About the job

Summary

In DHSC, we are proud of our purpose – to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you’d like to work in, we’d love to hear from you.

Overview of the post/area of work:

There is a research manager vacancy in DHSC Science, Research and Evidence (SRE) Directorate working on the social care research portfolio. This post is in the Health and Care section of the Research Programmes Branch. We commission and manage research through the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Policy Research Programme to meet the needs of policy makers and analysts in DHSC.

With an annual budget of over £1.2 billion, the NIHR is the research arm of the Department of Health and Social Care. The NIHR is managed by the SRE Directorate in DHSC. It improves the health and wealth of the nation through research. The Research Programmes team is responsible for a c£500m per annum research programme. We fund policy research for government ministers and policy makers; translational, clinical and applied research for the health and social care system in England and a programme of research targeted at the poorest people in lower- and middle- income countries. The Policy Research Programme (PRP) supports the Secretary of State for Health, ministers and senior officials in DHSC and its Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs) by commissioning and managing leading edge research to inform national policy decisions across the health, social care and public health systems.

The Research Programmes branch comprises teams of social researchers, scientists, and policy officials, working to the DHSC Chief Scientific Advisor, Professor Lucy Chappell. We work closely with policy makers across DHSC and its ALBs.

Job description

The post holder for this role will take the lead in developing a portfolio of research projects to address policy needs centring on social care, particularly around children’s social care, neurodiversity learning disabilities and autism, integration and the interface of health and social care systems. This will involve identifying and scoping policy research needs, identifying suitable commissioning routes to address those needs and maintaining oversight and managing large and complex research projects on a day-to-day basis.

Social care is vital in supporting people to remain independent and live a fulfilling life, including the personal care and practical support people may need often in later life, due to issues of illness, cognition, disability or other circumstances. Covid-19 has thrown new light on the importance of social care and the challenges the sector face, with People at the Heart of Care: adult social care reform white paper having been published in December. A strong evidence base is needed to support efficient and effective delivery of social care services for the benefits of users, carers and those working in health and social care.

The post holder will also support the G7 social care research lead in developing and implementing an NIHR strategy for social care research, which seeks to boost funding and build capacity for social care research in England. This offers the opportunity for extensive external stakeholder engagement – including with other Government Departments, academics, research funders, provider and practitioner bodies, and with the NIHR School for Social Care Research.

The role provides an exciting and challenging opportunity to work with senior stakeholders in the health and care research system, building of networks with policy makers in DHSC and ALBs, and connecting with university, NHS and social care-based researchers. The role will support work on high priority areas for research, helping to deliver on Government and NIHR commitments to generate research outputs to inform and influence DHSC and wider stakeholders. The post offers ample opportunity for contract management, and programme and project oversight, together with insight into the policy/research interface. The post holder will have substantial scope to take responsibility for developing and leading large programmes of work, with support from a G7 line manager and colleagues within the Health and Care Section.

This post is available at either our London or Leeds site.

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities for the role:

• Develop and maintain a close working relationship with policy and analytical teams across the Department, NIHR, other government departments and external partners.

• Work with policy and analytical customers to understand the research and evidence needs and develop research questions suitable for comissioning to address those needs.

• Identify and prioritise evidence gaps and support delivery of a programme of research to meet these challenges, ensuring value for money, adherence to budget and delivery of high-quality results that have maximum impact and meet the differing needs of policy.

• Secure high quality research from universities and other science providers, working with a wide range of research methodologies, ensuring the team meets the needs of the Department and its system partners.

• Connect academic researchers with policy and analytical colleagues at all stages of the research process, and mediate this relationship to ensure the relevance of reseach and that policy is well informed.

• Support the dissemination, interpretation and communication of resarch findings to a range of audiances.

• Contribute to managing the social care research portfolio in the Policy Research Programme and keep an oversight of relevant NIHR-funded research on social care and associated research topics.

• Support the development and implementation of an NIHR strategy for social care research, including supporing the delivery of co-funded research calls and developing capacty building initiatives in social care research.

• Provide briefing and intelligence on NIHR and PRP research in social care as required.

This is a fast-paced area and further opportunities to develop new areas of work, work with stakeholders and academic partners to commission and manage research, develop science and research policy and processes and engage with the wider to communicate DHSC and NIHR plans and priorities are expected to emerge.

Key requirements for the role:

Postholders will need to have skills covering the following general requirements, or be ready to develop them:

• The ability to quickly build relationships with a wide range of stakeholders from across organisation, confidently engage with stakeholders to take account of their different and often conflicting views.

• The ability to see the bigger picture and explore opportunities for collaboration and developing

• The ability to present complex issues clearly and persuasively with excellent written and verbal communication.

• Strong project management skills and the ability to take responsibility and leadership for a large programme of work.

• A flexible and adaptable approach, and the ability to work across a range of science, social care and health research related topics.

• Understanding of the pros and cons of different research methods and the ability to advise, critique and make independent direct use of these

• Understanding of the role health and social care research plays in improving the health of the nation and its contribution to economic growth.

Postholders will be able to demonstrate the following technical requirements:

• Understanding of the pros and cons of different research methods and the ability to advise, critique and make independent direct use of these

• Evidence of robust analytical skills: being able to synthesise information and evidence from a variety of sources to inform policy development and make recommendations.

• Demonstrate the skill-set necessary for research commissioning and research management and the flexibility to apply these skills to priority areas of health and social care.

A knowledge and experience health and social care research and related research funding is desirable.

Experience of managing commissioned research projects, including experience of procurement and commissioning processes, of specifying research questions and of managing contractors to ensure quality of results and methodological rigour is desirable.

Person specification:

The post is particularly suited to members of the Government Social Research service, (and external applicants with appropriate knowledge and skills in social research methods), given the responsibilities related to evaluation and research design, commissioning, and management. However, we encourage analysts of any profession who can demonstrate the required technical skills to apply.

Applicants from outside the Civil Service who are eligible to join the Government Social Research profession (GSR) or other government analytical profession will be supported to do so if successful. To be eligible for GSR, candidates will need to have an undergraduate degree at 2.1 or above, or a Masters degree; and in either case at least a third of the degree content must be on social research methods, with quantitative methods being mandatory, and also coverage of a good range of associated methods (details in the attached documents). To meet the requirements of SEO level, candidates must have at least two years’ relevant social research experience and ideally four years, in addition to good evidence on the behaviours and technical skills.

Qualifications:

Relevant degree in physical or social sciences.

Qualifications

Relevant degree in physical or social sciences.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Use and application of professional analytical skills to real issues or problems.
• Communicating analysis with impact.