I am responsible for overseeing and scaling the Nexus innovation community, ensuring that our strategies, processes, and tools remain effective as we grow. As the primary point of contact for new and existing members, I work closely with early-stage and scaling technology-driven businesses to understand and support their research, innovation, and talent needs.Nexus, launched in 2019, is an innovation hub for high-growth startups at the University of Leeds. We provide seamless access to cutting-edge research, state-of-the-art facilities, and top-tier talent, fostering a collaborative environment through our office and lab spaces, coworking areas, and event facilities.

As the National Outreach and Engagement Manager for Medical Technologies I played a key role in leading the development of these national centres and supporting engagement with UK and global academic, clinical and business partners interested in innovation in medical devices.Key achievements:- Grow MedTech: Exceeded KPIs for engagement; Co-authoring good practice guides for KE professionals - distributed by Praxis Auril, world-leading professional association for Knowledge Exchange; "the programme... enabled stakeholders in the medtech product development process to share ideas and resources, increased the skills base in the universities, established long-term relationships between researchers and co-development partners, thus increasing the market success rate for new products, and ultimately supported the regional medtech ecosystem" – independent evaluation, True North Innovation-Translate MedTech: Led stakeholder engagement strategy, developing sustainable (subsequently partner-funded) regional community of academic, industry and clinical partners connected and committed to working in partnership; Facilitated an upskilled research community in digital communications and media relations, subsequently gaining local and national coverage-Science and Innovation Audit (BEIS): Oversaw stakeholder engagement involving higher education, healthcare, businesses and innovation support across the Leeds City Region - leading to regional ‘healthtech cluster'; Delivery of 56-page report, distributing 1500 printed copies and to 3900 unique online readers; Supporting development of funding bid worth £18m; Region named as centre of excellence in medtech in Office for Life Science Industrial Strategy- MeDe Innovation: Initiated and developed community engagement strategy, exceeding network membership targets for Year 3 in Year 1; Redesigned programme of feasibility projects, extending community nationally. Projects progressed to first in-man (and featured on ‘Supervet’!)

Role as above, but in March 2019 I was promoted to a more senior grade for increasing responsibilities as part of our multi-programme portfolio of regional and national innovation consortia.Medical Technologies covers/has covered: -The Medical Technologies Innovation and Knowledge Centre (IKC) and Regener8, a £15m centre that brings businesses together with world-class experts to accelerate the commercial development of new regenerative device products and services; -Grow MedTech, funded by the Connecting Capability Fund from Research England, providing specialist support for innovation in medical technologies through a consortium of six universities across the Leeds and Sheffield City Regions -Translate, a (formerly) HEFCE Catalyst funded programme to improve health and wealth in the Leeds City Region by translating academic ideas into new medical technologies. -MeDe Innovation, a £9million, government-backed initiative to transform the way replacement joints and other medical implants are made; -WELMEC Centre of Excellence in Medical Engineering that brought together over 200 engineering, physical science, life science and medical researchers from the University of Leeds and the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust with clinicians and industrialists to deliver clinical advances to improve the quality of life of older people

As Business Development Officer at the Medical Technologies IKC, I am responsible for coordinating the wide range of partner engagement activities the centre delivers to connect to its commercial, clinical and academic partners in the UK and internationally.Responsibilities include developing a customer relationship contact system, maintaining the medical technologies web site, managing our online community and creating and implementing the marketing and communications strategy to ensure relevant events and networking activities can be put into place. I write press releases and case studies, story source for the newsletter, develop digital content and maintain the Centre's social media presence, along with taking the lead for responsibility for systems and processes to ensure the smooth running of the office.

Working to support the Medical Technologies team, I provide the in-house marketing communications for internal and external audiences. This includes preparing annual timelines of activity, story sourcing for regular enewsletters, creating content for the web, preparing press releases and event coordination. I also interact with, and provide advice to industry-based external collaborators; co-ordinate the Medical Technologies office in Leeds (meeting and event co-ordination, logistical arrangements and diary management for the Medical Technologies team), and provide PA support to the Director of Operations.

- Course organiser for credit-bearing and non-credit-bearing courses (including planning, organising of tutors, venues, dates, advertising, preparing training materials, collating and presenting feedback, and ongoing support to participants on credit-bearing courses).- Administrative responsibility for University and National Teaching Fellowship Schemes including website development- Coordinator of networking events- Committee servicing for Learning and Teaching Committee and other spin-off groups- Clerical Support to Programme Leaders- Credit card payments, stationery stock control/ordering, SAP reporting, Microsoft Office 2007Super-user, SAPTEM super-user, etc.

I worked with the Chief Executive and Medipex team to develop a communications and marketing strategy for their year ahead. After reviewing their business strategy, interviewing the team, reviewing company documentation and analytics, I developed a strategy and plan, and presented it to them for their comment. During the placement I also organised a student placement to deliver some of the immediate elements of the strategy. The student gained a 'first' grade for their work during the placement.

Working with the Manager of the CEO Office at Innovate UK, the UK's innovation agency, I evaluated the thought leadership activities ("Innovation Excellence") of Chief Executive Ruth McKernan CBE, Deputy Chief Executive Kevin Baughan, and Sector Directors Ian Campbell, Simon Edmonds, Paul Mason and Ian Meikle. Innovate UK is the UK's innovation agency, an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. Innovate UK work with people, companies and partner organisations to find and drive the science and technology innovations that will grow the UK economy. Innovation Excellence promotes key innovation themes via high profile public speaking platforms, and amplifies key messages through the use of other innovative communications tactics (particularly written articles, blog posts and social media).The placement is two days a week over three months.

Enrichment gives students opportunities to try new and varied activities that may not strictly fit into the curriculum, but that develop character, resilience and motivation, and encourage them to pursue wider goals.It helps to teach life skills that benefit students beyond the classroom, and can develop an appreciation for cultural and community issues, teamwork and social responsibility.It was my responsibility to work with students to develop an enrichment programme and organise subsequent activities.