Job Description: Research Manager

Job Description:
Research Manager
Salary:
Closing date:
The Company
CFE Research is a highly regarded and independent social research company, working in the policy
areas of education, employment, skills, sports participation, and health and well-being. Founded in
1997, we provide research and evaluation services to both the public and private sectors. Our customers
include government departments and agencies, local authorities, colleges, universities, charities.
What do we do?
We are an innovative research agency with 20 research professionals, support staff, paid interns and an
extensive network of expert associates. CFE’s experienced team is committed to creatively applying a
wide range of methods, data visualisation techniques and innovative thinking to any challenge. Our
expertise lies in objective, independent, rigorous research to support and inform our customers to:
— help them understand what works, in what context and why
— evaluate, design and implement policies and programmes
— research markets and develop practical insights
— provide ideas and create new ways of framing public policy questions
— offer methods and learning activities to share and understand good practice
Our clients work with us for depth of knowledge, timely results as well as our ability to apply a range of
innovative research methods whilst responding flexibility to their evolving needs.
Where are we going?
Now is a great time to apply to join us. Our core focus is on what we do best: research and evaluation. In
recent years we have substantially increased the breadth and depth of our expertise but we believe there
is scope for us to do more. We are seeking to further enhance our offer to the organisations that work
CFE Research Phoenix Yard Upper Brown Street Leicester LE1 5TE.
Tel 0116 229 3300. Email info@cfe.org.uk. www.cfe.org.uk
with us by developing more innovative methods and new techniques as well as by maximizing the
impact and visibility of our work.
We’ve also been steadily expanding the areas in which we work, evolving from enterprise and skills
policy into wider education and social policy contexts to raise standards in the delivery of public
services. In the coming years, we want to step up the pace of change by attracting skilled and
enthusiastic staff who can contribute new ideas.
It might be a bit of a tired cliché that people are a company’s most important asset, but it really is true
for us. We are pursuing a two-pronged approach of consciously stepping up the development of existing
staff while we expand capacity through open recruitment. Successful applicants will be joining a
company that is confident and ambitious for the future. We want to expand the range of expertise that
we bring to our clients. We also want to raise our profile through developing conversations that set the
agenda for public policy. All of which, in line with our management style and our working culture, will
be open to all in the company to help shape and direct.
We've held Investors in People recognition status for many years now and we offer a creative, flexible
and supportive working environment. We are committed to high standards of rewards and
development for our people to ensure that we can consistently deliver high standards of quality and
expertise. We continuously look for smarter ways of working and try to innovate around our IT
capability where it can help us to save time or deliver value added.
Our Values
If we invite you to interview you’ll have the opportunity to meet existing members of the team and get a
feel for what we are like to work with. We have a lovely office environment and we are small, friendly
team who are welcoming of others.
As a heads up we believe our values are:
— Be independent: Act with honesty, integrity and fairness to earn the trust of those with whom
we work.
— Be imaginative: Create a culture where innovation and imagination is encouraged in everything
from service delivery to customers, through our internal business processes.
— Work collaboratively: Encourage creativity and better communication through our supportive
culture which values knowledge sharing, learning and working together to achieve the best.
— Provide quality: Empower individuals to take the initiative and have a sense of responsibility to
achieve the absolute best results they can within time and budget.
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The Role
We are looking for people to join us as Research Managers. These roles will be responsible for
delivering diverse research projects in one or more of our core policy areas. It will entail bringing sound
project management and analytical expertise to projects from initial design through to reporting,
drawing upon a strong combination of both qualitative and quantitative research experience.
Part of the role will be to also support the development of new business opportunities including
preparing written tenders and proposals.
We are seeking applicants with excellent writing and communication skills, good commercial
awareness, a creative and problem-solving outlook and a passion to deliver value for customers. The
successful candidate will have a strong track record in an applied research context, proven analytical
skills, confidence and an ability to work well as part of a small company environment whilst
demonstrating a genuine appetite for personal learning. You will possess a high level of initiative and be
capable of responding flexibly to a wide range of research tasks.
Whilst managing research projects and client relationships, you will lead the design and delivery of
qualitative fieldwork (including depth interviewing and facilitating focus groups) and quantitative
fieldwork (such as survey questionnaires and CATI), data analysis and the presentation of research
findings. Working closely with Associate Directors, who will support you on key client projects, there
will be opportunities for personal development, learning and progression. We are seeking people who
thrive on demanding but rewarding work.
The role also requires an ability to manage a team of researchers and having input into the development
of more junior staff.
Key responsibilities
— Take the lead in managing research projects, from scoping through to completion, including
managing and developing client relationships;
— Take responsibility for the day to day management of a range of customer accounts and be the first
point of contact for these accounts -ensuring that customer expectations are managed and fulfilled;
— Undertake and oversee the design and development of quantitative and qualitative research
instruments, telephone and in-person interviews, literature reviews, focus groups and data analysis;
— Work with senior managers and directors to win new work from new and existing clients and
proactively identify new business opportunities both in terms of research services and policy
markets;
— Plan and manage resources effectively, including financial budgets;
— Manage junior research staff and subcontractors (including market research fieldwork agencies) as
necessary to achieve project objectives, seeking best value at all times;
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— Produce insightful research reports with sophisticated and actionable advice to support your clients
in their decision-making;
— Contribute to the development and profile of our research expertise with customers and key
influencers;
— Ensure that customer expectations are fulfilled on all projects for which you are responsible;
— Work initially within the policy arenas of education, employment and skills to develop new business
opportunities in line with the company’s strategic ambitions by contributing to developing and
increasing our profile with customers and key influencers;
— Build strong relationships with clients, intermediaries and associates; and
— Ensure that the company is up to date with developments in specified policy areas and research
markets.
Location
We are looking to recruit applicants to work from our Leicester office. The role will involve some travel.
Period of notice
On successful completion of six month probationary period, the period of notice in your contract of
employment will be three months.
Salary
The salary band for this position is £26k to £36.5k per annum.
BENEFITS
— 25 days annual leave in addition to statutory holidays (pro rata for part time employees)
— company provided mobile phone and laptop computer for work use
— Reimbursement of car parking charges at our Leicester office
ON COMPLETION OF SUCCESSFUL 6 MONTH PROBATION:
— group personal pension plan, with an employer contribution of 10%, subject to an employee
contribution of 5%
— annual bonus subject to company and individual performance
— personal learning account of £150 per year to spend on non-work related training
— free life assurance up to the age of 60 which provides ‘death in service’ cover of three times current
salary as a lump sum payment to a designated dependant
— subsidised eye tests
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— enhanced maternity leave pay above the statutory minimum on completion of 12 months’ service
— access to a company training and development budget
— financial support towards achieving professional qualifications and maintaining CPD as
appropriate to the needs of the business
— open to flexible working where compatible with the role and goals of the business
— regular reviews to identify development needs and good opportunities for progression.
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Person Specification
Tested via: A = Application, I = Interview, T = Test
Essential
Desirable
Education and formal qualifications
 First degree or equivalent (A)
 Post Graduate degree or other recognised
research qualification (A)
Experience
 Experience of implementing/ managing applied
research projects to agreed deadlines (A, I)
 Devise and price research methodologies
according to timescale/budget (A,I)
 Analysing quantitative datasets (A, I, T)
 Ability to present, explain and interpret data or
analysis to non technical audiences (A, I)
 Expertise in research techniques, such as online
surveying, CATI surveying, focus groups, depth
interviewing, interview topic guide design (A, I)
 Preparing reports which are both objective and
accessible to read (A, I)
 Developing new relationships and business
opportunities (A,I,T)
 Developing and managing teams (A, I)
 Experience working with senior government
officials, applying direction in a sound and
practical way (A, I)
Knowledge
 Knowledge of public policy in one or more of our
key areas: (i) education, (ii) further education and
skills, (iii) higher education, (iv) career guidance,
(v) sport, health and wellbeing, (vi) business and
enterprise (A,I)
 Sources of market and intelligence data, and how
to access them (A,I)
 Knowledge of statistical packages such as
SPSS or STATA (A)
 Qualitative research software such as NVIVO
(A)
 Economics, behavioural economics,
econometrics (A,I)
 Applied statistics including experimental design
and regression modelling (A,I)
 Experienced of Randomised Control Trials and
Ethnographic methods (A,I)
Skills
 Confident numeracy, written & IT skills (A,I,T)
 Excellent inter-personal skills (I)
 Report writing for different audiences (A,I)
 Ability to develop and motivate in order to elicit
great performance (A,I)
 Chairing/facilitating focus groups and
workshops (A,I)
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Essential
Desirable
Character
 High level of pro-activity, initiative, energy,
enthusiasm, and professionalism (A,I)
 Consistently customer focused (A, I)
 Results orientated (A,I)
 Good team player (A, I)
 Genuine appetite for personal learning (A,I)
 Attention to detail (A, I, T)
 Commercial awareness (A, I)
— Effective networker (A, I)
— Investigative nature (I)
— Personal interest in public policy (A,I)
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