Job Description–The Officers’ Association

Job Title: Research Manager

Responsible to:Chief Operations Officer (COO)

Responsible for:No direct reports

Location:Mountbarrow House, London

Status: Full time

Job Purpose:

The purpose of the role of Research Manager at the Officers’ Association (OA) is to planand conduct research projects and other research activities in order to better inform the OA’s business planning and to evaluate and enhance the effective delivery of its services.

Key Responsibilities:

Research Project Delivery.Plan and conduct all the OA’s research projects in accordance with the annual research programme with minimal supervision.

  • Help research project sponsors with the research definition and initial business cases for projects that have been included in the programme.
  • Manage all research projects, whether being delivered internally, through external consultants or partners or a combination of both,in accordance with best practice in order to ensure effective and timely delivery.
  • Conduct all research work for internally delivered projects.
  • Establish good communications with project sponsors, stakeholders and external partners reporting on progress and maintaining engagement.

Research Programme Support. Work with the senior management team to help develop and manage the OA’s annual research programme.

  • Discussfuture research requirements with the senior management team andadvise on the feasibility, approach and likely resources required.
  • Look for opportunities and bid for external research funding where appropriate.

Enhance the OA’s Research Capability. Enhance the OA’s ability to exploit its networks and data resources to conduct high quality research that will enhance the delivery of its business objectives and its influence in the sector.

  • Develop guidelines and a knowledge base to enhance the effectiveness of the OA’s research.
  • Keep up to date with research practice and developments as they affect the OA, particularly with respect to data protection and other regulation.
  • Look for ways to exploit the OA’s networks and data collection capabilities to enhance its research capability, and ability to track longer term trends.
  • Endeavour to publish articles and publicise research activity in order to broaden awareness of research findings and extend the OA’s influence.

The post holder may be required to carry out other duties that are considered reasonable within the scope and purpose of the job and aptitudes of the job holder.

Person Specification:

Qualifications/Skills/Knowledge

  • Masters degree or PhD in a social sciences discipline, ideally with a strong research component.
  • Proficient user of standard research programmes including SPSS, Nvivo (or equivalent), able to set up new research projects and make best use of analytic functionality.
  • Proficient MS Office user.
  • Well developed quantitative and qualitative research skills, able to plan and conduct effective, high quality research with a good understanding of ethical and compliance issues.
  • Well developed research report writing skills.
  • Training in and understanding of a recognised project management methodology and its use in managing research projects an advantage.
  • A good working knowledge of the UK Armed Forces,Armed Forces veterans’ issues, employment or welfare issuesan advantage.

Experience:

  • Significant experience of planning, managing and conducting successful desk-based and primary research projects.
  • Proven experience of setting up and conducting focus groups and surveys.
  • Proven experience of writing and publishing research reports.
  • Proven experience of bidding for and obtaining research funding highly desirable.

Personal Attributes:

  • Confident and self-motivated with ability to use initiative and take responsibility for delivering successful projects with light supervision.
  • Well organised with ability to prioritise, manage a busy workload and multitask.
  • Possesses tact, diplomacy and the ability to listen and communicate at all levels within an organisation, with external agencies and with research participants.

Produced March 2018

Approved by CEO:

Lee Holloway

Accepted by Employee:

Date: