Senior Research Portfolio Manager: Public Policy and Engagement
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Senior Research Portfolio Manager: Public Policy and Engagement (x2)
Positions available: 2
Grade: E
Contract Type: Open-ended
Hours: Full time/Part time (minimum 0.8FTE)
Location: This is a Swindon-based role (1 day per week minimum) with flexible home working available by agreement. The role involves occasional travel within the UK.
Closing: 20th June 2024
Interview: 17th July 2024
Organisational Position
These are key roles within the Public Policy & Engagement team, which leads ESRC's efforts to connect the academic community and research organisations with policy makers and other users of research evidence.
The innovative initiatives the team develops, funds and supports help high quality social science research inform debate, support decision making and enable effective practice. These investments contribute to addressing some of the UK's biggest societal challenges.
Our portfolio of investments ranges from large scale centres that collate, assess, synthesise and communicate evidence at national or international level, to partnerships created to address local issues, to placements and fellowships that build capacity, skills and relationships between researchers and policy makers.
Current initiatives include the Local Policy Innovation Partnerships, the What Works Centres, ESRC's innovative International Public Policy Observatory and Economics Observatory, and a range of fellowship and knowledge exchange schemes run in partnership with stakeholders across government departments, the UK Parliament and the devolved legislatures.
The team collaborates and partners with a wide range of external stakeholders across the public policy landscape, as well as other research funders and research organisations to deliver these programmes and initiatives.
Job Purpose
These are key roles in the PPE team working to strategically manage a range of innovative policy-focused investments. The roles will also work in collaboration with others to develop new initiatives which expand our activity in key areas. The post holders are required to work in close collaboration with colleagues from across ESRC and UKRI to deliver and develop strategic investments.
These roles are supported by other senior portfolio manager roles two portfolio manager roles and two portfolio officer roles. This role involves line management.
Key responsibilities
• Working with senior colleagues to help design, deliver and manage key investments such as the policy observatories, What Works Centres and people exchange programmes, in addition to working on other programmes of activity developed within the Public Policy and Engagement portfolio
• Contribute to the on-going development of ESRC's strategy for public policy engagement, including with local, UK and devolved government researchers and organisations which support knowledge exchange
• Contribute to the on-going development of ESRC's evidence centres, evidence synthesis work and building a translational architecture to ensure research is used effectively to address key policy challenges
• Performance manage a range of investments within an assigned portfolio, including ensuring outputs, outcomes and opportunities for impact are optimised, and risks identified and managed appropriately
• Connect the team's investments with investments across ESRC's and UKRI's wider portfolios to maximise opportunities for impact with a focus on UK, devolved and local government
• Enable colleagues in ESRC to have knowledge and access to tools which support increased engagement, and innovation, in social science and policy maker collaboration
• Develop and maintain knowledge and intelligence on upcoming and on-going activities relevant to the team's work and the wider policy engagement and evidence landscape
• Line manage team members, ensuring they are supported in their work and can develop new skills.
Shortlisting and interview criteria
Essential:
• A demonstrable understanding of the importance of social and economic research within public policy and experience of working to support knowledge exchange and policy impact within government, a research organisation or research funder
• Experience of managing projects and people, to deliver agreed outcomes, including experience of balancing and responding to different demands, and the ability to deliver at high quality and pace against multiple priorities
• Ability to develop and manage collaborative working relationships with multiple internal and external stakeholders, including senior stakeholders, with the ability to leverage these to achieve outcomes
• Ability to communicate, influence and negotiate effectively (both verbally and in writing) with internal and external stakeholders at different levels of seniority
• Well developed analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills
• An appreciation of the skills and challenges associated with managing and developing staff.
Desirable:
Specific knowledge and experience relevant to the role, including:
• Experience in research management, research commissioning or related roles within the research and innovation sector, or ability to demonstrate an equivalent level of knowledge and understanding
Working Pattern
The team works in the office in Swindon every Thursday with flexibility to work in the office or at home on other days. You will be expected to undertake some UK travel in this role in order to attend meetings/events, with appropriate notice.
About the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
The ESRC is the UK's largest funder of economic, social, behavioural and human data science. It supports the development and training of the UK's future social scientists and funds major studies that provide the infrastructure for research. ESRC-funded research informs policy-makers and practitioners and helps make businesses, voluntary bodies and other organisations more effective.
For more information about ESRC, please visit https://esrc.ukri.org/
About UK Research Innovation (UKRI)
UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.
Supporting some of the world's most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.
More information can be found at www.ukri.org.
Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI.
The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.
How we support EDI in the workforce
At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit 'How we support EDI in the workforce'.
Disability Confident Employer
As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
How to apply
Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the 'experience' section of the application.
UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion - a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.