LEDIG STILLING VED UIT NORGES ARKTISKE UNIVERSITET

Senior Communications Advisor - Faculty of Science and Technology

Deadline: 30.05.2023

UiT The Arctic University of Norway

UiT The Arctic University of Norway is a multi-campus comprehensive university at the international forefront. Our vision is to be a driving force for developing the High North. The Northern Sami notion eallju, which means eagerness to work, sets the tone for this motive power at UiT. Along with students, staff and the wider community, we aim to utilise our location in Northern Norway and Sápmi, our broad and diverse research and study portfolio and interdisciplinary advantage to shape the future.


Our social mission is to provide research-based education of high quality, perform artistic development and carry out research of the highest international quality standards in the entire range from basic to applied. We will convey knowledge about disciplines and contribute to innovation. Our social mission unites UiT across various studies, research fields and large geographical distances. This demands good cooperation with trade and industry and civil society as well as with international partners. We will strengthen knowledge-based and sustainable development at a regional, national and international level.


Academic freedom and scientific and ethical principles form the basis for all UiT’s activities. Participation, co-determination, transparency and good processes will provide the decision-making basis we need to make wise and far-sighted priorities. Our students and staff will have the opportunity to develop their abilities and potential. Founded on academic integrity, we will be courageous, committed and generous in close contact with disciplines, people and contemporary developments.


We will demonstrate adaptability and seek good and purposeful utilisation of resources, so we are ready to meet the expectations and opportunities of the future. We will strengthen the quality and impact of our disciplines and core tasks through the following three strategic priority areas.

The position

The Department of Geosciences at UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø has an exciting opportunity to hire a Senior Communications Advisor linked to the newly funded Centre of Excellence, iC3: Centre for ice, Cryosphere, Carbon and Climate (2023-2033). iC3 was recently funded by the Norwegian Research Council and will drive forward internationally leading research into the important impacts of changing ice sheets on global carbon cycles and polar marine ecosystems, working across disciplines and in collaboration with a wide network of international collaborators and three partners (The Department of Geosciences at UiT, the Norwegian Polar Institute and NORCE). The Communications Advisor will have responsibility for developing and delivering a communications strategy for the Centre (including public and policy engagement), working closely with the centre directors.

The science remit of iC3 traverses the broad disciplines of glaciology, geophysics, marine science, biology, biogeochemistry and numerical modelling, with planned impact themes around innovation and technologies, and training the next generation of polar scientists. It aims to build up interdisciplinary polar research in Norway from a research base in Tromsø, via its planned activities and a portfolio of follow-on funding bids in impactful science areas. The communications advisor will work alongside a centre manager, two centre directors and research unit leads, and a data manager.

iC3 is hosted by the Department of Geosciences which has a diverse portfolio of research and teaching activities in Biogeochemistry, Glaciology, Geophysics, Oceanography and Solid Earth Sciences, Mineral Resources and Geohazards: Sedimentary Systems, Paleoclimates and Environments. Until recently, it hosted one Norwegian Centre of Excellence (CAGE – Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate, funded 2013-2023), and from July 2023 a new Centre of Excellence (iC3 – Centre for ice, Cryosphere, Carbon and Climate). Furthermore, the department participates in a national Centre for Excellence in Education (iEarth – Centre for integrated Earth Science Education).

The centre will run for 10 years, with a mid-term review at 6 years. Thus, the position is for a period of 6 years initially, with potential to extend to 10 years. It is supported at 50% for the first 6 years.

The appointed person will be physically based in the iC3 centre in the Department of Geosciences at UiT. You must ideally able to start in the position in Tromsø by 1st July 2023. Flexible working arrangements may be considered.

About the centre and job description

iC3 aims to fill a major research gap in polar science by quantifying the future impact of ice sheet change on Earth’s carbon cycle over policy-relevant timescales. It will achieve this by uniting complementary world-leading expertise at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, the Norwegian Polar Institute and NORCE and a network of collaborators in an unprecedented research endeavour spanning both the Arctic and Antarctic. Its integrated, interdisciplinary hub of experts studying the cryosphere, oceans, atmosphere and geosphere will close order of magnitude uncertainty in polar carbon budgets, addressing the hypothesis that changing ice sheets (and aligned cryosphere) profoundly impact Earth’s carbon cycle, directly affecting human societies via feedbacks to our future climate and invaluable polar ecosystems. iC3’s leadership within a societally- important emergent field and its Arctic location provide a powerful platform from which to raise interest and engagement about changing polar environments, with impacts in public and policy domains.

The communications advisor will be a core team member of iC3 and will support the centre across the full breadth of its communications strategy and operations, also developing and delivering a strategy around public and policy engagement. Thus, we seek an experienced individual with a broad skill set, and with significant prior experience in communications and public/policy engagement. They will support and contribute to iC3´s directors, in addition to five Research Units (Work Packages) and two Impact themes (Innovation and Technologies and Training the Next Generation). The appointed person will collaborate closely with administrative staff at the Department of Geosciences.

The Communications Advisor will report to the Centre leaders.

The tasks of the Communications Advisor are detailed as follows:

Centre promotion, external engagement, and impact

  • Promote iC3 nationally and internationally as a world-leading hub for research, innovation, and training in polar science.
  • Disseminate iC3´s research achievements and opportunities nationally and internationally, for example: via dissemination on social media; YouTube and other web-based outlets; producing promotional materials; writing press releases; and liaising with press contacts.
  • Develop and deliver a strategy for public and policy engagement, including working alongside iC3 researchers and relevant national and international bodies to translate iC3 research fundings to deliver well-evidenced impact.

Training and support

  • Support centre activities in communications, including organizing and/or contributing to iC3 workshops and outreach activities (e.g., public lectures, schools talks, exhibitions etc).
  • Contribute to the training of early career researchers and graduate students in communications and public/policy engagement, for example by contributing targeted sessions as part of iC3s training and mentoring programmes.
  • Advise and support iC3 researchers in communicating their research and developing impact, including sharing best practice and supporting research activities and large grant applications.
  • Support the centre directors in communications tasks for iC3. The appointed person should also be able to represent iC3 (including directors) on appropriate occasions.

Contact

Further information about the position is available by contacting:

Qualifications

Required qualifications:

  • Educated in a relevant subject to postgraduate degree level (such as MSc or PhD) or equivalent relevant knowledge and experience. This might be in communications, public/policy engagement or in a relevant research topic to iC3.
  • At least 2 years relevant experience working in communications, including public and/or policy engagement.
  • Significant experience in leading the development and implementation of strategy in communications and impact.
  • Strong track record of working with and managing social media (e.g. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) other web-based dissemination tools (e.g. Youtube, Mailchimp)
  • Experience of web-site management and content creation.
  • Able to critically analyse opportunities, policy and public documents.
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including
  • communicating effectively with internal and external contacts at all levels of seniority, forming key strategic relationships.
  • Excellent organization, planning and time management skills.
  • Able to operate with the minimum of supervision and be comfortable when setting, implementing and challenging policy and processes.
  • The candidate must have a documented good command of English (both written and oral). Applicants not being able to communicate in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language are expected to learn the language to a functional level within 2 years.

Desirable qualifications

  • > 5-years experience working in communications, including both public and policy engagement.
  • Experience of working with multi-disciplinary research initiatives.
  • Experience of website development.
  • Excellent photography skills with familiarity with using video in communications.
  • Good written and oral communication skills in Norwegian.

The assessment will emphasize the candidates motivation and personal suitability for the position.

We offer

  • A good working environment with dedicated colleagues
  • Flexible working hours and a state collective pay agreement
  • Pension scheme through the state pension fund

Remuneration of this position are in salary code 1364 on the pay scale for Norwegian state employees.

There is a 2% deduction for contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund. As a state employee, you have one of the best pension schemes availiable. For more information see: spk.no.

Application

The application must be submitted electronically via www.jobbnorge.no, and shall include:

  • CV and application letter
  • Diplomas and transcripts
  • Written references
  • Contact information to 2-3 references

All documentation has to be in English or a Scandinavian language.

Inclusion and diversity

UiT The Arctic University i Norway is working actively to promote equality, gender balance and diversity among employees and students, and to create an inclusive and safe working environment. We believe that inclusion and diversity is a strength and we want employees with different competencies, professional experience, life experience and perspectives.

If you have a disability, a gap in your CV or immigrant background, we encourage you to tick the box for this in your application. If there are qualified applicants, we invite least one in each group for an interview. If you get the job, we will adapt the working conditions if you need it. Apart from selecting the right candidates, we will only use the information for anonymous statistics.

General information

The appointment is made in accordance with State regulations and guidelines at UiT. At our website, you will find more information for applicants.

More information about moving to Norway and working at UiT.

A good work environment is characterized by diversity. We encourage qualified candidates to apply, regardless of their gender, functional capacity or cultural background.

UiT will emphasize making the necessary adaptations to the working conditions for employees with reduced functional ability. Questions can be directed to the contact person for the position.

According to the Norwegian Freedom and Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

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