Research Impact and Engagement Officer

Job Description

We exist to fund research into beating blood cancer. In the past 60 years, we’ve invested more than £500 million into blood cancer research which has led to improved treatments and saved lives. Everything we do in the next five years will be based on a single aim – to stop people dying of blood cancer or the side effects of its treatments. We want to put people affected by blood cancer at the centre of everything we do.
As Research Impact & Engagement Officer, you will be integral in helping to deliver our impact and engagement workstreams within the research team. You will work with the Research Programme Manager to implement our new research impact framework to ensure that we are appropriately monitoring and reporting on the impact of our life-saving research. You will also support the embedding of our researcher engagement activity into regular practice, establishing our stewardship programme to bring us closer to our funded researchers and the wider blood cancer research community.
This is an exciting time to join the organisation as we work to deliver our new strategy, funding impactful research to drive forward the day when nobody dies of their blood cancer or its treatment.
As well as full-time applications, we are open to applicants wishing to work a 4-day week. Please specify in your job application.

When writing your cover letter (minimum 1 page), please refer to the person specification found in the job pack and let us know how your skills and experience meet the criteria.

Key Responsibilities

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
Research Impact Monitoring and Reporting

• Maintain a regular and effective reporting cycle to monitor activity and outputs for all funded research as close to real-time as possible
• Act as the go to internal resource to feed relevant activity, e.g. funded grants, key papers published, conference presentations, innovation, etc to Comms, Fundraising, Policy, Services and Fundraising Teams to support transformational giving
• Support the implementation of the new impact framework, monitoring progress for funded research beyond the project lifespan
• Assist with retrospective review of the research portfolio, mapping case studies to cover the breadth of our portfolio
• Work consistently with the research funding team to ensure funding processes and reporting complement our impact activities

Researcher Engagement and Stewardship

• Embed the researcher engagement and stewardship programme across grant holders and the wider research community; including dissemination of the research newsletter, assist with identification of researchers and showcase opportunities to support fundraising colleagues and income generation activity
• Attend related meetings and conferences as required, utilising as opportunities to engage grant holders and wider research community,
• Conduct grant holder visits across the UK as part of the stewardship programme, as required
• Ensure we maintain a relationship with researchers after funding ends to monitor impact and ensure they remain part of the Blood Cancer UK family
• Carry out landscape mapping activities e.g. identifying researchers in all relevant fields who aren’t funded by Blood Cancer UK to increase reach and awareness of the charity as a potential funder

General Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the team being proactive and supportive, and working effectively and efficiently to achieve agreed cross-team tasks and objectives
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of strong internal, collaborative relationships across the charity, working specifically with the Engagement Teams to provide updates, content and support income generation
• Contribute to maintaining internal research resources for use by the wider organisation
• Undertake other work as required by the Deputy Director of Research and Director of Research, Policy and Services

THINGS WE ALL DO

• Promote Blood Cancer UK’s vision, mission and core values
• We’re all fundraisers. This is slightly different for all roles, and your team will have fundraising KPIs and objectives we all work to
• Attend and assist at Blood Cancer UK events and activities as required (NB this involves evening and weekend work)
• Be an effective ambassador for Blood Cancer UK at any activity you attend
• All staff are expected to adhere to Blood Cancer UK’s policies and procedures
• Do any other reasonable things your manager needs you to do

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Experience of working in either the charity or research sector
• Understanding of the link between funding research and subsequent impact
• Ability to read/analyse data and interpret research reports for a range of audiences
• Well-developed interpersonal skills for liaising with internal and external communities, including senior academics, and committed to delivering an excellent, consistent and professional service