth of research-led businesses; and
• Enhance structures, systems and leadership to support regional commercialisation ambitions.

SCENE is led by Durham University and involves as key partners the other 4 North East Higher Education institutions – Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside – who come together through Universities for North East England (UNEE).

SCENE is also supported by a number of strategic partners – our two Combined Authorities in the North East and Tees Valley, Catapults, Business Support organisations and key Businesses as well as associated universities in York and Cumbria.