Greater Manchester Civic University Board Communication & Engagement Lead
University of Manchester
Dani Mannion is a higher education leader with over a decade of experience in widening participation, civic engagement, and governance. She has held senior roles across universities and regional partnerships, supporting collaboration between institutions to widen access, strengthen communities, and make Higher Education more inclusive.
As Communications and Engagement Lead for the Greater Manchester Civic University Board, Dani works across education, policy, and community to support collaboration between five universities and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. She coordinates the Board’s governance and communications, advises senior leaders on shared priorities such as skills, health, and opportunity, and ensures that residents’ voices are reflected in decision-making. Dani played a key role in the recent refresh and launch of new priorities for the Civic University Agreement, helping to bring together different institutional perspectives, build consensus, and secure endorsement from senior leadership teams across the member institutions.
In her previous role as Schools and College Liaison and Outreach Manager at the University of Bolton, Dani led outreach, recruitment, and engagement activity, developing partnerships with schools, colleges, and community organisations. She co-developed Mission:HE with colleagues from partner institutions, which received a NEON commendation for its work with white working-class male students. She also led the development of the Your Future programme in partnership with The Boys’ Brigade, a national initiative designed to raise young people’s aspirations and support them in exploring, planning, and making informed decisions about their future, reaching thousands of young people across the UK.
Dani has extensive experience in governance, supporting strategic planning, transparent decision-making, and accountability across university and civic partnerships. She has managed budgets, developed evaluation frameworks, and advised on resource allocation, bringing a clear understanding of policy, finance, and long-term strategy. Much of her work focuses on building partnerships across education, civic, and community sectors. She has worked with schools, colleges, local authorities, and third-sector organisations to align priorities and deliver shared goals.
Dani shares NEON’s commitment to widening access, supporting student success and creating fairer opportunities across Higher Education. She brings hands-on experience of collaboration, governance, and policy, and has worked to ensure student and community voices shape real decisions. She understands the responsibilities of trusteeship and is keen to contribute her experience, insight, and networks to support NEON’s continued development.
