Amanda Jackson

Social Impact Sustainability Manager & Co-Lead for Civic Engagement
University Of Leeds, Co-Chair of UKTGA

Amanda is Social Impact and Sustainability Manager at the University of Leeds, bringing over two decades of experience in community-facing roles at the institution. Since joining the Sustainability Service in 2013, she has provided strategic oversight to embed sustainability across the University as part of the sustainability leadership team.

She leads the University’s approach to social impact, ensuring its activities contribute meaningfully to a sustainable, inclusive, and net zero city. Her work spans community engagement, civic collaboration, and student citizenship, alongside maximising the social value generated through core functions such as procurement, teaching, and research.

A key aspect of Amanda’s role is leading the institutional approach to town and gown relations. She works to foster positive relationships between the University and local communities, addressing the impacts of student populations while supporting active citizenship and community cohesion. She builds and stewards partnerships with residents, community organisations, local businesses, elected members, Leeds City Council, and wider regional and national stakeholders, contributing to safe, resilient, and connected neighbourhoods.

Amanda provides specialist advice and support to colleagues across the University on social impact and community engagement, and has played a central role in developing this agenda into a strategic institutional priority, while maintaining a strong focus on trust, relationships, and meaningful collaboration with communities.

She is part of the coordinating team for CENTRE (Community Engagement Network across Teaching, Research, Culture, and Society), an open and inclusive network that connects staff committed to ethical community engagement and fosters transdisciplinary collaboration.

Amanda is also Co-Director of the UK Town & Gown Association (UKTGA), supporting practitioners across the UK to strengthen relationships between universities and their local communities through knowledge-sharing, professional development, and collaboration, alongside international partners.