8372: Research Officers and Senior Research Officers

Our aim is to help the First Minister and Welsh Ministers to build a fairer, greener and more equal Wales.

We are looking for passionate and capable people from all walks of life. Previous experience as a civil servant is not a requirement. We are looking for people who can bring different lived experiences to our decision making. While being able to thrive in collaborative teams that will help change the way we think. We are looking for applications from diverse candidates who can bring fresh skills, lived experiences and perspectives to our work.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a group of researchers working as part of the Government Social Research (GSR) profession. As a Research Officer (RO) or Senior Research Officer (SRO) at the Welsh Government, the post-holders would work closely with policy colleagues and other analysts. Post-holders will be responsible for the development and oversight of a research programme.

Example posts are:

• Housing research SRO. The post will lead on research and evaluation activity across the Housing and Regeneration Directorate on a number of Welsh Government priorities, including Homelessness, Fair Rents and Affordability, Building Safety and Residents Reforms and Housing Decarbonisation. The role involves working closely with other analysts within Welsh Government as well as senior managers from across the organisation and external researchers from many different organisations. The role includes line management responsibility for an RO.
• Schools Research SRO. Research to support policy development and appraisal, to advise on consultation design, to support implementation and impact evaluation for key Welsh Government commitments to make school terms and school holidays optimal for learning and families.
• National Survey for Wales content development SRO. Prioritise survey topics and develop and manage the content of the survey for each survey year. Consult users; identify and prioritise information needs for the short, medium and longer term; agree the prioritisation of survey topics with the Chief Social Research Officer and Chief Statistician; identify, develop and cognitively test question modules or procure and manage contracts to test them; finalise the questionnaire content ready for implementation by the survey contractor; and quality-assure the questionnaire implementation.
• Post-16 education SRO. The post-holder will work closely with policy colleagues, analysts and other stakeholders to lead on supporting the evidence requirements of the Higher Education division, in particular evidence to support student finance reforms and the set-up of the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research.
• SRO within Administrative Data Research - Wales. The role will take a lead on helping ensure the utility of anonymous and secure data by making sure the ADR-Wales research projects are relevant to the Programme for Government. The post holder will line manage a Research Officer.
• RO to support the delivery of evidence to support policy areas including the Childcare Offer for Wales, Early Childhood Education and Care, childcare and play policy, Baby Bundles, workforce registration, training and capacity modelling for the childcare and play workforce, and reviews of childcare sufficiency assessments and play sufficiency assessments.
• RO in the newly created Equality, Poverty and Children's Evidence Support Division within Communities and Tackling Poverty. The post will support either Children, Families and Childcare or Social Justice and Poverty research
• RO Housing Conditions Evidence team. Providing support to the wider team on research for a variety of housing and related areas - social housing, conditions, decarb, climate change, standards, private rented sector, building safety, fuel poverty, energy efficiency and analysis of previous Welsh Housing Conditions Survey data.
• Two RO posts to provide research support across the Climate Change area, supporting delivery against Net Zero Wales and A Climate Conscious Wales. Post will involve working with different analysts as well as high profile policy programmes and interventions, including economic analysis and behavioural science.

A number of other RO posts will be available as we are undertaking internal promotion to SRO at the same time.

All posts will involve supporting emerging needs from the relevant policy areas as well as contributing to projects working across different teams in the Research Profession. Please get in touch if you would like to know more about any of these posts or emerging opportunities.

The indicative key tasks outlined below may not all necessarily be required within a single post and other tasks may also be undertaken. The level of responsibility will vary between Research Officer and Senior Research Officer roles. There will be a greater emphasis on autonomy and leading projects for a Senior Research Officer role.

What your organisation will expect?

• Contribute to the development of an evidence base for policy and influence budget decisions. By providing relevant, timely and reliable evidence.
• Work with policy colleagues and other analysts to support the delivery of departmental evidence plans. By identifying and prioritising research requirements and evidence gaps. Also developing projects that meet departmental requirements.
• Keep abreast of relevant evidence and methods and communicate findings to key policy colleagues.
• Ensure projects and contracts are delivered within deadlines, resource constraints. Also ensuring compliance with appropriate professional standards, by using project management techniques.
• Ensure that sound financial management procedures are followed.
• Promote the effective use of social research in strategy, policy development and delivery. Both across the Welsh Government and externally.
• Contribute to quality/improvement activities within own job, and through the wider GSR network.

What your team will expect?

• Lead and/or manage the development and delivery of research and evaluation projects.
• Support and encourage policy colleagues to develop their understanding of social research. This includes appreciating how social research can support wider Welsh Government aims.
• Advise and support internal colleagues on technical and professional social research issues.
• Ensure any line managed staff are developed. Through the provision of direction, advice and support for training and professional development.
• Deputise for Principal Research Officers as required.
• Contribute to other areas of research and evaluation, as deemed appropriate by line manager.

What your stakeholders will expect?

• Ensure that research findings are communicated effectively. Including findings feeding into policy and service development, delivery and evaluation.
• Develop and maintain strategic links with the wider research community. Within Wales, the UK and internationally.
• Work with other public sector organisations where common areas of interest are identified.

Areas to evidence:

Candidates are asked to provide evidence against the following 7 areas in their application;

• Eligibility for GSR membership – meets either the qualification or research experience requirements for GSR membership.
• Research Knowledge – including both quantitative and qualitative research methods. This should be evidenced with an overview of your relevant experience.
• Managing research - managing or commissioning research work that meets the needs of policy colleagues and/or customers. This should be evidenced with an overview of your relevant experience.
• Working Together - Establish professional relationships with a range of stakeholders. Collaborate with these to share information, resources and support.
• Making effective decisions - Analyse and use a range of relevant, credible information from internal and external sources to support decisions.
• Communicating and Influencing - Communicate in a straightforward, honest and engaging manner, choosing appropriate styles to maximise understanding and impact.
• Delivering at Pace - Promote a culture of following the appropriate procedures to ensure results are achieved on time whilst still enabling innovation.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Job contact :

Name :
Chief Social Research Officer/Head of the Internal Research Programme
Email :
socialresearch.recruitment@gov.wales
Telephone :
03000255868

Recruitment team :

Email :
SharedServiceHelpdesk@gov.wales