The National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) supports culture change in the UK higher education (HE) sector. We are working to build an inclusive higher education sector where communities can contribute to, and benefit from, knowledge, teaching and research. We do this by supporting excellent public engagement practice; creating the conditions for public engagement to thrive in universities; and building strong networks and partnerships to amplify our impact.
We are an agile and creative organisation, core funded by UK Research and Innovation, Research England, Wellcome, Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, Scottish Funding Council and the Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland. We are also funded by earned income from projects and services provided to HEIs. The Centre is jointly hosted by University of the West of England (UWE) and University of Bristol (UoB), benefitting from being part of two vibrant universities. This role is being recruited through UWE.
As Senior Project Officer (Projects & Innovation) you will play a vital role in supporting the NCCPE’s innovation work, helping to deliver projects that test new approaches to public engagement and drive sector‑wide change. Working closely with the Project Manager and wider team, you will coordinate project activities, manage budgets and logistics, liaise with funders and partners, and contribute to evaluation and reporting. You will also support the design and facilitation of events, communications, and stakeholder engagement, helping to ensure our work is inclusive, impactful, and well‑connected across the sector.
This is a varied and rewarding role, ideal for someone who enjoys working collaboratively, managing multiple priorities, and contributing to meaningful change. Join our friendly, committed team based at Portwall Place in central Bristol, and help us shape the future of public engagement in higher education.
About You
You will be a highly organised and proactive project coordinator, with experience managing budgets, planning events, and supporting collaborative learning processes. You’ll be confident communicating across formats and audiences, including digital platforms, and skilled at managing competing demands with accuracy and attention to detail. You’ll bring a commitment to equity and inclusion, and a passion for supporting innovative approaches to engagement. With strong interpersonal skills and a can‑do attitude, you’ll enjoy working as part of a dynamic team and contributing to the NCCPE’s mission to foster inclusive, impactful engagement across the sector.
Where is this role based
Our offices are based in the city at 4 Portwall Place, Bristol BS1 6NB
Why UWE Bristol
We are one of the largest providers of Higher Education in the South West with 38,000 students and 4,000 staff from right across the globe. Based in Bristol, one of the UK’s most exciting and forward‑thinking cities, we are regionally embedded and globally connected, with an established network of employer and academic partners.
We offer a wide range of employee benefits including progressive pay rates, generous annual leave and career‑average pension schemes as well as retail savings, onsite nursery and opportunities for training and personal development.
Add your individuality to ours
UWE Bristol recognises the power of a truly diverse university community.
We are proud to be part of a vibrant, multicultural city that celebrates diversity, we’re always looking for talented people from all backgrounds to join us. Our people are our strength, and diversity enhances our creativity and leads to better decision‑making and problem‑solving. Bring your talent and ambition to our growing community and find yourself in a stimulating and supportive environment where you’ll thrive.
As a Disability Confident employer, we welcome applications from those who identify as having a disability. We particularly encourage applications from global majority candidates as we are currently under‑represented in this area of the organisation. However, all appointments are made strictly on individual merit.
At the NCCPE, we are looking for people who thrive working in a flexible way in a small, but busy team. We strive to live our values and have created an inclusive and supportive working environment which aims to help our team to grow and develop. We put learning and reflection at the heart of all our activities to enable us to realise our commitments to inclusive practice. Our commitment is public, and you can read more about it here NCCPE Statement of Inclusion | NCCPE (publicengagement.ac.uk).
In line with our inclusive culture, we will welcome applications from people with a wide variety of backgrounds, life experiences and organisational knowledges, recognising that they bring rich experiences and different perspectives that are of great benefit to our work, alongside their skills and expertise.
Further information
If you have a question about these job roles then please post it on our Padlet in the first instance and we will try and answer it within 48 hours. You can access our Padlet here: Senior Project Officer (Projects and Innovation). Your questions and our answers will be visible to all interested candidates.
Initial interviews may be conducted online. We aim to give candidates a week's notice to attend interview. Online Interviews are scheduled to take place on January 21 2026, with In‑Person Interviews scheduled to take place at our offices at 4 Portwall Place, BS1 6NB on January 29 2026.
This is a full‑time, fixed‑term posts until 31/03/2028, working 37 hours per week.
The post is available on a job share basis for applicants wishing to work part‑time.
UWE Bristol is a campus‑based University and it is vital to our success that our campuses are dynamic and vibrant places to learn and spend time. This role is therefore office based for 2 days per week with the opportunity to work from home on the remaining days.
To ensure fairness and equity all salary offers will be made in line with the University's salary assessment guidelines and will be based on your relevant skills and experience.
Right to Work in the UK
The University has a legal responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK. You will therefore be required to provide evidence of your right to work in the UK, please refer to the Home Office Right to Work Checklist for information on which documents are acceptable.
We are unable to provide sponsorship for this role under the Home Office Skilled Worker visa route. If you do not have current right to work in the UK you may wish to explore other visa options.
Please note that UWE Bristol does not cover any visa or health surcharge costs.
Advice to applicants
We’d love to hear from you - if you are excited about this opportunity please complete our application form as soon as possible.
Tell us how your skills and experience relate to the requirements of this role by describing how you meet each of the essential and desirable criteria listed in the Person Specification section of the Job Description and include specific examples wherever possible. You can find a link to the Job Advertisement and Job Description on our Padlet here: Senior Project Officer (Projects and Innovation).
Once we have completed shortlisting, we will let you know the outcome of your application by email, so please check your inbox for updates.
#J-18808-Ljbffr