Job Description
Job Title
Senior Research Manager /
Senior Consultant
Job Holder(s)
Updated Jan 2016
Reports
To nominated Associate Director (and/or line
manager) for operational management and to
individual Project Directors/Managers on
project related work.
Date
June 2015
Job Purpose
A senior researcher/senior consultant will develop, acquire and deliver research, evaluation
and consultancy projects within the Policy and Research (P&R) Business Unit which
operates in the UK, EU28, International markets and is arranged around key market areas
including:
 Ageing and older people
 Business and enterprise
 Children, young people and families
 Crime and justice
 Culture, sport and heritage
 Education, learning and skills
 Employment and labour markets
 Economic development
 Economic analysis
 Health and wellbeing
 Local and regional development
 Survey
 Transport
 Voluntary and community sector
A senior researcher/consultant will provide support to Project Directors on large scale
research and evaluation projects, and take full responsibility for small and medium sized
contracts from work winning and inception to the final report and project closure. Providing
effective project and client management, planning and monitoring delivery to agreed
timescales, quality, budgeting and invoicing. To maintain client contacts and develop a
specific area of business development / market interest.
A researcher/senior consultant will provide high quality, advanced quantitative and
qualitative research skills and applied experience. For example providing survey, sampling
and statistical/data analysis methodologies, qualitative approaches, qualitative analysis,
and/or economics, across our range of contracts and contribute to securing new business
using this skill set. Including experience of research and evaluation approaches such as
logic models and intervention logics. Knowledge of Economic Impact Assessment,
appraisals and feasibility studies, Cost Benefit Analysis, econometrics, statistical modelling,
regression, etc is also desirable.
Job Description
Updated Jan 2016
Dimensions
Financial
A senior researcher is be expected to deliver fee income (billable days) of around three
times annual reward package, dependent on experience and expertise (usually 15-16
billable days per month).
A senior researcher/consultant will be expected to help generate revenue through winning
new work for the business unit towards an agreed target. Usually in region of 1.5 to 2 x
reward package.
A senior researcher/consultant is responsible for the effective use of financial and other
resources in respect of dedicated projects that he/she is managing, including the delivery of
these to agreed budgets.
The post does not constitute a budget holder.
Staff
The post holder is responsible for managing the inputs of staff around business
development, work acquisition and project delivery activity where the post holder is the
identified Project Director/Manager.
The post holder is not responsible for the line management of staff.
Other
None.
Principle Accountabilities/Tasks
1. To win research, evaluation and consultancy work to agreed target levels.
2. To deliver research, evaluation and consultancy work on time and to budget, to a high
quality and to clients’ satisfaction.
3. To provide skills and applied experience in qualitative and quantitative methodologies,
including expertise in survey and sampling, statistical analysis, economics, and
econometric methods across our range of contracts and contribute to securing new
business in this area.
4. To develop the company's profile and undertake targeted business development activity
with existing and potential International, EU, and UK based clients.
5. To represent the company at conferences, events and seminars and contribute to
strategic policy debates in one or more of our core market areas.
6. To identify and respond to appropriate work opportunities in international, European,
and UK markets.
Job Description
Updated Jan 2016
7. To effectively manage to budget, client satisfaction and time, research, survey,
evaluation and consultancy commissions where the post holder is the nominated Project
Director/Manager.
8. To provide clear and focussed intellectual and policy inputs to the development of both
project proposals and project reports, including the co-ordination of inputs and principal
authorship of outputs.
9. To build and exploit strong working relationships within the division, across the company
and across the operating companies in the ECORYS Group by providing expert inputs
into the work of others in respect of specific policy areas.
10. Any other duties deemed commensurate to this role.
Qualifications & Experience
Qualifications
First degree in relevant subject or equivalent experience
essential
Post-graduate, professional or vocational qualification in relevant
subject
desirable
Membership of an appropriate professional body
desirable
Experience
Recent significant and demonstrable experience of the development,
delivery of evaluation or research into relevant policy interventions at
UK, EU or international levels
essential
Demonstrable experience of the successful application of analytical
approaches to the understanding and formulation of relevant policy
areas
essential
Demonstrable experience of preparation of social or economic impact
assessments, investment or development appraisals
desirable
Proven ability to acquire new work and repeat business from clients
including the preparation of high quality tenders and proposals
essential
Strong evidence of effective project management including the coordination of inputs under matrix management approaches
essential
Demonstrable experience of the authorship and co-ordination of high
quality consultancy and research reports
essential
Commercial awareness and evidence of an entrepreneurial 'can do'
attitude from work in the private sector
essential
Job Description
Updated Jan 2016
Academic or public sector experience of the development, delivery and
evaluation of public policy
desirable
Skills and Knowledge
Ability to manage complex contracts
Essential
Excellent communication and report writing skills
Essential
Excellent oral communication skills
Essential
Applied economic and/or quantitative research skills in our core market
areas/themes
Essential
European policy knowledge and understanding in our core market
areas and experience of working with European or other international
institutions
Desirable
European language skills
Desirable
Excellent professional networking skills to build solid client relationships
Essential
Excellent project management skills, with the ability to manage complex
contracts
Essential
Ability to develop people management skills
Essential
Ability to organise, analyse and evaluate complex data
Essential
Highly computer literate (e.g. MS Office: Word, Excel, Outlook, SPSS)
Desirable
Organisation - Please insert/attach organisation chart highlighting position of job
holder.
The post holder reports to a nominated associate director or director acting as the line
manager.
The post holder reports to other Project Directors/Project Managers in respect of the
delivery of individual business development, work acquisition and project activity.
The post holder is responsible for the co-ordination and management of staff inputs to
business development, work acquisition and project activity where he or she is the
nominated Project Director/Project Manager.
The post holder liaises with other senior consultants across the company in respect of
activity at this level.
Job Description
Updated Jan 2016
Additional Information
Salary dependent on experience and expertise.
Other benefits commensurate with post of senior consultant.
Training is provided based on a needs assessment conducted with the line manager.
Twice yearly annual appraisals are undertaken to set objectives and review performance.
A criminal records check may be required.
Job Holder Signature:
Date
Managers Signature:
Date