Research Strategy and Governance Manager

About the role

Research Strategy and Governance Manager

Fixed Term, Full Time

up to £70,364 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Closing Date: 9th May 2023

Please note this role will be offered on a fixed-term contract or secondment basis to January 2025.

At Essex County Council, our work impacts the lives of over 1.5 million residents. We work hard to meet our residents’ needs – from protecting vulnerable children, to helping older residents remain independent; from improving quality of life through better public health, to unlocking economic opportunities across our towns and cities. We need to take decisions based on meaningful insight and high-quality, ethical research. This is where you come in.

About the role

As our Research Strategy and Governance Manager, you’ll join a senior team that is responsible for delivering high-quality research and analysis, and for developing the wider council’s research capability. In this role you will lead work to enhance our research governance – establishing a council-wide approach to ensures all the research we do is high quality, ethical and shaped with input from residents and communities.

In this role you will engage with researchers, stakeholders from across the council’s different service functions and with our most senior leadership forums to shape the council’s strategy around public involvement in research, equality diversity and inclusion in research and to develop and embed an enhanced framework for research governance. You’ll need to navigate a complex political environment, and using your experience to identify established best practice, and where new thinking and innovation can add most value. You’ll build strong and productive working relationships with senior stakeholders across the council and beyond.

In return, you can look forward an excellent rewards package, as well as flexible working and long-term career opportunities.

Responsibilities

In this role you will be responsible for:

developing and embedding an enhanced approach to research governance for ECC that ensures all research meets high standards in terms of quality, ethical practice and public involvement.

ensuring expertise and knowledge is shared across ECC to develop capability in terms of, breadth and depth of specialist knowledge.

equipping the organisation to ensure it can innovate and adopt new ways of working.

offering new insights and intelligence on solutions around research governance, research ethics and public involvement;

developing highly respected professional and academic networks which will ensure opportunities for working collaboratively or in partnership, that will further enable the development of skills, knowledge and expertise.

liaison with universities and professional bodies to engage in joint working practices and activities which are mutually beneficial to all parties.

responsible for establishing productive relationships across both the public and private sector in supporting the opportunity for coaching and mentoring ECC to broaden its capability.

Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

We’re looking for people with significant experience research and in embedding change in for large, complex organisations. You’ll have a track record in delivering research that impacts strategic decision making, possibly, but not necessarily, in a local government setting.

We are looking for candidates who meet the following criteria:

Educated to degree level or equivalent by experience with specialist knowledge and further qualification.

Evidence of continuing professional development and mastery in research, research governance or a related professional area.

Experience of working with other specialists and Directors across both the private and public sector to deliver significant change.

Experience of developing others to enhance functional capabilities across the organisation and inspiring a team of qualified professionals and experts.

Commercial awareness in developing business opportunities to further the objectives of the organisation.

Evidence of significant influencing skills in demonstrating what can be achieved and how this can be delivered.

Evidence of creativity in exploring business opportunities.

For more information or an informal conversation please contact Alastair Gordon, Head of Profession Research and Citizen Insight, via Alastair.Gordon@essex.gov.uk or 07739 104238.

Why Essex?

Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England’s oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest – Basildon and Harlow – are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career. Read more about us here.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.

We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

What you should do next

If you are interested in finding out more about this role, we would love to hear from you. Please apply via the link.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk

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