Research Associate – Wales Centre for Public Policy

18173BR

Cardiff Business School

Research

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Research Associate – Wales Centre for Public Policy

Co-funded by the Welsh Government,  Economic and Social Research Council and Cardiff University, the Wales Centre for Public Policy bridges the gap between academic research and policy makers/practitioners by generating and mobilising evidence that improves policy decisions and public services.  

Its staff come from a range of backgrounds including academia, the civil service, health service, local government, think tanks and the voluntary sector.

The Centre is a member of the UK’s What Works network and the International Public Policy Observatory. It collaborates with leading researchers from across the UK and internationally to generate, synthesise and mobilise research evidence that can be applied to tackle pressing economic, environmental and social challenges. Staff enjoy excellent access to senior policy makers and public service leaders which enables them to achieve research impact at national and local level.

We are seeking to recruit an outstanding individual to contribute to our work with the International Public Policy Observatory. The post offers a unique opportunity to manage and conduct high quality, policy research, working closely with leading researchers and policy makers who are at the heart of current policy developments and debates including how to achieve net-zero, tackling socio-economic and spatial inequalities, and support recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

You must have a good understanding of public policy; the ability to work directly with public service leaders; a commitment to high quality policy relevant research; excellent communication and organisational skills; and the ability to work as part of the Centre’s wider team. 

The post is full-time and available from 1st April 2024 until 1st March 2028 with the possibility of renewal thereafter subject to further funding. It offers a stimulating and supportive working environment with flexible working arrangements; a generous university pension scheme; a wealth of training opportunities; and a base in the new Social Science Research Park (SPARK) located on Cardiff’s £300 million Innovation Campus. The Centre supports hybrid working and the successful candidate will need to be available to work from its offices in Cardiff two days per week.

We encourage potential applicants to contact Professor James Downe (Acting Director of the Wales Centre for Public Policy – email [email protected] ) or Dan Bristow (Director of Policy & Practice – email [email protected] ) for an informal discussion about the role.  We will consider applications to join the Centre on a secondment basis for a minimum of 12 months.

This post is full-time (35 hours per week), advertised on a fixed term basis from 1st April 2024 until 31st March 2028.

Salary: £39,347 – £44,263 per annum (Grade 6).

Date advert posted: Thursday, 15 February 2024

Closing date: Thursday, 14 March 2024

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds who have the ambition to create a University which seeks to fulfil our social, cultural and economic obligation to Cardiff, Wales, and the world.  In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements. 

Cardiff University is a signatory to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions we will evaluate applicants on the quality of their research, not publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which the research is published. More information is available at:  Responsible research assessment – Research – Cardiff University

Job Description

Main function 
To manage, commission, conduct and mobilise high quality research evidence and expertise that assists public service leaders and Welsh Government ministers to tackle pressing policy challenges and encourages a culture of evidence use in public services.

Main Duties and Responsibilities 

Research
•    To contribute to the identification of the evidence needs of public services and policy makers in Wales.
•    To manage processes to identify and evaluate potential research projects for Public Service Boards and public services.
•    To work with public service leaders in new and innovative ways to review and synthesise research evidence to identify policy-relevant findings and recommendations.
•    To commission, manage and quality assure research commissioned from policy experts.
•    To contribute to the design and delivery of initiatives to embed evidence use in public services.
•    To disseminate research findings to public service leaders, policy makers and others through engaging reports, policy briefings, blogs, social media and podcasts.
•    To design and facilitate workshops, roundtables and events with a range of stakeholders, including academic experts, experts-by-experience, public service leaders, policy makers and other stakeholders.
•    To promote awareness of and engagement with the Centre’s work among public service leaders, policy makers and research networks.
•    To contribute to other activities that enhance research impact, such as engaging with local and national media.
•    To participate in networks both internally and externally to the university, to influence decisions, explore future research requirements, and share research ideas for the benefit of research projects. 

Other
•    To participate in personal and professional development that is appropriate to the role and will enhance performance.
•    Any other duties not included above, but consistent with the role.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria 

Qualifications and Education
1.    A postgraduate degree in a related subject area, or relevant equivalent professional experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience
2.    An established expertise and proven portfolio of policy research and/or research management, effective knowledge mobilisation and research impact.
3.    A proven ability to engage with public services and/or government in innovative ways to encourage the use of evidence to improve policy and practice.
4.    An understanding of the barriers to evidence use in public services and/or government and of practical approaches to overcoming them.
5.    Experience of developing and delivering effective stakeholder engagement and management.
6.    Knowledge of current public policy issues in Wales and beyond.

Communication and Team Working
7.    Ability to communicate effectively and persuasively – in writing and in person – with a diverse range of stakeholders including public service leaders and policy makers.
8.    Ability to work effectively with colleagues in the Centre and researchers in the wider university and beyond as well as experts-by-experience and other stakeholders.

Other
9.    Ability to develop and maintain excellent relationships with external stakeholders including public service leaders, politicians, civil servants and other opinion formers.
10.    Ability to work at pace across a range of projects and policy areas.

Desirable Criteria 

11.    Experience of working in or with public services and/or government.
12.    Knowledge of policy design, systems thinking, implementation science or behavioural science.
13.    The ability to communicate in Welsh.

Additional Information

Applicants are asked to answer the following questions at the start of their supporting statement.  Your answers should be as concise as possible and must not exceed 200 words per question.

Question 1: The Wales Centre for Public Policy provides evidence to enable local authorities, health boards and other public bodies to identify ways to improve policy decisions and public services.

How would you go about identifying the policy issues that we should work on with them over the next six months?  What criteria would you use to rank the issues in order of priority?

Question 2:
The Centre does most of its work in partnership with experts from other universities and research organisations. Imagine that we’ve been asked by a Public Service Board to provide evidence on what local services can do to tackle poverty in their area. They need a report in three months’ time to inform their Wellbeing Plan.

How would you identify the best experts to work with us on this project?  What potential barriers might you encounter in securing their input and how would you overcome these? How would you ensure that public services engage with the project?

IMPORTANT NOTE TO CANDIDATES
It is the University’s policy to use the person specification as a key tool for short-listing and we only invite candidates to interview who clearly evidence that they meet (or partially meet) each of the essential criteria. During the application process you will be asked to attach a supporting statement. This statement must outline how you meet the criteria below and we recommended formatting this by using each criterion as a sub-heading and providing your relevant experience/evidence below each sub-heading. It is crucial that you save your supporting statement with the vacancy number (e.g. 18173BR ) in the filename as failure to do so may result in it being omitted from your application.

Cardiff Business School is a leading business and management school in the UK, holding AACSB and AMBA accreditations and ranked 1st for its Research Environment and 2nd on Research Power (REF2021). The School has a Public Value purpose and focuses on the co-creation of high quality, interdisciplinary education and knowledge that delivers economic, social and environmental value. The School’s activities are oriented towards five Grand Challenges: Decent work , fair and sustainable economies , future organisations , good governance , and responsible innovation ..

Job Category

Academic – Research