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Policy Lab Research and Operations Officer

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Policy Lab Research and Operations Officer

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- Can adapt my research skills into this role, e.g., ethnography, note-taking, designing and leading on interview schedules
- Pay is c. £29,000
- "We would design the exact nature of the role in a way which is informed by the skills, experiences and preferences of the successful candidate."
- Got a little buzz after reading the job description - they mention they would like a human geographer :)

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Department for Education

Details

London minimum = £32,943 / National minimum = £29,363

Type of role

Knowledge and Information Management
Social Research

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time, Compressed Hours

Section links

Location

Bristol BS1 6EH, Cambridge CB2 8DR, Coventry CV1 2WT, Darlington DL1 5QE, Leeds LS2 8ER, London SW1P 3BT, Manchester M1 2WD, Nottingham NG1 6HJ, Sheffield S1 2FJ

About the job

Summary

The UK's Policy Lab is a dynamic and inclusive organisation that sits within the Department for Education, but works across the whole of government.

Our mission is to radically improve policymaking through design, innovation and people-centred approaches.

We are looking for candidates to bring a strong set of research skills to support the projects we deliver with government departments on critical issues for the UK, from the environment to society, from new technologies to demographic change.

Job description

Policy Lab comprises a multidisciplinary project team working openly and collaboratively, bringing together expertise in areas including policy, lived experience research, experimentation, art, systems thinking, futures and design.

Over our eight years to date, the Policy Lab team has run over 100 policy projects with over 7,000 policy makers across different Government departments and external organisations. Our work aims to support teams to get closer to the lives of the people affected by the policies they are developing. The past year has seen a wider range of commissions than ever, working on areas from public engagement with emerging technologies, to the lived experience of COVID-19, to reducing carbon emissions in the 'last mile' of logistics. This has allowed us to experiment with cutting edge techniques on some of the most important challenges in government.

We are looking for candidates to contribute a strong research ethos and capability to our work. This will involve working within a fast paced team which centres our work firmly around the citizen, while bringing critical rigour to our project processes and outputs.

More about the Lab and our projects can be found on twitter @PolicyLabUK, on our blog or on slideshare.

At the Department for Education we have a strong culture of inclusion and diversity and are committed to being an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity and inclusion and embrace diverse ways of working so that everyone feels they are able to flourish. We promote and support the use of a range of flexible working patterns to help staff to balance home and work responsibilities and we treat people fairly, irrespective of their working arrangements. The department has 10 active staff networks, including for LGBT+ and BAME colleagues, carers, those with disabilities or interested in social mobility.

It's important to us that our organisation is more diverse, so we encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and identities. We particularly encourage applications from those who are under-represented in the Civil Service. This includes those from ethnic minority or low-socioeconomic backgrounds and those with disabilities.

Please note that the advertised role sits within the Department for Education, but in a team that acts as a cross-government service. This means you may only occasionally work on Department for Education matters.

Responsibilities

We would design the exact nature of the role in a way which is informed by the skills, experiences and preferences of the successful candidate. We expect the successful candidate to perform some or all of the following responsibilities, and we will be looking for relevant experience accordingly as part of the application process:

* Working with senior ethnographers in the team to manage the operations on ethnography projects as required. This may include: setting up fieldwork and supporting fieldwork through note taking; liaising with freelance suppliers; setting and delivering the strategy for communicating with participants; supporting the production of interview guides; observing and leading interviews; managing video diary returns in remote ethnography projects; supporting analysis, for example by participating in coding or other forms of thematic analysis.

* Leading on research and workshop participant recruitment as well as participant handling and hosting throughout each project (for example, securing consent from participants, ensuring incentives are paid on time, ensuring participants can log into a remote session), liaising between researchers, participants, project leads and finance colleagues throughout.

* Information management - Organising research data and liaising with the Knowledge Information Team to ensure preservation of all relevant Policy Lab data for the public interest. Making sure that project folders are in order prior to, during and after the project. This includes ensuring appropriate opening and closing of project folders, with all required sets of folders and documents in the right place, consent recorded, logged and saved appropriately.

* Data privacy and ethics - Being the point of contact for research ethics questions and liaising with colleagues to support Policy Lab's work around ethics, including anonymisation. Ensuring GDPR compliance of projects and respecting government regulations by being the point of contact for GDPR questions and liaising closely with colleagues within Policy Lab and across government.

* Technology - Providing solutions to project leads for researchers and workshop organisers to carry out face to face and remote sessions efficiently and safely within shifting contexts, liaising with digital colleagues as needed.

* General administration and communication, such as booking travel and accommodation, note-taking for project meetings, workshops and research interviews.

* Training short-term placements to support project operations.

Essential experience

* Experience of research operations, including participant recruitment
* Good knowledge of social research, including research design, interviewing and analysis

Desirable experience and qualifications

* Masters degree in social science (anthropology, sociology, human geography) or other relevant experience
* Interest in or experience of visual anthropology / ethnography or other relevant experience
* Experience of transforming and improving research operations set-up
* Experience of using ethnography in agency or policy settings
* Report writing experience
* Video/film editing experience

Benefits

Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department's transfer / promotion policies.

As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.

You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years' service. In addition, all staff receive the Queen's Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days' bank and public holidays.

We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, part-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.

As an organisation which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.

Things you need to know

Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Strengths and Experience.

Application
We will ask you to submit a CV and a 500 word personal statement of suitability as part of the application process. The CV and statement will be used to assess your Experience relating to the 'Responsibilities' section of this advert, including the essential and desirable criteria.

Should we receive a high number of applications, then we will perform an initial sift based on your skills and experience in your statement of suitability.

Interview
If your application is selected for interview, you will be invited to a video interview (via Google Hangouts).

During the interview, you will be asked to provide further evidence of your Experience and will be questioned on your Strengths.
Candidates will also need to prepare a 5-minute presentation, using any or no props/materials as you wish, to answer: "What can I bring to Policy Lab in this role?"

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Other Information

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.

The government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, enabling people to learn and progress in a role whilst earning. We want to monitor the number of people who have completed apprenticeships who are now applying to progress further in their career and are asking this question to all candidates, on all vacancies. You will be asked a question as part of the application process about any previous apprenticeships you have completed. Your response to this question will not affect your application and it is not a requirement of the role to have completed a previous apprenticeship.

For this role the department would not consider sponsoring a Certificate of Sponsorship/visa. Please note we are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks.DFE@education.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs

Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.

Reasonable adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

- Contact Department of Education via centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

- Complete the "Assistance required" section in the "Additional requirements" page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

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

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

UK nationals

nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK

nationals of the Republic of Ireland

nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)

relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service

relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service

certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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.

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.

Apply and further information

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

Further information

The Department for Education's recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition. You have the right to complain if you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly with the department concerned via CentralRecruitment.Operations@education.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/recruitment-complaints/.

We encourage diverse candidates

At DfE, we are proud of the commitment we make to diversity and inclusion and of the progress we have made. We have a variety of staff networks and groups for all employees to join, whether you identify yourself as someone who the network is aimed towards or if you just have an interest in diversity and inclusion matters.

Equality and diversity – Department for Education

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policy lab research and operations officer search and apply for opportunities within the civil service

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Policy Lab Research and Operations Officer

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Department for Education London minimum = £32,943 / National minimum = £29,363 Knowledge and Information ManagementSocial Research Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time, Compressed Hours Location Bristol BS1 6EH, Cambridge CB2 8DR, Coventry CV1 2WT, Darlington DL1 5QE, Leeds LS2 8ER, London SW1P 3BT, Manchester M1 2WD, Nottingham NG1 6HJ, Sheffield S1 2FJ About the job The UK's Policy Lab is a dynamic and inclusive organisation that sits within the Department for Education, but works across the whole of government.

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Love you that you are finding and posting the job specs, really nice way of understanding better what is involved 

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Love you that you are finding and posting the job specs, really nice way of understanding better what is involved 

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The international coaching Association are a good resource to understand this space. There are different types of qualifications ILM 5/7 - these are for private executive coaching but also many for particular approaches that don't qualify you as such 

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The international coaching Association are a good resource to understand this space. There are different types of qualifications ILM 5/7 - these are for private executive coaching but also many for particular approaches that don't qualify you as such 

# data[].attributes.headline
This is a great mix of mapping out different options and recognising the transferable skills you are developing. In exploring these roles further considering what is resonating and how equipped you are currently for this role could be a nice focus. One of the tools we will cover in the final taught session is a SWOT which is useful in this process. 

# data[].attributes.subject
This is a great mix of mapping out different options and recognising the transferable skills you are developing. In exploring these roles further considering what is resonating and how equipped you are currently for this role could be a nice focus. One of the tools we will cover in the final taught session is a SWOT which is useful in this process. 

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- Research looking at Eurovision so any job opportunities with the producers of Eurovision, the EBU?

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Adapting event organisation skills in to researcher environment

Opportunities for running public engagement events - online/offline

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- Part-time
- Full-time
- Fixed-term contracts
- Permanent contracts

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Financial security

What am I passionate about?

Working PT to build up a business to guarantee income

Making use of the PhD

Using entrepreneurship skills

Flexible hours

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In-person AND on-line teaching provision

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Ability to design and implement own research by applying for funding and working at a university

Working on existing projects that require expertise in particular research areas e.g. writing up, data analysis, public engagement, data collection

Research assistants, senior researchers, research fellows, post-docs

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Develop student critical thinking skills

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Develop student critical thinking skills

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Provide support to students completing assignments
Supporting students with revision for exams

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Work for an agency

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Teaching Fellow in Human Geography - School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences - 97795 - Grade 7

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Click the link provided to see the complete job description.

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Lecturer/senior lecturer in social sciences research methods

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Lecturer/senior lecturer in social sciences research methods

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- Needing to 'fit in' with a department's research focus
- Short-term/fixed-term contracts e.g. 6 months, 12 months
- Possible limitation in 'freedom' - courses often already made and structured and teach existing materials
- Potential pressures and stress associated with teaching in-person and online

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Researcher, teaching, consultancy experience

Undergraduate and postgraduate teaching experience

Pastoral care

Designing and implementing Local, national, international fieldwork courses. Supporting students on these trips.

Teaching lectures, seminars, tutorials

Marking formative and summative assessments

DETAILED understanding of subject matter

IT, administration and analytical skills

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Lecturer

Senior lecturer

Assistant lecturer

Teaching fellow

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Journal articles, book chapters, books

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Primarily university based

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Feeding back analysis to respondents

Do this through public engagement events online/offline

Sharing results via social media, blogs, public events with third parties etc

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Civil Service job search - Civil Service Jobs - GOV.UK

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Search and apply for jobs in the UK Civil Service

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- Essential for a qualitative researcher

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Qualitative and Quantitative data analysis skills

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Qualitative and Quantitative data analysis skills

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Focus groups/interviews/ethnographic skills

Experience with software packages including Nvivo and SPSS