Job Description

Job title: /

Senior Research Officer – up to three posts available

Employer: / Qualifications Wales
Location: / Q2, Imperial Park, Newport NP10 8AR
Contract: / Permanent, full time. Requests for alternative working patterns, including part time, job share and secondments, may be discussed at interview
Salary: / Band 4 - £37,600 - £43,950
Hours of work: / 37
Department: / Policy and Research Directorate
Reporting to: / Head of Research
Closing date for applications: / 17 March 2016
Contact: / Kate Crabtree - Executive Director, Policy and Research – 0333 077 2739

Background
Qualifications Wales has been created as a Welsh Government Sponsored Body and is an independent regulator of qualifications and the qualification system in Wales. The new body is responsible for ensuring that qualifications and the qualifications system are effective in meeting the reasonable needs of learners in Wales, and for promoting public confidence in these.
Qualifications Wales has a publicly appointed Chair and Board who is accountable for the fulfilment of Qualifications Wales’ statutory functions and of its obligations to Welsh Government as a Welsh Government Sponsored Body. The Board agree the strategic direction and governance of the organisation and the Executive Team (comprising the Chief Executive and the three Executive Directors) are responsible for the development and implementation of the strategic and operational plans.
Job purpose
The purpose of the Research team is to conduct and commission research and data analysis in support of Qualifications Wales’ principal aims in relation to qualifications and the qualification system. The team will provide advice on assessment and qualification practices in the UK and around the world and will provide expert services to the organisation to enable it to develop policies and deliver operations based on robust evidence.
The primary role of the Senior Research Officer is to produce and author primary and secondary research for Qualifications Wales and to provide support and advice to wider colleagues on a range of topics and to undertake technical aspects of monitoring and comparability work. The role holder will have research experience, ideally in the field of educational assessment, and will work with colleagues and external stakeholders to help establish Qualifications Wales as a body that works on an evidence basis and that is recognised as a leading organisation in the field of assessment research.
Main duties
  • Conduct and commission research regarding the technical features of qualifications and assessments, providing expert advice to colleagues.
  • Design, set-up and manage successful, sometimes complex and sometimes substantial, research projects, following appropriate procedures and setting and adhering to agreed schedules. Ensure these are in line with industry good practice on research and the Government Social Researcher Code.
  • Exercise professional independence and creativity and utilise specialist knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methodology and assessment principles to securehigh quality research.
  • Author and publish research papers and publications up to the standards required for academic journals and contribute to other papers.
  • Communicate research findings effectively within Qualifications Wales and with other external stakeholders and audiences.
  • Provide good practice advice on both assessment and qualifications and general research principles to internal colleagues for policy and regulatory activities.
  • Undertake and/or manage technical aspects of comparability and monitoring work led by operational colleagues.
  • Review Qualifications Wales’ research and consultation projects ensuring that projects meet professional standards. Ensure monitoring and performance data are designed and used effectively within research and evaluation studies.
  • Represent Qualifications Wales at relevant research focussed meetings and events, including at conferences, with a view to bringing back learning to improve qualifications in Wales.
  • Keep up to date on relevant world wide qualifications and assessment developments and provide advice on worldwide industry developments.
  • Build Welsh language and equalities issues (both substantive and methodological) into Qualifications Wales’ research and analysis.
  • Manage staff, when required, setting the parameters within which excellent service delivery will be achieved. Where appropriate supervise and guide junior research staff.
  • Work flexibly, performing any other duties as required, where relevant to the post and appropriate to the grade.

Person specification

Essential / Desirable
Qualifications / Honours Degree,MA, MSc or PhD or equivalent qualifications in a research related subject / Degree level qualification in education research/ assessment
Membership of a relevant professional body
Experience / Experience of setting up and delivering high quality primary and secondary research studies.
Experience of publishing peer reviewed reports.
Experience of peer reviewing work.
Experience of managing multiple projects concurrently. / Experience of conducting/managing research in the field of education
Knowledge / Principles, issues and techniques for analysing educational assessment.
Industry good practice on research and the Government Social Researcher Code. / Understanding of the education sector in Wales
Understanding of the UK qualifications sector.
Skills / Excellent analytical and interpretative skills.
Highly IT literate with a comprehensive working knowledge of statistical, mathematical and database packages
Excellent writing skills.
Ability to interpret, synthesise and present complex data.
Able to work independently or in the context of a team as required, including with professionals in specialist areas and external consultants. / Ability to communicate through the medium of Welsh.

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