Please note, this opportunity is only available to Manchester Met 2025 graduates who will be based in the UK for the duration of this role. You must have graduated from an undergraduate course from Manchester Met in June 2025 to apply. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept applications from current or previous postgraduate students.
Background
The Institute of Place Management at Manchester Metropolitan University is an internationally recognised centre of excellence for place management research about high streets and town centres. IPM helps organisations improve the vitality and viability of high streets, town centres and communities.
The graduate intern will support a major strategic project centred on the Institute's 25 Priorities for Place framework (https://www.placemanagement.org/research/25-priorities-for-place/). Developed through internationally recognised research, the framework is increasingly being used by local authorities, place partnerships and other organisations to inform place-based decision making.
The internship will support a year-long programme to understand how the framework is being applied in practice, capture examples of impact, and develop a national evidence base that supports future research, consultancy, training and partnership activity. The main purpose of this role is to support the development of a national evidence base demonstrating how organisations are applying the 25 Priorities for Place framework to address local challenges and improve places.
The successful candidate will work with organisations across the UK to identify examples of good practice, develop case studies, capture lessons learned and help demonstrate the practical impact of the Institute's research. The outputs will contribute directly to IPM's business engagement activities, consultancy offer, research impact and professional development programmes.
Key Responsibilities
- Support the delivery of the 25 Priorities for Place research project.
- Engage with local authorities, Business Improvement Districts, place partnerships and community organisations.
- Identify organisations using the 25 Priorities for Place framework.
- Collect and analyse evidence of how the framework has informed decision making and investment and to understand the barriers as to why it is not used.
- Produce case studies, briefing papers and reports.
- Support the development of resources that promote the practical application of the framework.
- Present findings and recommendations to IPM colleagues.
Key Tasks
- Undertake desk-based research.
- Design and distribute stakeholder surveys.
- Arrange and undertake interviews with practitioners.
- Analyse research findings and identify emerging themes.
- Develop a searchable database of case studies and examples.
- Produce reports, presentations and knowledge exchange materials.
- Contribute to project meetings and dissemination activities.
Details
Monday 24 August - Friday 13 November 2026
Hours: 35 hours per week full time.
Working pattern: Monday to Friday. Working hours are 8:45am-4:30pm or 9:00am-4:45pm with an unpaid 45-minute lunch break
Location: Institute of Place Management, Business School
Benefits to the Graduate
In this role, the graduate would be expected to improve/develop the following skills
This internship offers the opportunity to work on a nationally significant applied research project with direct relevance to policy and practice. The graduate will gain experience of research, business engagement and partnership working while contributing to resources that will be used by organisations across the UK.
The graduate will develop skills in:
- Research and evidence gathering.
- Survey design and stakeholder engagement.
- Qualitative and quantitative data analysis.
- Report writing and presentation skills.
- Project management and organisation.
- Partnership development and professional networking.
- Knowledge exchange and research impact.
- Commercial awareness and consultancy support.
- Working collaboratively across academic and professional services teams.