Job Title: Research Officer – Social Justice
Salary range: £44,601-£45,947
Grade: Assembly Grade 5
Directorate: Legal, Governance and Research Services
Business Area/Office: Research and Information Service (RaISe)
Accountable to: Senior Research Officer

Job Purpose

Research Officers work directly with Assembly Members and Committees in the production of non-partisan, objective and evidence based research.

Job Description:

Main duties and responsibilities of the job.

• Engage with individual MLAs, Assembly Committees and the senior managers within the Assembly Secretariat in order to understand their research requirements;
• Retrieve and synthesise information from a wide range of sources, including on-line databases;
• Provide timely, accurate, high quality and impartial research and analysis on social justice issues to individual MLA, Assembly Committees and the senior managers within the Assembly Secretariat;
• Produce a range of research outputs including customised research papers, legislative analysis briefings, and blog posts which are well written, concise and accessible;
• Present research briefings to Assembly Committees and respond to Committee members’ questions in public session.
• Facilitate public events, such as those which form part of the Knowledge Exchange Seminar Series (KESS) annually delivered at Parliament Buildings
• Proactively forge and develop links with government officials, external research bodies/communities, and other parliamentary library and research services;
• Work collaboratively and collegially, as an effective team member,
• Contribute to the development of RaISe, including identifying potential new outputs and improved service delivery;
• Carry out such other duties, as may be required, which fall within the research business of the RaISe;
• Comply with the Assembly’s Equal Opportunities and Dignity at Work policies and procedures; and

You may also be required to carry out other duties that the Assembly Commission reasonably requires of you.

Essential Criteria:

Applicants must, by the closing date:

1 Be in possession of at least an upper second-class (2:1) honours degree (or equivalent) through which candidates have gained an understanding of the development and analysis of public policy or law making;

AND

2. At least two years’ post degree (or equivalent) work experience of;

a) conducting objective, evidence-based research, requiring the collation and validation of a wide range of data (qualitative and quantitative), on social justice issues;

b) producing and delivering evidence-based research briefings on social justice issues to decision makers.

Shortlisting Criteria:

Should shortlisting be required, the following shortlisting criteria will be applied in the order stated:

a) A post-graduate degree (or equivalent) (Masters or higher gained via examination or research) through which candidates have gained an understanding of the development and analysis of law or policy relating to social justice issues.

b) At least two years’ post degree (or equivalent) work experience of conducting objective, evidence-based research, requiring the collation and validation of a wide range of data (qualitative and quantitative), in any two of the following areas: childcare and early years policy/children and young people policy; older people policy; social mobility; outcomes based accountability.

Skills & Behaviours:

The interview questions will be based on the essential criteria and the following Assembly Skills and Behaviours.

Building relationships and effective communication

Described as ‘…creating and maintaining positive, professional and respectful internal and external working relationships through effective and appropriate communications’.

Managing & Leading Self and Others

Described as ‘…setting high standards for ourselves. It is about guiding, motivating and developing others to achieve high performance. It is about engaging others in delivering a corporate vision of excellence, expertise and innovation in support of the Assembly as a legislature’.

Parliamentary & Political Understanding

Described as ‘…displaying an appropriate understanding of the wider political environment; what the Assembly does and how our role fits in; and the level of public scrutiny to which the actions and decisions of Assembly staff are exposed. It requires impartiality, integrity and political sensitivity’. 

Delivering a quality service Described as ‘…is about providing a high-quality and efficient service to our customers. It is thinking ahead, managing resources effectively and delivering work on time and to a high standard. It is also using professional or technical expertise to enhance service delivery’.