JOB DESCRIPTION

23 March 2016

Job Title:Head of Social and Economic Research and Insight

Grade:Band A

Location:Central London

Group:Engagement

Department:Government Advice

Responsible to:Policy Director

Responsible for:Line management of Economist (Band B) and Research Project Officer (Band C)

OVERALL PURPOSE OF JOB:

This high-profile post is responsible for making the case for the historic environment and leading Historic England (HE) programme of social and economic research. The post holder will also provide guidance and leadership to HE in evaluation and the insight that brings to overall strategy and programmes. More generally this role will work with external parties to ensure that the historic environment is taken into account in Government Policy.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Overall responsibility for designing and managing HE’s programme of social and economic research and insight, liaising as necessary withHE staff, sector partners, funders, universities and research institutes.To actively look for opportunities for new partnerships and areas of interest
  • Working with HE colleagues, partners in government and across the sector to ensure the wider social and economic benefits of the historic environment are widely understood and disseminated.
  • SupportingHE in evaluating existing policies or programmes and where relevant to manage research projects on their behalf. To assist in assessing the implications of findings to business performance and demonstrating the value of evidence based decision making.
  • Working with the Governance and Planning Adviser in setting measures of success for HE and in particular to develop the stakeholder evaluation programme.
  • Working closely with other Band A posts in GAT, taking responsibility for ensuring that GAT’s advice, guidance and other outputs deliver the necessary Corporate Plan objectives and meet the needs of relevant internal and external customers.
  • Providing on-going support to the Director of Engagement, Policy Director, team members and other HE staff on social and economic issues relating to heritage policy and the historic environment more generally (for example briefings on impact of demographic changes on visitor patterns, impact of economy on heritage at risk)
  • Overall responsibility for the Heritage Counts programmein conjunction with sectoral partners, including commissioning and managing research projects. See
  • RepresentingHE on cross-sector programmes such as the Culture, Sport and Evidence Board (CASE) and overall responsibility for HE input into Taking Part survey.
  • Line and performance management for two staff members.
  • Where necessary, working flexibly to cover wider strategic issues in response to changing national, organisational and team priorities.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Head of Social and Economic Research
Essential Attributes /

Desirable Attributes

TRAINING, EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

  • A relevant degree with significant social research methods / statistics or economic content, or closely equivalent qualifications or experience.
  • Significant experience of designing high-level public policy research programmes with a social science or economic focus, and/or delivering these types of projects for clients.
  • Significant experience of commissioning and managing social and/or economic research projects, and/or deliveringthese types of research projects for clients.
  • Significant experience of undertaking or commissioning evaluation of programmes and policies and using the evidence to influence business practice
  • Membership of relevant social science / economist or statistics professional body, or eligibility for membership
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  • An understanding of the wider benefits of England’s historic environment.
  • Consultancy experience.
  • Experience of corporate reporting

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

  • Considerable and proven ability to analyse and interpret complex dataand information to draw clear conclusions.
  • Knowledge and direct application of social science and or economic research methods. This can be demonstrated either by directly working on research projects and/or through the commissioning process.
  • Excellent writing skills – producing reports or briefings tailored to specific audiences, both specialist and non-technical.
  • An effective public speaker, able to represent English Heritage at senior levels.
  • The ability to think creatively, and exercise balanced judgement in the face of competing professional and political pressures.
  • The ability to organise,prioritise, and deliver to a tight timetable and under pressure.
  • Proven ability to use evidence to build a case for heritage
/
  • Experience of budget management
  • An understanding of the historic environment and the challenges it faces.
  • Use of SPSS
  • Managing social surveys

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

  • The ability to develop constructive partnerships with key contacts across the historic environment sector, including internal partners.
  • Excellent leadership and negotiating skills.
  • An excellent verbal communicator, capable of explaining complex results and the implications of their work areas to non-specialists.

We are committed to providing equality of opportunity for all. We will consider making reasonable adjustments for disabled people where necessary, to ensure this.