Join the PubAffairs Network

Established in January 2002, PubAffairs is the premier network and leading resource for the public affairs, government relations, policy and communications industry.

The PubAffairs network numbers over 4,000 members and is free to join. PubAffairs operates a general e-Newsletter, as well as a number of other specific group e-Newsletters which are also available to join by completing our registration form.

The PubAffairs e-Newsletters are used to keep members informed about upcoming PubAffairs events and networking opportunities, job vacancies, public affairs news, training courses, stakeholder events, publications, discount offers and other pieces of useful information related to the public affairs and communications industry.

Join the Network

The Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, is one of the leading nutrition institutes in Europe undertaking research to address some of the most compelling contemporary problems in nutrition. The Institute is part of the SEFARI collective (Scottish Environment, Food and Agriculture Research Institutes) who collaborate to deliver the Scottish Government’s Strategic Research Programme (SRP). The current programme started in 2022 and is due to end in 2027. 

The SRP is worth £38 million per year and forms an important part of Scotland’s science base addressing key mid to longer-term challenges for Scotland’s environment, land use, food and rural communities. The Rowett grant is worth ~£6.1 million per year and the core of our work is investigating the relationships between food, diet and human health working closely with our policy partners, RESAS and Food Standards Scotland. Additionally, we are working with Scotland’s Food & Drink industry to come up with innovative ideas to increase their productivity as well as make the links between the industry and public health to prevent disease and improve lifelong health. We are also increasingly aware because of the climate emergency that this needs to be done in a sustainable manner.

SEFARI aims to deliver ‘Leading Ideas for Better Lives’ reflecting that publicly funded research in Scotland must deliver positive impact for individuals, whether in Scotland or elsewhere. As part of this we are required to facilitate the flow of research, knowledge and expertise to and from policy, industry and the public. Consequently, Knowledge Transfer (KT) and Knowledge Exchange (KE) are critical to the ongoing success of our work and the Rowett works in partnership with the SEFARI Gateway, the knowledge exchange and impact hub for SEFARI, to achieve this.

The role is to act as an external ambassador and representative for the Rowett Institute and in particular the work funded by the Scottish Government. It will involve promoting, facilitating and disseminating the work and expertise of the Institute to a wide range of external stakeholders, end-users and representative bodies including key policy officials as well as to industry (primarily the food and drink sector). Additionally, the post-holder will be required to identify and engage with new stakeholders ensuring effective impact of the Rowett’s research as well as cultivating new areas of investment.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Liaise with stakeholders, policy and industry to increase the visibility and impact of the Rowett’s research output;
  • Cultivate old and establish new networks, collaborations, and partnerships with other organisations to communicate the Rowett’s research agenda, promote the Rowett as a centre of excellence for nutrition research as well as the wider SRP funded by the Scottish Government (SG);
  • Knowledge Broker for the SEFARI Gateway for Food and Drink communicating the work of the SG’s SRP. As part of this there will be a requirement to build teams using staff from the other Institutes in the SEFARI collective to support or add value to the SRP;
  • Facilitate new links and strengthen old ones between the Rowett researchers and policy teams and industry;
  • Develop and implement innovative approaches to KT and KE;
  • Manage media relations for the Rowett both in identifying and creating output.

Salary will be at the appropriate point on Grade 7, £43,414 - £51,805 per annum with placement according to qualifications and experience.

Closing date

Applications for this post closed 11:59pm on Friday 6th January 2023