Senior Research Officer

ESTYN

Cardiff, UK

On-Site

Expires: Expiring in less than 2 weeks

Education

Full time

£47,698 - £56,471 per year

Job summary

We’re looking for an experienced researcher who enjoys shaping how evidence is used to inform understanding, improvement and decision-making across Estyn. You’ll bring strong research expertise, intellectual curiosity and a collaborative approach, helping colleagues engage confidently with evidence and apply research principles in practice. This role suits someone who values ethical, transparent analysis, enjoys working across disciplines, and is motivated by strengthening research capability at an organisational level.

If you’re motivated by public service and keen to strengthen how research informs inspection, thematic work and strategic decision-making, we’d be pleased to hear from you.

Job description

You will be responsible for leading the research function within Estyn to develop the structures and systems needed to support the organisation to become more research informed and research literate and support the integration of research principles throughout Estyn’s work, ensuring that evidence is critically appraised, clearly interpreted, and applied to strategic priorities and policy/ practice.

Key tasks include:

Designing approach for increased and systematic interrogation of our existing evidence to support Estyn’s work
Advising on our future analysis of qualitative inspection outcomes
Developing protocols for our use of analysis tools, including qualitative data analysis software
Developing a robust method for analysing qualitative comments in surveys
Lead on advising on our future staffing requirements for Estyn’s research services
Ensuring that all analysis is ethically robust, transparent, and communicated with clarity about strengths, limitations, and implications.
Leading on developing ensuing guidance and professional learning for inspectors
Delivering the thematic survey briefing and training process for inspectors, including gathering relevant background information and providing advice on project design, research methods and instruments
Ensuring a research-informed approach to survey design, analysis, and quality assurance to support Estyn’s thematic survey work and wider evidence base, including the Annual Report and inspection
Timely dissemination of, and engagement with research findings to Estyn’s internal audience, including producing a regular Research Update
Leading on developing and maintaining strategic links with the wider research community and promoting the use of external evidence
Working across the team to provide integrated analytical advice to Estyn colleagues
Contributing to the development and maintenance of a systematic approach to storing intelligence and relevant knowledge, including the development of tools and systems to share research-informed knowledge

Person specification

It’s essential that you have:

A minimum of 2:2 in an undergraduate degree or a postgraduate degree
AND either, a relevant social science subject at undergraduate or postgraduate level. Which contains substantial social research methods training. (We would expect social research methods to represent around a third of modules taken) OR at least 4 years’ social research practice experience. (This would be experience designing, managing and conducting research in a research agency, market research agency or specialised research team. For this route you must make explicit the breadth and depth of your research experience and skills).
Relevant research experience, ideally including both qualitative and quantitative research with the ability to design, commission, analyse, interpret and critically appraise social research evidence
A sound understanding and knowledge of statistics.
The ability to interpret findings and data appropriately to support evidence-based decision making.
The ability to work beyond area(s) of professional responsibility and build wider links with the work of other teams across the organisation.
The ability to build strong collaborative professional relationships with a diverse range of people and establish effective and influential links across the organisation
Experience of effectively managing a varied and demanding workload and complex projects
Excellent written and verbal communication skills and effective IT skills including data literacy, research software, and digital tools to support analysis
A demonstrated commitment to ethical research practice, including integrity, transparency and fairness in the use and presentation of evidence.

It is desirable that you have:

Experience of using software tools to support research
Ability to operate through the medium of Welsh.

Qualifications

A minimum of 2:2 in an undergraduate degree or a postgraduate degree AND either, a relevant social science subject at undergraduate or postgraduate level. Which contains substantial social research methods training. (We would expect social research methods to represent around a third of modules taken) OR at least 4 years’ social research practice experience. (This would be experience designing, managing and conducting research in a research agency, market research agency or specialised research team. For this route you must make explicit the breadth and depth of your research experience and skills).

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

Seeing the Big Picture
Changing and Improving
Making Effective Decisions
Communicating and Influencing
Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

Knowledge of research methods, techniques & application
Managing & commissioning social research

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £47,698, ESTYN contributes £13,818 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Competitive salary and incremental points meaning that you will normally reach the maximum of the pay scale within two/three years of joining us.
Generous holiday entitlement – 41 days away from work each year (made up of 31 days of annual leave, plus 10 public/privilege holidays (pro-rated for those who work part-time).
Flexible working - We operate a flexi-time system, giving you the freedom to shape your working day in a way that suits you and meets business needs.
Support for your well-being – We provide an hour of well-being time per week (pro-rated) for staff. We also provide an employee assistance programme, free annual health checks, seasonal flu jabs, a free eye care scheme and access to Health Insurance Plans through Civil Service Healthcare.
Support for your family life – generous family friendly policies including maternity, paternity, adoption leave.
Tax-free savings – Access to a cycle to work scheme.
Special offers and discounts – Access to a range of discounts and exclusive offers through the Civil Service Social Club – Sports and Leisure, the Civil Service Motoring Association, the Civil Service Insurance Society and the Charity for Civil Servants.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Ability, Experience and Technical skills.

The selection process includes:

A sift of applications:

The panel will consider all complete applications. The information you give us in your application is important in deciding whether we will invite you to the next selection stage. Candidates will be assessed at sift on all essential criteria as per the person specification. Desirable criteria will be assessed at sift where there is a strong field of candidates as a second stage after essential criteria have been considered.

Assessment and Interview:

Candidates who are successful at the sifting stage will be invited to assessment and interview at our office in Cardiff on 18-20 February. Candidates will be assessed using the Government Social Research assessment approach. These include:

A knowledge test
An oral briefing exercise which will assess the technical skills and communicating and influencing within the person specification
A general interview following the oral briefing which will cover key behaviours within the person specification.

As we are looking to recruit for a Senior Research Officer and Research Officer, you will have the opportunity to apply for either or both roles. If you apply for both roles, you will be assessed at both levels throughout the interview.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

UK nationals
nationals of the Republic of Ireland
nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

Name : Rhidian Dafydd
Email : rhidian.dafydd@estyn.gov.wales
Telephone : 02920 446336

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Salary range

£47,698 - £56,471 per year