Development Partner (Staff Experience & Engagement) in Stirling

This role sits within the Employee Experience & Development team in the Human Resources & Organisation Development (HR&OD) function and reports to the Head of Employee Experience & Development. The postholder plays a key role in strengthening staff engagement, staff voice and connection across the University. Working closely with HR&OD colleagues, the role helps ensure that people-related activity supports meaningful engagement and a positive staff experience.

The Development Partner (Staff Experience & Engagement) supports the delivery of the University’s People Strategy through the design, coordination, and delivery of staff engagement, staff voice, and employee experience activity. The role focuses on enabling meaningful two-way engagement with staff across the employee lifecycle, strengthening staff voice mechanisms (including pulse surveys, staff networks and engagement initiatives), and supporting the HR&OD function to engage effectively with colleagues across the University. The role recognises the close relationship between staff experience, staff engagement and student experience. By supporting strong staff voice, meaningful engagement and a positive employee experience, the postholder will help create the conditions in which colleagues can thrive, ultimately enhancing the experience of students at the University of Stirling.

Operating with a high degree of autonomy, the postholder will work collaboratively across HR&OD to plan and deliver engagement activity, facilitate workshops and sessions, and ensure that staff feedback is visible, valued and acted upon. The role requires strong facilitation, analytical, communication and project coordination skills, and the ability to work confidently in a complex and fast-paced environment.

Description of Duties

• Own the design and delivery of a coherent institutional staff engagement strategy, aligned to the employee journey and the priorities set out in the University’s People Strategy, supporting a consistent and positive experience for staff at key stages of their time at the University.
• Coordinate and manage staff voice mechanisms, including pulse surveys, feedback activity, and engagement exercises, ensuring effective analysis and supporting follow-up, and visible action planning.
• Lead the monitoring and evaluation of the University’s staff satisfaction metric as an institutional KPI, using staff insight and feedback to assess the impact of engagement activity and inform continuous improvement in staff engagement and experience.
• Use engagement data and insight to support HR&OD and leaders in understanding staff experience and identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Own and deliver staff experience and engagement initiatives (e.g. new staff induction) that enhance the employee experience, contribute to an inclusive working environment and strengthen staff connection to the University.
• Support and further develop staff networks, forums and engagement groups, working with colleagues to create inclusive opportunities for connection, feedback and learning.
• Design and facilitate engagement activity, including workshops, focus groups and sessions, to support staff engagement, staff voice and organisational priorities.
• Support HR&OD colleagues to develop clear, accessible and staff-focused engagement content, translating complex people policies and initiatives into messages that support understanding and engagement, in partnership with Communications & Marketing where required.
• Work collaboratively with Communications & Marketing and other internal partners to ensure HR&OD engagement activity is effectively supported and aligned with institutional standards.
• Proactively identify opportunities to enhance staff engagement and employee experience through improved approaches to engagement, feedback and ways of working.
• Promote continuous improvement and effective ways of working within HR&OD, contributing to a professional, responsive and cohesive service.
• Undertake other duties and responsibilities, which fall within the grade of the post.

Essential Criteria

• Degree or equivalent qualification or significant practical experience that demonstrates equivalent level of knowledge and skills.
• Experience of designing and delivering communication and engagement plans.
• Experience of coordinating or delivering staff engagement, consultation, or staff voice activity.
• Experience of creating content across a range of different communication channels aimed at different audiences and managing the end-to-end process from concept to publication.
• Excellent written communication and editing skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear, engaging, and inclusive content.
• Strong facilitation skills, with experience of planning and leading workshops, focus groups, or engagement sessions.
• Proven ability to manage projects, priorities, and competing demands in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to proactively identify opportunities for communications and engagement that support a positive employee experience.
• Strong influencing and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work collaboratively and challenge constructively.
• Analytical capability, with experience of using feedback or data to inform engagement activity and improvement.
• Strong digital capability and confidence using a range of communication platforms and tools.

Desirable Criteria

• Degree in a relevant area (e.g. communications, Human Resources).
• Experience of employee-focused communications or engagement in a large or complex organisation.
• Experience of working in the Higher Education sector.
• Familiar with SharePoint and digital engagement tools.

Additional Information

• Full time. Open ended.
• The closing date for applications is midnight on Tuesday 24 March 2026.
• Interviews are expected to take place Tuesday 14 April 2026.
• There is an expectation that work will be undertaken in the UK.
• For the purposes of sponsorship, this post may be eligible depending on candidate's circumstances.

The University of Stirling recognises that a diverse workforce benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers and welcome applications from those who would contribute to further diversification of our staff and ensure that equality, diversity and inclusion is woven into the substance of the role. We strongly encourage applications from people from diverse backgrounds including gender, identity, race, age, class, and ethnicity.

Behaviours and Competencies

• The role holder will be required to evidence that they can meet the qualities associated with the following behavioural competencies, as detailed within the AUA Competency Framework.
• Managing self and personal skills: Being aware of your own behaviour and mindful of how it impacts on others, enhancing personal skills to adapt professional practice accordingly.
• Delivering excellent service: Providing the best quality service to external and internal clients. Building genuine and open long-term relationships in order to drive up service standards.
• Finding solutions: Taking a holistic view and working enthusiastically to analyse problems and to develop workable solutions. Identifying opportunities for innovation.
• Embracing change: Being open to and engaging with new ideas and ways of working. Adjusting to unfamiliar situations, shifting demands and changing roles.
• Using resources effectively: Identifying and making the most productive use of resources including people, time, information, networks and budgets.
• Engaging with the wider context: Enhancing your contribution to the organisation through an understanding of the bigger picture and showing commitment to organisational values.
• Developing self and others: Showing commitment to own ongoing professional development. Supporting and encouraging others to develop their professional knowledge, skills and behaviours to enable them to reach their full potential.
• Working together: Working collaboratively with others in order to achieve objectives. Recognising and valuing the different contributions people bring to this process.
• Achieving Results: Consistently meeting agreed objectives and success criteria. Taking personal responsibility for getting things done.