Head of Insight and Engagement (Data & Evidence)

Head of Insight and Engagement Data & Evidence

Salary: £56,745 per annum 
Hours: Full time (37 hours)

Contract Type:  Open Ended
Location: Westward House, Lime Kiln Close, Stoke Gifford, Bristol, BS34 8SR
Grade: UKRI Grade F
Positions Available: 1

Closing Date: 12th May 2025
Interviews will be held week commencing: w/c 19th May 2025

About us

Research England is responsible for funding, engaging with and understanding English higher education providers (HEPs).

Our work creates and sustains the conditions for a healthy and dynamic research and knowledge exchange system in the higher education sector.

Our vision is for English HEPs to play a central role in the economy and society delivering world-class research with transformational real-world application, developing the skilled and talented workforce that modern research and development (R&D) intensive economy needs, and operating as major international players to enhance the UK’s global reach and influence.

Purpose

This is a key role in the Research England (RE) Insight and Engagement Team (I&E) – you will develop a strong understanding of the research and innovation system in the higher education sector, including university operations, governance, finances, and the political and policy environment in which they operate. You will deploy this to develop innovative approaches to the definition, measurement, and analysis of the health of the research and innovation (R&I) system in England. You will lead on the interpretation and analysis of a wide variety of quantitative and qualitative evidence for use within Research England and UKRI, but also for external partner agencies, including government.

You will engage fully in policy discussion including with internal senior management and national and HE sector policy makers, problem-solve, understand and interpret implications in setting long term policy. You will be expected to contribute to commissioning of research and evaluation, focussed on formula funding, including making links and drawing on expertise of relevant external experts.

You will also work on other projects within the scope of the Insight and Engagement team, but primarily on the analysis of data and intelligence to better understand the health of the university sector, working closely with the Director and Associate Director of I&E, the Head of Financial Sustainability, the Head of University Sector Insights and the Head of Engagement. Specifically, this will involve the provision of evidence for Research England and senior partner organisations, including government, to understand the impact of national and international policy decisions, including understanding how our investment enables and supports a healthy, dynamic, diverse, and inclusive sector.

Another key relationship will be with the Associate Director of Analysis and his team within the Operations Directorate of Research England. This role is one of three head of policy evidence and analysis roles, the others being embedded in the Research Policy and Insight and Engagement Directorates of Research England, and you will work collectively to coordinate use of data and evidence in policy development and integrate policy analysis across the Council.

Main outputs and activities

·       Develop and maintain a thorough knowledge of, and act as an authoritative source of advice on, research policy and interpretation of analysis with the ability to distil key points for a range of audiences.

·       Lead on policy on, and delivery of, methods and processes for understanding and interpreting relevant national data sets (including, for example, HESA, HE-BCI, TRAC) within the context of overall RE policy priorities, including contributing to wider RE approaches. This will include:

o   Supporting senior colleagues on the development of wider RE policy and understanding of the sector, making recommendations on how policy objectives can be addressed, taking into consideration availability of appropriate evidence and institutional burden

o   Leading on methods to deliver policies and priorities, and their implementation.

o   Working with policy and analysis colleagues in RE to ensure that I&E policy reflects wider RE standards on data definitions/use and funding methods

o   Work with colleagues across Research England through modelling data, responding to queries from HESA and providers, and contributing to the design and implementation of accountability and audits

• Lead technical policy contributions to RE’s financial sustainability programme, advising on data needs for policy, and testing use of new data, working closely with and managing expert researchers where necessary, and providing technical advice on approaches to Associate Directors and Director for I&E
• Give presentations and lead discussions at external meetings relating to RE evidence and policy.

·       Supporting senior colleagues on the development of recommendations on how Research England’s policy objectives can be addressed, taking into consideration availability of appropriate evidence and institutional burden.

• Make a significant contribution to effective relations with HE institutions and sector bodies, communicating funding methods, answering queries and liaising with the RE analytical directorate over data issues.

·       Contribute to design and delivery of new data and evidence, including through contributing to policy work with teams within RE and UKRI, but also external partners such as DSIT, DfE, the Office for Students and the devolved funding bodies.

• Assess, use and present accurately complex quantitative evidence in policy development.
• Problem solving using evidence.
• Work as part of the team to assist with consideration of evidence and analysis to inform research and evaluation and monitoring of KE policy/HEIF. This will include assisting commissioning external work and contributing to formula funding work in Spending Review exercises.
• Internal project management (including managing expert researchers and working closely with statisticians).
• Production of RE Council and relevant Committee papers and other documents
• Represent Research England/UKRI at external meetings and presenting to external groups.

Shortlisting Criteria

(S) – Assessed at shortlisting

(I) – Assessed at interview

(S&I) – Assessed at both shortlisting and interview

Essential:

·       Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the UK research and higher education policy, including formula and/or project approaches to KE funding. (S&I)

·       Experience of principles of data architecture design, in order to take a systematic approach, seeking a diverse range of inputs in order to find solutions (S&I)

·       Demonstrable excellent quantitative skills. (S&I)

·       Ability to develop an authoritative knowledge of evidence relating to research, identify policy solutions and share knowledge and solutions effectively with others in order to make effective recommendations about future RE policy (S+I)

·       An excellent communicator, with ability to communicate to (S+I):

o   complex subjects with people at all levels, including technical analysts, both verbally and in writing, in a clear, concise and fluent manner.

o   and to work effectively with a range of stakeholders, including government, institutions and academic experts, with the ability to represent Research England and UKRI at meetings and events.

• Strong organisational and project management skills, including in relation to commissioning external evaluation and evidence gathering work. (S+I)

·       Ability to work flexibly to contribute fully within a team that covers a shared and complex workload, including with challenging deadlines. (S&I)

Desirable:

·       An understanding of economic theory, in order to apply them to research and evaluation activity and contribute to Spending Review case development. (S)