Alumni Relations Manager (International) (Fixed-Term)
Candidate Pack
1 4 x 2 hour coaching sessions
Contents 1. Introduction 3 2. About UCL 4 3. About the Role 14 4. Person Specification 17 5. How to apply 19 4 x 2 hour coaching sessions
1. Introduction
At UCL, we do things differently. We know the stakes are high, but we are not afraid to take risks or to drive change. A cure for cancer. A revolution in dementia care. A new approach to global economics. Scholarships for outstanding students. All these things are possible. Our job – your job – is to make them happen.
The Office of the Vice-Provost, Advancement (OVPA) manages UCL’s philanthropic relationships and engagement with alumni and supporter audiences. We recently closed UCL’s It’s All Academic Campaign, having raised more than £624m and inspired over 263,000 volunteering hours to help UCL, our students and our alumni community. We plan to keep delivering fundraising and alumni engagement on the same scale as we move towards the launch of our next campaign. We are supported by UCL’s clear strategy for the future and sustained investment in OVPA that has given us the resources and staff we need to achieve excellence. What does this mean in practice? It means top- level support from UCL’s senior team, including active leadership and participation in fundraising from UCL’s new President & Provost, Dr Michael Spence. It means academic buy-in from the university’s senior team and across the academic community. It means giving talented people the tools they need to find new solutions to do what they do best.
But we can’t do it without people like you: people with the vision, passion and determination to make it happen. This will be a career defining moment.
Adrian Punaks Executive Director of Development To find out more about Adrian Punaks, our Executive Director of Development, click here.
3 2. About UCL
UCL’s histor y UCL was founded in 1826 to open higher education to students from a wider range of backgrounds and to change the way we create and share knowledge. In 1878, we became the first university in England to welcome women on equal terms with men. That radical and disruptive spirit is alive and nurtured today across our university. Our staff and students are taking on some of the biggest challenges of our time and making vital contributions for the good of humanity.
Recent examples include: our pioneering research on dementia and various forms of cancer, leading on three European Space Agency missions to study comets and habitable planets outside of our solar system, advising policy makers globally on innovation- led inclusive economic growth and future public services, ensuring that artificial intelligence is developed and used ethically for the benefit of society, science and industry and researching how early life experiences shape the human brain.
Vision UCL is one of the world’s leading multidisciplinary universities. We operate in a global context and are committed to excellence, innovation, and the promotion of global understanding in all our activities: research, teaching, learning, enterprise and community engagement.
We aspire to provide a supportive environment for staff and students where academic insight and pioneering thinking can thrive, deepening knowledge and developing solutions to problems worldwide.
We encourage our community to work across traditional subject boundaries and have established numerous centres to facilitate cross-disciplinary interaction. The UCL Grand Challenges – of Global Health, Sustainable Cities, Cultural Understanding, Human Wellbeing, Transformative Technology and Justice and Equality – are the flagship embodiment of our institutional commitment to approach global challenges from new and multiple perspectives.
UCL academics are encouraged to collaborate with others who share their dedication to excellence and passion for knowledge, irrespective of where they are in the world.
UCL in numbers A research powerhouse in the centre of London, UCL is consistently placed in the global top 10:
• 5th in NTU World Rankings (2020) • 10th in QS World University Rankings (2021) 4th in the UK 5th in Europe • 1st for Education (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020) • 9th in The Times and Sunday Times University League Table 2020 • 10th overall in the Complete University Guide (2021) • 16th in the Times Higher Education World Rankings (2021) • 22nd in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings (2020) • 29 Nobel laureates • 34 Athena SWAN awards • 13,300 staff • 43,900 students • Over 300,000 alumni in over 190 countries • c.£500 million total research income annually • ‘It’s All Academic’ Campaign raising £600m in philanthropic funding • Transforming UCL, £1.25 billion investment in estate over 10 years • Over £1.5 billion annual turnover
Portico artwork – Razzle Dazzle by Emily Laserwitz, 2016
5 Our faculties UCL has 11 faculties, each home to world-class research, teaching and learning in a wide range of academic disciplines across all study levels:
• Arts & Humanities • Built Environment • Brain Sciences • Institute of Education • Engineering Sciences • Laws • Life Sciences • Mathematical & Physical Sciences • Medical Sciences • Population Health Sciences • Social & Historical Sciences
Creating a new strategy for UCL Our distinctive approach to research, education and innovation inspires our community of staff, students and partners to transform how the world is understood, how knowledge is created and shared, and the way that global problems are solved.
During the summer of 2021, UCL’s new President and Provost, Dr Michael Spence, will be working with colleagues to develop a refreshed strategy for UCL, to keep our activity focused, coordinated and effective over the next five years. Joining UCL now, you will benefit from working with a renewed strategic focus.
The Wilkins Terrace courtesy of Kirsten Holst Research UCL is the most successful institute in collaborative research in Europe.
We are committed to using our collective expertise to address global problems, developing partnerships within and beyond the education sector, to inform the work that we do and increase our positive impact on the world around us.
Our researchers are currently working with global institutions on projects to make climate change predictions cheaper and more widely accessible, help patients recovering from strokes, and remove pollution from contaminated water.
Recent research successes include an outstanding performance in the Horizon 2020 programme. Eight senior UCL academics was awarded ERC Advanced grants for pioneering projects in areas ranging from UCL researchers work on NASA’s ANITA experiment courtesy of Ryan Nichol urban development to ophthalmology and UCL has been awarded more than £40m funding for seven centres for Doctoral training by EPSRC part of UK Research & Innovation.
Our total research income in 2018–19 was £481.1m, up from £476.3m in 2017–18.
Studios in the Slade School of Fine Art 7 Partnerships UCL works in multiple partnership with business, industry and academia.
In the field of health, UCL is a partner in the Francis Crick Institute for biomedical research, and the UCL Partners Academic Health Science partnership comprises more than 40 partners from the NHS, social care and academia who are committed to working together to support improvements in healthcare. UCL is also partnering with the NHS to improve student mental health support.
In technology, UCL has a longstanding partnership with Cisco, who have hosted over 100 students as interns and, with UCL Engineering, are launching a new AI research centre as part of a $100m investment in the UK.
In education, the IOE is the largest HE provider of initial teacher education in the UK, and regularly provides consultation to the DfE, and The Francis Crick Institute international governments and agencies to improve education provision and life changes locally and across the globe.
UCL was the first university in England to become the sole sponsor of an academy school. Seven years on, our strategic collaboration is as strong as ever, with students and staff from both partners engaged in research, teaching and learning and mentoring initiatives. Lucie Green, UCL Professor of Physics, is Chair of Governors of UCL Academy.
Connected Curriculum The Connected Curriculum, UCL’s framework for research-based education, continues to build a learning culture that develops students’ critical thinking and readiness for the next stage in their careers, as well as changing the nature of the dialogue between students and academics to one of partnership.
UCL Academy courtesy of KIrsten Holst Delivering global impact UCL’s Global Engagement is based on a commitment to international partnerships and the belief that bringing together different perspectives and diverse experience accelerates the process of discovery and global impact.
UCL is a founder member of the new U7 Alliance, bringing together more than 30 leading universities from across the G7 countries to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.
UCL’s strategic global partnerships, developed from the ‘bottom up’, continue to grow with support from the Global Engagement Office. UCL has two ‘anchor’ or strategic global partners, Peking University and University of Toronto and five institutional partners: Max Planck Society, Paris Science et Lettres, University of Hong Kong, Osaka University and Yale.
UCL’s strategic partnerships with University UCL’s Main Library – one of 16 specialist libraries across the UCL estate of Toronto and Peking University support collaboration, led by UCL academics, that span all of UCL’s 11 faculties with strong research and education links in a broad range of areas, including, but not limited to child health, cities, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, education research, medical humanities, social sciences and business. These partnerships provide enhanced opportunities for UCL academics across faculties to work together with colleagues from partner institutions to have greater global impact together.
UCL Mechanical Engineering’s naval architecture tank courtesy of UCL Engineering/James Tye 9 Transforming UCL Supporting UCL’s growth as we continue to build now and for the future
Transforming UCL is the largest capital programme in the university’s history, supporting UCL’s growth as we continue to build now and for the future. We are investing over £1 billion over ten years to refurbish and develop some of our most iconic buildings and promote new world-class buildings such as our new Student Centre (one of only 320 globally to achieve BREEAM’s highest ‘Outstanding’ classification for sustainability).
UCL has also embarked on a major programme Transforming Our Professional Services (TOPS), streamlining and modernising our processes while changing our ways of working to better support students and academic staff. It will enhance the student experience across the board, by creating sustainable learning spaces for the current and future generations UCL’s new Student Centre courtesy of Matt Clayton of students.
UCL East Our new East London campus
Construction is under way on our new campus, UCL East. Sited on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, UCL East will be part of East Bank, a new destination for world class culture and education which also includes the BBC, Sadler’s Wells, and the V&A.
UCL East is envisaged as a radical new model for how a university campus can be embedded in the community. It will stimulate world-class research, education, entrepreneurship and innovation in the areas of transport, culture, disability innovation, manufacturing, real estate and urbanism, health and environment, and business and finance. It will also provide much needed expansion space from our Bloomsbury home.
Architect’s model for the UCL East site courtesy of Stanton Williams Architects The UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) hub at UCL Bringing together world-leading expertise in biomedical, translational and care dementia research in a national institute, the UK DRI aims to tackle a disease that is expected to affect 60 million people worldwide by 2025. UCL was selected in 2016 to host the research hub and operational headquarters of the UK DRI, which is currently housed in interim premises in the Cruciform Building.
Work started in 2019 on a new facility in Gray’s Inn Road, housing the UK DRI hub alongside new premises for the Queen Square Institute of Neurology and an outpatient and imaging unit for the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery – a powerhouse of dementia research enabling cross-collaboration to find better ways to diagnose, treat and prevent dementia-causing neurological disease.
Artist’s impression of the new DRI Hub Building courtesy of Hawkins\Brown Architects To date, more than £35m has been raised through philanthropy to support this project.
UCL’s annual Scholarships Reception 11 Advancement at UCL The Office of the Vice-Provost, Advancement (OVPA) manages UCL’s philanthropic relationships and alumni engagement programmes. The Office has one overarching mission – to engage and grow all of UCL’s communities and to convey the brilliance of UCL to generate income through philanthropy and to build of mutually beneficial relationships with UCL’s alumni, supporters and friends.
The impact of advancement at UCL is examplified by It’s All Academic, the campaign for UCL, which raised more than £624 million, and inspired over 260,000 volunteering hours to help UCL, our students and our alumni community. Bringing a fresh approach to campaign fundraising, It’s All Academic has fuelled radical approaches to global challenges like neurodegenerative disease, cancer, climate change, and social inequality. Our donors and supporters from 84 countries have:
• accelerated progress in neuroscience and cancer (£432m raised for health);
• built a supportive, pioneering and globally-connected research, learning and teaching environmentnearly (£70m raised for student support);
• nurtured one of the most brilliant gatherings of minds in the world (£42m raised to support UCL people).
UCL has led one of the biggest university fundraising campaigns in Europe – the largest in the UK after Oxford and Cambridge. It has been sector-leading, award-winning and global. We have achieved our ambitions because we’ve worked in partnership. Donors and alumni are joining staff and partners in dedicating their support, demonstrating a unique sense of belonging and commitment to UCL’s vision.
Together, we’ve expanded the definition of philanthropy at UCL, recognising the value of both financial and volunteering support. Philanthropic funding is a powerful catalyst for new solutions, but equally important are the gifts of time and expertise. The Campaign has channelled UCL’s distinctive ethos of purposeful disruption, the strength of its diverse, multidisciplinary community, a visionary commitment from leadership, and institutional buy-in and investment, to embed philanthropy and alumni engagement at UCL as a powerful, resilient force for the benefit of people and the planet. The message has been sent out loudly and clearly that our donors and alumni are at the heart of UCL’s success now and in the future.
We know, given the extraordinarily difficult global landscape, that UCL’s work is far from done. It’s All Academic demonstrates the massive potential for impact within our donor and alumni community. It is just the beginning of what we can – and need to – achieve together. We closed and celebrated It’s All Academic in 2020, but we’re not pausing our philanthropy or our alumni engagement. We are continuing to generate income and alumni advocacy to support UCL’s teaching, research and innovation. And, as we approach UCL’s bicentenary in 2026 we are working with new President & Provost, Dr Michael Spence, to build towards UCL’s next campaign, which will further advance UCL’s global impact. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion UCL is fully committed to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). We aim to ensure all individuals have an equal opportunity regardless of race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age or background. We are the only university in the UK to hold both an Athena SWAN Silver institutional award (for gender equality) and a Bronze Race Equality Charter award, however we know that structural inequality exists, and that this is reflected in the profile of staff who reach senior positions in our own organisation. UCL has begun to address this and there are numerous changes in place.
The Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team is part of the Office of the President & Provost and permeates the culture and ethos of the institution.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at OVPA OVPA has in place a number of ambitious programmes to improve the recruitment of black and minority ethnic staff, career progression and support for under-represented and marginalised groups. Of recent, OVPA have established the following:
• EDI Committee - a formal committee of around 15 colleagues focused on setting and implementing an equity and diversity action plan for OVPA.
• EDI Learning Group - a place for everybody in OVPA to take steps to learn more about EDI issues and share their personal experiences in order to achieve change in both personal and professional capacity.
We particularly welcome applications from black and minority ethnic candidates as they are under represented in OVPA.
The Octagon in the Wilkins Building hosts a programme that highlights the UCL’s interdisciplinary, collaborative and participatory research 13
3. About the Role
Job Description
Alumni Relations Manager Grade: 7 (International) Full-time. Fixed term (9 months)
Department: Office of the Vice- Location: Bloomsbury, London President, Advancement (OVPA)
collaboration in the implementation of the Reports to Alumni Relations strategy globally. Head of International Alumni Engagement
Criteria for success Team After 9 months in the role the successful candidate will The Office of the Vice-President, Advancement (OVPA) be expected to have: manages UCL’s philanthropic relationships and engagement with alumni audiences. • Created and delivered a vibrant and innovative engagement programme (events, opportunities The Alumni Relations team seek to build and develop a for advocacy, social activities and volunteering) world-leading and mutually beneficial alumni community, where every member feels valued, connected and for international audiences with a ‘digital first’ supported to advance the mission of UCL. The team are mindset, learning from our experience during responsible for building a pipeline of meaningful, long- lockdown and beyond. term relationships with our alumni community, • Developed meaningful, mutually beneficial advocates, volunteers and donors through delivering an relationships with portfolio of alumni volunteers, innovative and dynamic range of events, volunteering, communications and philanthropic aligned activities. rising stars and advocates. • Facilitated and embedded change projects such Equity, diversity and inclusion is important to us. We are as the Global Alumni Groups project and Recent committed to creating an environment where everyone is Graduates Network – international leads. encouraged to give their best in a place where their • Developed positive working relationships across unique experiences, perspectives and skills are seen as valuable assets. And we particularly welcome all of the Office of the Vice-President applications from people of colour. (Advancement) and particularly with Fundraising and Prospect Development, where shared goals Main purpose of the job around philanthropy, advocacy and engagement align. ▪ To give the best possible experience for UCL • Partaken in the development of strong, strategic alumni and supporters for an assigned partnerships across UCL including the wider regional portfolio, to grow our global Development function, CAM, Student community of ambassadors, volunteers and Recruitment and the Global Engagement Office, advocates. seeking opportunities presented from the new ▪ To work closely with relevant colleagues Provost’s induction, and a new Global across OVPA and the wider UCL to ensure Engagement Strategy. • Planned and delivered a number of successful Cross-team collaboration and stakeholder trips to countries in the assigned portfolio management independently and as part of the Provost • delegation. Act as an OVPA contact on all alumni and supporter related matters in regards to regions of • Been an active member of the International responsibility. Alumni Engagement and Alumni Relations • Support strong cross-collaboration with key internal teams, sharing experience and learnings and partners, in alignment with the Alumni Relations five providing support and constructive feedback as strategic pillars (Employability, Student Recruitment, part of a high-performing team. Community, Brand and Giving) through relationships with key internal partners, particularly taking a leading role in OVPA relationship with the Global Engagement Office. Main duties and responsibilities • Support positive working relationships across the
Office of the Vice-President (Advancement), Global alumni and supporter programme and particularly with Fundraising and Prospect relationship management Development, where shared goals around philanthropy, advocacy and engagement align, as well as OVPA Communications and Events teams • Manage relationships with a portfolio of alumni on tailored international alumni-focused activities. volunteers and key supporters within a regional • Partake in the development of strong, strategic portfolio, to build their relationship with UCL. partnerships across UCL including the wider Seeking out timely opportunities for their Development function, CAM, Student Recruitment engagement and ensuring a long-term, mutually and the Global Engagement Office. beneficial relationship. • Liaise with external organisations, such as the • Manage the relationship with the leadership of British Council and others, to maximise local the region’s alumni clubs, stewarding alumni opportunities for UCLs alumni community and help group volunteers, supporting existing club raise UCL’s profile overseas. programmes and helping to identify new • Work closely with International Alumni Engagement programmes. team colleagues to ensure a coherent, consistent • Create and deliver a vibrant and innovative and sustainable approach to alumni and supporter engagement across UCL’s priority regions and engagement programme (events, opportunities countries. for advocacy, social activities and volunteering) • Represent UCL on approximately 2 overseas visits for international audiences with a ‘digital first’ travelling alone, with OVPA colleagues and, on mindset, learning from our experience during occasion, members of UCL’s senior management lockdown and beyond. team including the President and Provost. • Build effective relationships with influential internationally-based alumni and supporters in General duties and responsibilities an assigned region, with the objective of turning ▪ Act as a champion of UCL’s Ways of Working; role- them into key supporters to feed ongoing, modelling and promoting these behaviours as part mutually beneficial pipelines of volunteers, of everyday practices in OVPA. advocates and donors. ▪ Champion UCL’s equality, diversity and inclusion • Support the embedding of a framework for UCL’s existing global alumni groups, thinking ethos in OVPA and across UCL. holistically around volunteer leadership and ▪ Actively engage in OVPA’s culture of learning and stewardship. development. • Support the embedding of the Recent ▪ Support UCL’s Sustainability Strategy; conducting Graduates Network pilot by the International role in a resource efficient way. Alumni Engagement team within a regional ▪ Maintain an awareness and observation of Fire and portfolio. Health & Safety Regulations.
15 ▪ Any other duties as are within the scope, spirit and purpose of the job, and as requested by the line manager. 4. Person Specification Person Specification
Criteria Essential or Assessment method Desirable (Application &/or Interview) Experience and knowledge
Experience of working in a role with responsibility for relationship E Application & Interview management and engaging a variety of audiences by building mutually beneficial relationships.
Experience of producing high-quality written communications including E Application strategy documents, meeting minutes, briefings, reports and proposals.
Experience of public speaking. E Application
Experience in alumni relations, philanthropy, membership programmes or D Application volunteer management.
Understanding of the issues in UK higher education. D Application
Experience of managing overseas projects and programmes, including D Application experience of adapting plans to take into account different cultures and environments.
Skills and abilities
An ability to work independently and collegially with a wide range of E Application & Interview individuals.
Excellent interpersonal skills, including high-levels of diplomacy, discretion E Application & Interview and influence.
Excellent organisational, time-management and project-management skills, E Application & Interview including the ability to work efficiently and with a sense of urgency on numerous projects simultaneously.
Ability to adopt a pragmatic and resilient approach to projects, including a E Application & Interview willingness to action the detail whilst maintaining a strategic overview.
An ability to travel overseas independently on UCL’s behalf 2-4 times E Application annually for one or two week’s duration.
High levels of Microsoft Office proficiency, including; Microsoft Word, Excel E Application and PowerPoint.
UCL Ways of Working for professional services
Responding proactively and appropriately to the needs of colleagues, staff, Essential Application & Interview students and partners.
Taking pride in delivering an excellent service to colleagues, students, Essential Application & Interview partners and the wider community. 17 Criteria Essential or Assessment method Desirable (Application &/or Interview) Seeking and giving constructive feedback, and reflecting on own practice. Essential Application & Interview
Making inclusivity, diversity and (inter)cultural awareness core to actions Essential Application and decision-making for self and team.
5. How to apply
Excited? Get in touch.
To apply for this, or any other OVPA role, please visit our careers page: www.ucl.ac.uk/campaign/work-with- us
Queries Should you wish to discuss this role further, please contact Emma Hallett, Head of International Alumni Engagement (Interim).
For any application process queries, please contact Timothy Ijoyemi, People Coordinator
Both can be contacted by email: [email protected]
19 Here East, courtesy of Tim Crocker 20 Office of the Vice-Provost (Advancement) Gower Street London WC1E 6BT 21 United Kingdom