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Overview

RPI supports agreed University, Faculty and School priorities for research and innovation: income generation, research excellence, PGR experience, partnership development and knowledge exchange leading to income and/or impact and commercialisation of IP and student enterprise. Our focus is on delivering professional, value-add advice and support to our community of researchers and innovators. We are a well-connected team which understands the priorities of the organisation and our external stakeholders and customers and the external environment in which we operate. Team members collaborate, reflect, develop their skills and have a risk-appropriate mindset of continuous improvement to our processes, policy and approach.

The University Impact Manager role is central to helping and enabling researchers deliver impact from their research and knowledge exchange activities by raising awareness, delivering training, and supporting REF Impact Case Study development. The role also leads on training and support for the University Evidencing Impact Internship Programme.

The Primary Focus Of This Role Is To:

• Work collaboratively with RPI, faculty and school colleagues who support impact to understand the development and training requirements which will enable non-academic impact
• Design and deliver general and bespoke training on all aspects of impact to researchers and professional services colleagues at all career stages, including the creation of programmes/syllabuses and online resources.
• Implement mechanisms to support impact development, evidencing and recording.
• Support the design, delivery and showcasing of impact related events and materials.

Typical Deliverables Will Include:

• Providing a dedicated point of contact and support for designated Faculties and Faculty Impact Managers (and associated University Research Centres), making a demonstrable contribution to the drafting of impact plans/sections for funding proposals, and with the preparation of REF Impact Case Studies.
• Leading an annual programme of impact related training with appropriate evaluation and iteration for academic and professional staff and delivering events to showcase impact.
• Managing postgraduate students on the impact internship programme.
• Delivering the annual impact stocktake review process to ensure REF Impact Case Studies are identified, monitored and developed in a timely fashion.

Main Duties And Responsibilities

• Coordinate the provision of awareness-raising, training and resources, both in-person and online, on all aspects of impact, including the evidencing of impact, showcasing exemplars while allowing for disciplinary differences.
• Work closely with the University Impact Lead, University REF Lead, Faculty Impact Leads, and REF coordinators to disseminate key updates and information on the Engagement and Impact element of REF, and support the preparation and submission of Impact Case Studies, and the coordination of impact-related materials and narratives for the institution- and unit-level SPRE statements.
• Coordinate and support the Universityʼs regular REF impact review processes, including the annual Impact Stocktake and related exercises (e.g. evidence audits).
• Support the working of the Deputy Vice President for Innovation and the University Impact Lead on the Impact Steering Board, acting as Secretary to the Board.
• Work closely with the University Impact Lead and colleagues in MARC on all internal and external impact-related communications, including writing the quarterly impact newsletter and coordinating the creation and promotion of the portfolio of impact films.
• Lead on the design and delivery of all impact-related events, including the annual Impact Showcase.
• Maintain and regularly /update and improve the impact webpages on the Staff Hub, including its extensive suite of guidance and toolkits.
• Support and facilitate a network of Academic Impact Leads and Faculty Impact Managers, circulating information and organising workshops.
• Provide a dedicated point of contact and support for designated Faculty Impact Managers (and associated University Research Centres), including supporting the drafting of impact plans/sections for UKRI and other funder proposals, and with the preparation of REF2029 Impact Case Studies, including advising on content and style, support with drafting, and advising on evidence collection and presentation.
• Proactively seek out, analyse, and share best practice to help embed an understanding of impact using a range of communication tools.
• Provide guidance on approaches to collecting evidence to demonstrate the impact of research and knowledge exchange.
• Maintain a record of university-wide research impact activities to prepare for future research assessment exercises
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.