Senior Research Portfolio Manager: Public Policy and Engagement

at  Economic and Social Research Council ESRC

Senior Research Portfolio Manager: Public Policy and Engagement (x2)
Positions available: 2
Grade: E
Contract Type: Open-ended
Hours: Full time/Part time (minimum 0.8FTE)
Location: This is a Swindon-based role (1 day per week minimum) with flexible home working available by agreement. The role involves occasional travel within the UK.

JOB PURPOSE

These are key roles in the PPE team working to strategically manage a range of innovative policy-focused investments. The roles will also work in collaboration with others to develop new initiatives which expand our activity in key areas. The post holders are required to work in close collaboration with colleagues from across ESRC and UKRI to deliver and develop strategic investments.
These roles are supported by other senior portfolio manager roles two portfolio manager roles and two portfolio officer roles. This role involves line management.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Working with senior colleagues to help design, deliver and manage key investments such as the policy observatories, What Works Centres and people exchange programmes, in addition to working on other programmes of activity developed within the Public Policy and Engagement portfolio
• Contribute to the on-going development of ESRC’s strategy for public policy engagement, including with local, UK and devolved government researchers and organisations which support knowledge exchange
• Contribute to the on-going development of ESRC’s evidence centres, evidence synthesis work and building a translational architecture to ensure research is used effectively to address key policy challenges
• Performance manage a range of investments within an assigned portfolio, including ensuring outputs, outcomes and opportunities for impact are optimised, and risks identified and managed appropriately
• Connect the team’s investments with investments across ESRC’s and UKRI’s wider portfolios to maximise opportunities for impact with a focus on UK, devolved and local government
• Enable colleagues in ESRC to have knowledge and access to tools which support increased engagement, and innovation, in social science and policy maker collaboration
• Develop and maintain knowledge and intelligence on upcoming and on-going activities relevant to the team’s work and the wider policy engagement and evidence landscape
• Line manage team members, ensuring they are supported in their work and can develop new skills.

Specific knowledge and experience relevant to the role, including:

• Experience in research management, research commissioning or related roles within the research and innovation sector, or ability to demonstrate an equivalent level of knowledge and understandin