Widening Access and Outreach Manager, (Defence and Security)

THE ALAN TURING INSTITUTE

Named in honour of Alan Turing, the Institute is a place for inspiring, exciting work and we need passionate, sharp, and innovative people who want to use their skills to contribute to our mission to make great leaps in data science and AI research to change the world for the better. Please find more information about us on our website. 

BACKGROUND

The Alan Turing Institute launched its first Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy in September 2021. This strategy provides a framework and action plan to direct the Turing’s work in the area of EDI and follows on the progress made by our EDI Working Groups. 

We are seeking a Widening Access and Outreach Manager. The role holder will join the Culture and Learning Team within the People Directorate and will report into the EDI Strategic Lead. The role will involve working closely with our Defence and Security programme and partners. 

CANDIDATE PROFILE

The Widening Access and Outreach Manager will be responsible for managing and delivering a widening participation careers project within defence and security. The project targets activities for children, young people and undergraduates including summer schools, internships and school and university presentations. The project aims to increase awareness, understanding and connection to defence and security data science careers from groups previously underrepresented in these roles. The project will involve working closely with the Turing’s Defence and Security Partners and other organisations to deliver a range of activities aimed at increasing the diversity of those taking up data science careers in the defence and security field. This role will have line management responsibilities as well as supervise the facilitators working on the project. 

DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

• Manage the delivery of the Defence and Security Data Science Careers projects. This includes summer schools and career talks in locations across the UK and an undergraduate careers programme.
• Prioritizing safeguarding and health and safety at all stages of development and delivery. 
• Scope and shape additional opportunities for engagement aligning work strategically to the goals of The Institute. 
• Manage multiple stakeholders, including the Turing’s Defence and Security Partners and youth delivery partner(s) to ensure stakeholder engagement and collaboration.
• Manage recruitment, onboarding, pastoral and safeguarding support of participants. This will include under 18s and undergraduates.
• Drive curriculum development incorporating Human-Centred Design (UCD/HCD) to ensure programs are relevant, engaging, and audience appropriate. 
• Lead the end-to-end curriculum design and content creation process, including quality assurance and iterative review. This involves collaboratively engaging internal peer experts (e.g., from Defence and Security) and managing project volunteers to translate complex scientific research into vibrant, age-appropriate project topics and educational materials for school-age learners. 
• Lead the development and execution of an audience-informed project communications strategy. This includes direct collaboration with the Communications team to create and deploy effective advertising and engagement materials. 

Due to the nature of this role, key delivery periods take place during school holidays (including the summer period). During these times, some unsocial hours may be required and annual leave may be restricted. Time off in lieu will be provided in line with company policy. The role will also require occasional travel across the UK. Further details will be discussed at interview.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

• Qualification or equivalent experience in project management and delivery
• Degree or qualification related to working with young people, e.g. PGCE, Youth Work, Social Work
• Experience of delivering complex projects with multiple stakeholders
• Experience of leading and direct delivery of programmes working with under 18s, young people and undergraduates. Such as in an educational setting or otherwise
• Comprehensive knowledge and applied experience leading statutory Safeguarding responsibilities for young people, demonstrating a thorough grasp of multi-agency procedures, relevant legislation, and practical implementation
• Strong practical project management skills, specifically in timeline development and tracking using industry-standard tools like Gantt charts
• Experience in the design and facilitation of engaging learning programs and professional development sessions specifically for under 18’s, young people and undergraduate students
• Experience in developing and facilitating high-impact training informed by data-driven skills gap analysis across multiple organizational levels.

Please see our jobs portal for a full breakdown of the Job Description.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This full-time post is offered on a fixed term basis until 31 March 2027. The annual salary is £54,612-£58,000 plus excellent benefits, including flexible working and family friendly policies.

Due to the nature of the role, the successful candidate will be required to hold British citizenship and be willing to undergo security/background checks in line with the Partner’s requirements. 

The Alan Turing Institute is based at the British Library, in the heart of London’s Knowledge Quarter. We expect staff to come to our office at least 4 days per month. Some roles may require more days in the office; the hiring manager will be able to confirm this during the interview.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Please see our jobs portal for full details on how to apply and the interview process.

EQUALITY DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

We are committed to making sure our recruitment process is accessible and inclusive.

This includes making reasonable adjustments for candidates who have a disability or long-term condition. Please visit our jobs portal and click on the job advert to find out how we can assist you.