The British Science Association is looking to recruit an experienced Festival Engagement Manager to manage the development of the Festival programme and to support the wider team with the delivery of the British Science Festival. The postholder is also expected to manage some of the UK Science Festivals Network (UKSFN) associated projects. 

The British Science Festival is Europe’s longest standing science festival which connects people with researchers from across the scientific spectrum. It is hosted by a different UK university each year and offers an inspiring programme of free events to the public over four or five days. The events span a diverse range of formats and subjects that encompass science in the broadest sense.​

​Our vision is to establish the Festival as a leader in inclusive science engagement for younger adults (16-34) who are underrepresented in science and who either see science as not for them or who are interested in science but make no particular effort to engage. The 2022 Festival is being hosted by De Montfort University in Leicester in September. The host for the 2023 Festival has been confirmed and will be announced shortly.​

The role will involve frequent travel to the Festival location plus a week on-site during the Festival itself.​

The UK Science Festivals Network (UKSFN) was established to unite, celebrate and develop science festivals in the UK. It meets several times a year to share best practice and discuss the future of the science festivals sector. The UKSFN is managed by the BSA and we advocate for the importance of science festivals in conversation with funding bodies and decision makers.​ 

’Making Connections’ is one of the UKSFN programmes and aims to engage young people from low socioeconomic backgrounds with science and research and to provide a ‘safe’ place for science festival researchers to test out public engagement activities on topics which are relevant and of interest to the young people.

The main responsibilities of this role are:

 For the British Science Festival:  

• To project manage the development and delivery of the content of the British Science Festival (including leading on the Festival programme call outs, programme scheduling, managing the Festival programming budget etc)

• To create and deliver unique Festival events and experiences which are relevant to the Festival target audience (younger adults underrepresented in science)

• To develop partnerships with local communities and stakeholders who are underrepresented in science, and other non-science organisations, and support them to take part in the Festival.

• To support the Festival evaluation

• To line manage and support the Festival Engagement Officer

• Manage our Scientific Sections events by supporting them in developing suitable content for the Festival target audiences and advocating to increase diversity in Festival events 

For the UKSFN:

• Attend UKSFN meetings, representing the British Science Festival

• Manage the UKSFN Making Connections project from initiation through to the evaluation and final reporting

• To support the Head of Festivals with the delivery of other UKSFN associated projects including developing content for the UKSFN conference

• Manage the UKSFN demographic survey analysis, dissemination and recording findings

In addition, the post-holder will be expected to:

• Pro-actively strengthen the organisation’s profile and reputation among external stakeholders

• Support colleagues across the organisation especially at busy times or on specific areas of expertise

• Other duties as reasonably required by the line manager