POSITION DESCRIPTION: Senior Advisor, Research & Analysis
Job Band: / 5Team: / Planning, Performance & Advocacy Services
Reports to: / Senior Manager, Planning, Performance & Advocacy Services
Number of Reports: / 0
Location: / Wellington
CREATIVE NEW ZEALAND’S PURPOSE
Creative New Zealand is Aotearoa’s national arts development agency. We encourage, promote and support the arts in New Zealand, for the benefit of all New Zealanders.
WHAT WE DO
Creative New Zealand’s support for the development of the New Zealand arts sector is provided primarily through our funding programmes. We also deliver a range of programmes to build the capability of artists and arts organisations, and to advocate for the value of the arts.
TEAM PURPOSE
The Planning, Performance & Advocacy Services team delivers Creative New Zealand’s advocacy, policy services, stakeholder relations, communications, governance and strategy, planning and reporting functions.
JOB PURPOSE
The Senior Adviser, Research & Analysis is a key member of the Planning, Performance & Advocacy Services team, delivering timely, high-quality research, analysis and evaluation services for Creative New Zealand. The role-holder will play a key part in delivering to our advocacy goals, including our objective to provide and communicate a suite of unique research, analysis and reports. They will make a strong contribution to Creative New Zealand’s goal of becoming a powerful advocate for the arts and a higher-performing, learning organisation.
ACCOUNTABILITIES
KEY RESULT AREAS / CRITICAL TASKS /PERFORMANCEINDICATORS
/Research, analysis and evaluation / Deliver timely, high-quality research, analysis and evaluation services for Creative New Zealand. This includes:
· developing and delivering key research, analysis and evaluation products (including reports, position papers, publications, etc) and communicating results to the organisation, the arts sector and interested stakeholders
· supporting Creative New Zealand’s advocacy goals and objectives, including the provision and communication of a suite of unique research, analysis and reports
· contributing to the development of Creative New Zealand’s research agenda, as a future-focused plan to support the organisation’s – and the arts sector’s – future aspirations
· contributing to Creative New Zealand’s goal of becoming a higher-performing, learning organisation
· identifying opportunities for research to help achieve Creative New Zealand’s objectives through applying research findings to programme/project development and evaluation
· contributing to environmental scans that draw on up-to-date research and analysis from New Zealand and overseas
· applying appropriate analytical and evaluation methods to interpret a range of quantitative and qualitative data, including Creative New Zealand’s own funding and performance data
· generating valuable and beneficial insights from relevant data, noting important trends in Creative New Zealand’s and the arts sector’s business
· working with other government agencies and the broader research sector, as appropriate, to build their interest in and input into Creative New Zealand’s research work
· preparing and maintaining documentation and following good practice processes for the commissioning of research and evaluation, to ensure a standard approach is followed and quality standards are met. / Research, analysis and evaluation are relevant to Creative New Zealand’s requirements, have depth, meet appropriate standards, and are up-to-date, presented succinctly and delivered within agreed timeframes.
An intelligent, inquisitive and insightful approach is applied to research, analysis and evaluation work.
Learnings from research, analysis and evaluation work contribute to improvements in the design and delivery of programmes and initiatives.
Research, analysis and evaluation work enhances Creative New Zealand’s ability to demonstrate the value of the arts to all New Zealanders, and to specific stakeholder groups regionally.
Project management / Apply robust project management methodologies to research, analysis and evaluation work, including:
· defining project scope, work schedule and budgets with project sponsors (eg, through project plans or research proposals)
· identifying resource requirements to meet project plans
· preparing and managing tenders for external parties to undertake specific research, analysis or evaluation work, and managing Creative New Zealand’s relationship with selected external parties. / Projects undertaken are delivered according to specified quality standards, are on time and on budget, and achieve goals and objectives.
Regular reports are provided on project status, budget, risks/issues, in an agreed format and within agreed timeframes.
Relationship management / Cultivate high-quality relationships with relevant stakeholders across the arts, research and government sectors, including:
· leveraging the subject matter expertise and experience of colleagues to ensure research outputs are highly relevant to current and potential future issues in the arts sector
· developing and managing relationships with stakeholders who have the potential to contribute positively to research, analysis and evaluation activities
· representing Creative New Zealand at external events, functions and meetings as required
· seeking information from key Creative New Zealand sources (such as Arts Practice Directors, the Business Systems team and other Creative New Zealand teams). / Positive, sustainable relationships are built with stakeholders – within Creative New Zealand and across the arts, research and government sectors.
Contribute to the work of the Policy Services team (as agreed) / Contribute to the Policy Services team’s delivery of policy development/advice, environmental scanning and evaluation, as agreed with the Senior Manager, Planning, Performance & Advocacy Services, through:
· contributing to policy development/advice and evaluation projects, with a particular focus on the use of high-quality data and data-driven insights, and the use of appropriate methodologies in these processes
· assisting with the production of robust, well-written reports and policy papers. / Contributions are completed to a high standard and delivered within agreed timeframes.
Contributions are relevant to Creative New Zealand’s requirements in these areas, and add value to both the work and its outputs.
Diversity perspectives / Ensure diverse perspectives are incorporated into research, analysis and evaluation work, and other tasks, including through:
· understanding Māori and Pasifika perspectives, in terms of the past, present and future direction of Māori and Pacific arts and culture in Aotearoa New Zealand
· supporting the implementation of Creative New Zealand’s Diversity in the Arts Policy, and understanding how it relates to the team and organisation’s work
· identifying opportunities to work with Māori and Pasifika to achieve Creative New Zealand’s strategic outcomes
· ensuring appropriate engagement with Māori and Pasifika staff on relevant projects and work. / Involve Māori and Pasifika staff at the early stages of projects and work.
Seek to understand and apply appropriate ways of consulting with and working with Māori and Pasifika.
Demonstrate understanding and knowledge of working in a culturally diverse environment.
Contribution to team / Make a strong contribution to the Planning, Performance & Advocacy Services team by:
· helping develop a strong team spirit within the team
· participating positively and actively in team and Creative New Zealand activities
· incorporating and reflecting Creative New Zealand’s values into work and working style
· contributing to other cross-team projects as required. / Demonstrate a positive and proactive approach to team development.
Actively support and encourage cooperative ways of working and knowledge sharing within the team and across Creative New Zealand.
Be open to feedback from colleagues.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
· Senior Manager, Planning, Performance & Advocacy Services.
· Policy Services team, and other colleagues within the wider Planning, Performance & Advocacy Services team.
· Arts Practice Directors and members of the wider Arts Development Services team, and the Business Systems team.
· Senior Leadership Team and through them, the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa.
· Research-focused organisations, including tertiary education providers.
· Other arts researchers and cultural policy analysts.
· Other government agencies, in both central and local government.
· Artists, arts practitioners and arts organisations, along with arts development agencies and other allies.
EDUCATION, SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE
Essential:
· A relevant tertiary qualification in public policy or social sciences (or similar fields) preferably at a post-graduate level, or equivalent experience.
· Substantial research, analysis and evaluation skills and experience, gained in academic and/or public policy settings.
· Strong knowledge of research, analysis and/or evaluation methods and design, including experience in primary data collection and analysis (eg, surveys, grants tracking systems).
· Demonstrated experience and participation in scoping, designing and managing research or evaluation activities to address key knowledge gaps, using both quantitative and qualitative approaches.
· Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including skills in presenting complex information to diverse audiences.
· Ability to develop positive and effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, and to work effectively within and across teams.
· Ability to place work within a wider context (eg, the arts sector, the wider cultural sector and the broader strategic aims of government).
· Ability to anticipate and prepare for problems and identify solutions.
· Computer literate and competent on standard Microsoft Office applications.
Desirable:
· Experience working in the arts sector, or wider culture and creative sectors.
· Experience in public sector systems and processes.
· An understanding of Government policy and community views on the history and current implications of the Treaty of Waitangi for the work of Creative New Zealand.
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