The current opportunity is available for current Manchester Met students, to apply you must be based in the UK for the duration of the role.
The main purpose of this role is assisting, and where necessary taking the lead, with the systematic capture, tracking, analysis and documentation of the real-world impact of research on the UK high street crisis and town centre recovery, in support of a REF Impact Case Study . This includes collecting evidence from past and upcoming engagements with politicians, civil servants, local authorities, architects, trade associations and particularly government departments and select committees. The assistant will map how the research has influenced national policy conversations - such as those led by the House of Lords, Dept. Business & Trade, and Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government as well as influencing local government regeneration strategies. They will collect testimonies, policy references, media coverage, industry engagement and opinion pieces that reflect uptake. It may also involve organising and participating in impact events with external stakeholders. This role will require some previous knowledge and/or experience of research methods, including qualitative analysis.
Dates: 20 July - 31 July 2026
Hours: Variable - maximum 10 hours/week
Location: Hybrid
Key Tasks
Research Activities
- Undertake impact capture and analysis.
- Plan and prioritise own day to day work and resources to achieve agreed objectives. Co-ordinate with and take instruction from the faculty research officers and the academic ICS author.
- Format and present findings internally as required.
- Correspond with previous and potential stakeholders for the research.
- Organise and participate in impact events.
- Use initiative and judgement to develop appropriate techniques in order to facilitate work and resolve problems affecting the achievement of objectives and deadlines.
Liaison and Networking
- Participate in the development of internal and external partnerships and networks in order to disseminate information, share best practice, establish opportunities for collaborative work, and to enhance the reputation of the University.
- Work with partners and external agencies on collaborative projects that benefit both the department and the Faculty.
Service Provision
- Keep relevant stakeholders updated on progress, and be responsible for exploring their needs, and acting on feedback, in order to ensure that your work delivers against their requirements.
- Collaborate with senior academic staff to organise, manage and carry out appropriate work.
- Respond to enquiries and requests for information from academic staff from other HE institutions, and relevant stakeholders, when required.
- Proactively and effectively engage with quality assurance procedures to ensure that University standards are upheld.
Team Working
- Actively participate as a member of the research team, providing mutual support to colleagues to achieve successful completion of projects.
Teaching Support
Supervise the work/projects of taught postgraduate and/or research students as required and provide training on techniques appropriate to the role. This will include helping students with exhibiting their work on the high street as part of the impact case study.
Contribute to teaching support via demonstration of practical methods or operation equipment to undergraduate, masters and/or research students as appropriate.
Miscellaneous
- You have a legal duty, so far as is reasonably practicable, to ensure that you do not endanger yourself or anyone else by your acts or omissions. In addition, you must cooperate with the University on health and safety matters and must not interfere or misuse anything provided for health, safety and welfare purposes.
- You are responsible for applying the University’s Equal Opportunities Policy in your own area of responsibility and in your general conduct.
- You have a responsibility to promote high levels of customer care within your own areas of work.
- Such other relevant duties commensurate with the grade of the post as may be assigned by the Manager in agreement with you. Such agreement should not be unreasonably withheld.
- You have the responsibility to engage with the University’s commitment to Environmental Sustainability in order to reduce its waste, energy consumption and carbon footprint.
- You have the responsibility to engage with the University’s commitment to delivering value for money services that optimise the use of resources and therefore should consider this when undertaking all duties and aspects of your role.