Description

The Head of Research: Skills and Better Work is a new post for L&W. We’re expanding our team so that we can develop and deliver more – and better – policy-relevant research in the key areas of lifelong learning and progression to better work.

The post-holder will develop and lead research and insight projects. Those projects will be designed to influence policy change that will get more adults engaged in learning, developing their skills, and achieving their potential and ambitions in work. Income generation is part of this work: sometimes they will respond to reactive tenders, but we expect that they will also seek proactive opportunities to fund their work.

 They will have the capability to lead a team of researchers, and work with colleagues with different methodological specialisms. The successful candidate will be confident with quantitative data, but might have a qualitative research background themselves, or they might think of themselves more as a ‘policy person’. The most important thing is that they have experience working out what insights are needed to solve a policy problem, and how to get them.

They will work across the lifelong learning, essential skills and better work pillars of our strategy – but key areas of focus for them are likely to include: increasing employer investment in skills; improving apprenticeship access and quality; reducing inequalities in lifelong learning; understanding and harnessing the rise of online, self-led learning; career change.

Requirements

Main Purpose
The Head of Research: Skills and Better Work develops and leads research and insight projects in the areas of Lifelong learning, Essential Skills and Better Work. 

That means:

• Working to secure income for work in this area (reactive or proactive)
• Leading the teams delivering those projects
• Ensuring that the insights developed through these projects are aimed at delivering tangible change
• Working with colleagues to use those insights to secure those changes

Duties and Responsibilities
Delivery

• Spot opportunities for policy-relevant research projects in the areas of L&W’s strengths and areas of interest
• Scope and develop research proposals to make the most of these opportunities
• Act as Project Director for projects once they are underway: liaising with funders; shaping research proposals and plans; supporting project managers and leading the team; ensuring project margins are delivered effectively; carrying out research directly where appropriate

Income

• Write and contribute to reactive and proactive funding proposals for projects in the area of lifelong learning and skills
• Build relationships and manage with current and potential funders
• Build relationships and manage relationships with current and potential research partners

Impact

• Act as an external-facing ‘expert’ on issues of skills and progression: eg. speaking on panels, writing blogs, media appearances
• Building and leading relationships with key stakeholders and partners
• Work with colleagues to build relationships with relevant policymakers, practitioners and other stakeholders to secure impact
• Ensure that all projects under their direction generate meaningful insights and recommendations that respond to the real-world concerns and challenges faced by practitioners and policy-makers
• Communicate insights clearly and effectively to funders and other stakeholders

Leadership and management

• Line manage members of the R&D team
• Support the corporate leadership of L&W through membership of the ‘R&D leaders’ group

Other duties and responsibilities as required

Person Specification
Experience
Experience of delivering and directing high-quality, policy-relevant research/analysis projects - Essential 
Experience of developing specific and actionable policy recommendations - Essential 
Experience of influencing policy/practice stakeholders to achieve change - Essential 
Experience of managing, supporting and developing researchers/analysts - Essential 
Experience of carrying out research and evaluation in the areas of employment and skills - Desirable
Experience of generating income for policy-research work: via tenders or proactive relationship-building - Desirable

Skills
Demonstrable policy-relevant research skills (qualitative or quantitative) - Essential 
Effective and efficient relationship management - Essential 
Clear and direct written and spoken communication style - Essential 

Knowledge
Demonstrable knowledge of areas of UK policy relevant to employment and skills (eg. growth, education, employment, skills) - Essential 
Demonstrable knowledge in the areas of employment and skills policy and practice specifically - Desirable
Knowledge of, and commitment to, L&W’s charitable aims and purpose - Essential 

Benefits (FTE equivalents, part time pro-rated)
Salary of £47,250- £61,150 (FTE), depending on experience and location

- 31 days FTE holiday increasing to 33 days after 5 years’ service, of which 3 are shutdown days in addition to public holidays.

- Company pension scheme with 8% employer contribution

- Group Life Assurance 3*salary

- Hybrid working (with 40%-60% of your time required in the office)

- Flexible working practices

- Employee Development Scheme

- Retailer Discounts

- Enhanced occupational maternity, adoption, paternity and shared parental pay

- Enhanced occupational sick pay

- Eye care scheme

- Employee Assistance & Wellbeing Programme

- Gold award in Investors in People