Engagement and Stakeholder Manager

Weekly Working Hours: 37

Fixed Term Contract: End Date: 2 years from start date

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About the Role

This is a two-year fixed-term role combining responsibilities across the Research Capability Hub (0.6 FTE) and the Institute of Educational Technology (0.4 FTE).

Within the Research Capability Hub, the postholder will manage the operational delivery of stakeholder engagement, relationship management and co-creation activities across the ESRC-funded programme. They will work across the UK social science ecosystem, including ESRC investments, Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs), Doctoral Training and Research Networks (DTRNs), universities, research organisations and wider stakeholder communities. The role includes coordinating DTPN and DTRN activities, managing stakeholder communications and engagement processes, and contributing to the Hub’s monitoring, evaluation and reporting activities.

Within IET, the postholder will support communications and public engagement activity, promoting research, partnerships, courses and events through digital communications, social media, events and external engagement.

This is a collaborative and delivery-focused role requiring excellent communication, organisational and relationship-management skills. The successful candidate will be confident working with senior academics, professional services colleagues, external partners and stakeholder communities, and able to exercise sound judgement while managing competing priorities.

The role combines strategic coordination with hands-on delivery and will suit someone who enjoys turning plans into action, building effective stakeholder relationships and ensuring complex activities run smoothly.

The postholder will report to the Senior Hub Manager and work closely with the Workstream 1 academic lead, other academic leads and colleagues across IET, the wider University and external partner organisations. The role will involve attending and organising meetings, workshops, conferences and stakeholder events, with regular on-site working and occasional travel required.

About the Research Capability Hub (RCH)

The Research Capability Hub (RCH) is a UK-wide initiative funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) through a £5.2 million investment over five years. Led by The Open University in partnership with national and international organisations, the Hub aims to strengthen social science research capability, training and collaboration across the UK. Stakeholder engagement, co-creation and partnership working are central to the Hub’s mission and long-term success.

About the Institute of Educational Technology (IET)

The Institute of Educational Technology (IET) is a leading centre for research, innovation and scholarship in technology-enhanced learning, open education and educational futures. Based within The Open University, IET works across research, teaching, knowledge exchange and partnership activity at national and international level.

As IET continues to grow its externally funded portfolio, partnerships and public-facing activity, the Institute is seeking to strengthen its communications, engagement and external profile-building activity across digital channels, events, research dissemination and stakeholder engagement.

Key Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities – Research Capability Hub (0.6 FTE)

• Manage stakeholder engagement activity across the UK social science ecosystem, including ESRC investments, DTPs, DTRNs, research organisations and professional bodies.
• Lead the planning and operational delivery of stakeholder events, workshops, webinars, consultations and networking activities.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders across the Hub partnership and wider stakeholder community.
• Act as a key operational contact for stakeholder engagement and communication activity, ensuring responsive and professional stakeholder support.
• Support the delivery of stakeholder engagement plans aligned to the Hub’s strategic priorities and ESRC requirements.
• Manage stakeholder engagement systems, records and reporting processes, ensuring continuity of relationships and institutional knowledge.
• Coordinate DTPN and DTRN activities, including meetings, communications, engagement tracking and associated network activity.
• Deputise for the Workstream 1 Lead in stakeholder engagement activities, meetings and external forums where appropriate.
• Prepare reports, briefing papers, presentations and engagement updates for internal and external stakeholders.
• Contribute to communications, dissemination and engagement activity across digital channels, stakeholder networks, governance structures and wider Hub activities.

Key Responsibilities – Institute of Educational Technology (0.4 FTE)

• Coordinate stakeholder communications, dissemination and promotional activity across digital, event-based and external engagement channels.
• Plan and deliver internal and external IET events, showcases and engagement activities.
• Develop engaging written and digital content for a range of audiences, including academic, professional, student and public audiences.
• Support the promotion of IET research impact, externally funded activity and educational innovation.
• Contribute to the development of IET’s external profile and visibility across relevant academic, professional and research communities.
• Work collaboratively with academic and professional services colleagues to identify opportunities for communications, dissemination and public engagement activity.
• Coordinate communications and promotional activity linked to conferences, workshops and public-facing events.
• Evaluate and improve IET communications processes, digital presence and engagement approaches.
• Attend relevant University and external engagement events where appropriate.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of stakeholder engagement processes, communications and operational delivery across the Hub.
• Support the forward planning and coordination of stakeholder engagement activity across multiple concurrent workstreams and external partnerships.

About You

Essential

• Degree qualification in Communications, Media, Digital Communications, Marketing, Public Relations or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant professional experience.
• Significant experience of managing stakeholder engagement, partnerships, networks or communications activity within higher education, research, public sector or comparable environments.
• Demonstrable experience of building and maintaining productive relationships with senior stakeholders, including academics, professional services leaders, external partners, funders or sector bodies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience of producing high-quality reports, briefings, presentations, digital content and communications for a range of audiences.
• Strong digital communications and audience engagement skills, including experience of managing websites, newsletters, social media channels, webinars or other digital engagement platforms.
• Experience of planning, delivering and evaluating stakeholder engagement activities, including workshops, conferences, consultation exercises, webinars or large-scale events.
• Strong project and operational management skills, including the ability to coordinate multiple priorities, manage competing deadlines and deliver complex activities to a high standard.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgement and proactively identify opportunities, risks and solutions within a complex and fast-moving environment.

Desirable

• Experience of working within UKRI, ESRC or other externally funded research programmes.
• Understanding of the UK social science research and training landscape.
• Experience of stakeholder mapping, engagement planning or community development.
• Experience of co-creation, consultation or participatory engagement approaches.

Support with your application

If you have any questions, or need support or adjustments relating to your application, the recruitment process, or the role, please contact us on 01908 541111 or email careers@open.ac.uk quoting the advert reference number.

What's in it for you?

At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this link will open a new window).

Flexible working

We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.

Work location

It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, where the successful candidate can work from home and the office. However, as this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes Office, it is expected that some attendance in the office will be required when necessary and in response to business needs. We’d expect this to be 1 day per week, but this could be more often if business needs dictate.

Next steps in the Recruitment process

If shortlisted, we anticipate interviews taking place onsite in Milton Keynes W/C 17th August 2026. 

Early closing date notification

While most roles will remain open until the advertised closing date, applications may be reviewed on an ongoing basis. In some cases, vacancies may close earlier if a sufficient number of suitable applications have been received and equality impacts have been appropriately considered. All roles will remain advertised for a minimum of one week before any early closure is implemented.

If you have started an application or were in the process of applying when the advert closed, we encourage you to get in touch. We are committed to understanding individual circumstances and can offer further support where needed, including reasonable adjustments for applicants with protected characteristics.

How to apply

To apply for this role please submit the following document(s):

• CV
• Supporting Statement (Your Supporting Statement should be no more than 1000 words and should outline how your current skills and experience meet the essential and desirable criteria listed above) 

You can view your progress and application communications when you are logged into our recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folders if you do not receive associated email updates.

The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential. We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength. We strive to recruit, retain and develop the careers of a diverse pool of students and staff, and particularly encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We also aspire to make The Open University a supportive workplace for all through our policies, services and staff networks.

Closing date: 11:59pm on Tuesday 21^st July 2026