Deputy Lead for Public, Patient and Community Involvement and Engagement

About The Role

Deputy Lead for Public, Patient and Community Involvement and Engagement

This part-time post (29.2 hours per week, 4 days per week) is available immediately. This post is offered as a fixed term contract and is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) until 30 November 2029. In line with the University's fair employment for all principles, any further funding opportunities identified will be reviewed and discussed during the contract. Applications for secondments will be considered subject to agreement from your current line manager. Salary will be £50,253 per annum pro rata on Grade G subject to knowledge, skills and experience.

Please note this role is subject to a DBS check. At the University of Exeter, we are committed to the safeguarding and welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults. We expect all our staff to share this commitment. This role may be subject to additional background screening.

The role

This job sits within the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South West (ARC SW). ARC SW is a collaboration between the universities of Exeter, Plymouth and Bristol. This post holder will be employed by the University of Exeter. At Exeter this role sits within the Engaged Health Research Group (EHRG). This includes colleagues employed by other NIHR infrastructure grants, including the Exeter Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), with whom the job holder will work closely.

This job has been created to deliver an ambitious strategy for Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) for ARC SW. PPI includes community involvement and engagement.

The job holder will build relationships and network with ARC SW colleagues across the three collaborating universities and with community groups and communities and individuals who are under-represented in research.

A core responsibility of this role is to co-develop and deliver the ARC SW PPI Action Plan, in line with the NIHR Institutional Strategy for PPI. Another central area of responsibility is to co-ordinate annual reporting of PPI for all ARC SW themes, in collaboration with ARC SW theme leads and co-leads. This role will also have a core function of co-ordinating the ARC PPI team, with direct line management of some team members, and supporting team wellbeing and support.

About You

You will have a university degree or equivalent, have a good understanding of how communities and public members can be involved in research, experience of engaging and bringing different interest holders together, and experience from a research setting.

You are able to manage workloads in a busy environment, self manage, co-ordinate the work of others and provide pastoral care to colleagues. You enjoy networking and collaborative work to deliver. You are driven and have a can-do attitude to challenges as they arise. You understand the importance of ongoing data collection to provide accurate reporting to funding bodies.

We are a creative and innovative team dedicated to improving inclusion in research, supporting the development of impactful research through collaboration and a values-led approach guides our work.

Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role.

Further Information

Please contact

About Us

Transform Your Career and Help Shape a Greener, Healthier, and Fairer Future

We are committed to understanding different cultures and perspectives, supporting diverse leadership, and striving for social justice. We encourage applications from all groups underrepresented in our community, including racially minoritised individuals and those with disabilities. Our inclusive, merit based recruitment processes seek to embrace a diverse set of experiences to ensure colleagues feel supported equitably. With over 30,000 students and 7,000 staff from 150 countries, we foster a culture where everyone can thrive.

You can read more about our current accreditations and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, including our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant.

Why our colleagues love working here

• Flexible working opportunities and leading parental leave initiatives
• Generous annual leave (39-41 days including bank holidays)
• Competitive pension contributions
• A genuine dedication to supporting the health and wellbeing of all colleagues - see initiatives here
• Sustainability and the environment being at the heart of what we do

How we can help

If you're considering applying and need support to do so, please get in touch with us at You can request reasonable adjustments within your application or by contacting us. You can also choose to be considered under our Disability Confident Scheme and find out here how this is managed during our recruitment and onboarding process.

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