Innovation and Engagement Facilitator

Job overview

We’re looking for a new Innovation and Engagement Facilitator to join our friendly and ambitious team in the School of Computing and Communications supporting the delivery of the flagship CyberFocus Place-Based Impact Accelerator Account (PBIAA) Project. This position is offered on a Full-time, fixed term contract until March 2029. We are happy to talk about flexible working options. The position is fully externally funded.

Key elements of your job will be to: 

• Plan, coordinate and facilitate catalysts, sandpits, workshops, and other engagement activities.
• Support collaborative projects from concept through to delivery, working with researchers and stakeholders to maintain active engagement throughout the programme.
• Develop follow-up plans based on insights from innovation activities, fostering further collaboration across the Cyberfocus ecosystem.
• Track engagement outcomes to support reporting and inform continuous programme improvement.
• Ensure innovation and engagement activities align with programme and stakeholder needs across academic, civic, and industry partners.

About you

To be a suitable candidate for this position you will have: 

• Experience in planning and facilitating creative, energetic workshops, innovation events, or other collaborative activities with academic, industry, and civic partners.
• A background and/or strong interest in innovation and translating research into products or services.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and foster strong collaborative partnerships with diverse stakeholders.
• The ability to assess stakeholder needs, analyse insights from engagement events, and develop actionable plans for further collaboration and engagement.
• Experience in aligning innovation and engagement activities to meet shared objectives across diverse groups.

The School of Computing and Communications Department 

As Innovation and Engagement Facilitator, you will be part of the School of Computing and Communications, working within the CyberFocus PBIAA team. CyberFocus is a £5M EPSRC, UKRI-funded programme driving cyber innovation and regional impact. Based at Lancaster University and operating across the North West’s cyber ecosystem, CyberFocus aims to unlock the socio-economic potential of the region through collaborative innovation, civic engagement, and research-led impact.

Delivered in partnership with six regional universities and a wide network of public and private stakeholders, the programme is at the forefront of addressing the UK’s cybersecurity challenges and opportunities. This role offers a unique opportunity to work across academia, industry, and government, building partnerships, delivering collaborative activities, and turning research into meaningful outcomes and impact for the region.

To find out more about joining our team or to arrange an informal chat about the role, please contact Dr Anna Dyson, CyberFocus PBIAA Manager – a.dyson@lancaster.ac.uk

Why work with us

Lancaster University’s Bailrigg campus is a lovely place to work, offering a vibrant working environment set in beautiful parkland.   We have lots of facilities on-site such as: a sports centre, shops, cafes, a multi-faith centre, pre-school, a post office and a fantastic library. Lancaster University provides an environment that strongly supports the needs of each employee, promoting a healthy work-life balance.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including: 

• Competitive salary 
• Generous employer pension scheme.
• 39 days leave, including University closure days at Easter and Christmas and bank holidays.
• A family-friendly and flexible approach to working.
• additional flexible benefits to suit your needs and interests, some with tax-savings.

We are an organisation that seeks to make positive economic, cultural, societal and environmental change.  If you want to be a part of that, then we’d love to hear from you.  

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