Senior Policy Adviser - Knowledge Exchange

Inc Research; Bristol; On-site; GBP 46,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading research organization in Bristol seeks a Higher Education Policy Adviser to contribute to policy delivery and manage relationships with universities. Key responsibilities include overseeing funding allocations and developing policy strategies. Candidates should have strong project management, communication skills, and a keen interest in the higher education sector. The role offers a competitive salary and benefits including flexible working and generous annual leave.

Benefits

Flexible working

30 days annual leave plus public holidays

Access to pension scheme

Discounts

Qualifications

• Interest in developing knowledge of the higher education sector within UKRI.
• Strong project management skills, especially in research/knowledge exchange.
• Ability to communicate clearly, tailored to the audience.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to policy delivery on various KE topics.
• Respond to queries from Government on emerging policy.
• Assist with the design and implementation of KE funding assurance.

Skills

Effective team working

Project management

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Problem solving

Job description

A Higher Education Policy Adviser at pay band E contributes to the Council's work by working with colleagues to develop and/or implement Research England policy and by managing — and sometimes leading — relations with universities and other external organisations. The main responsibilities include overseeing funding allocations and funded awards, policy development, and assimilating qualitative and quantitative evidence to produce detailed papers and briefings.

• Contribute to policy delivery on various KE topics, especially on the Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) results;
• Respond to queries from Government, including updates on emerging policy priorities and KE policy activities;
• Assist with the design and implementation of KE funding assurance and accountability processes, particularly for HEIF, and support internal process management;
• Work on projects addressing emerging KE policy priorities and Research England initiatives;
• Support the development of evidence demonstrating the value of HEIF, both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Essential skills and experience include:

• Interest in developing knowledge of the higher education sector within UKRI;
• Effective team working, planning, and leadership skills;
• Strong project management and organisational skills, especially in commissioning research/knowledge exchange awards and resource planning;
• Ability to communicate clearly and accurately, tailored to the audience, following UKRI style;
• A creative, flexible, and positive approach to problem solving.

The post is within the Knowledge Exchange (KE) Policy Team in Research England, UKRI, which supports the higher education sector in engaging with businesses, public sector, and communities to benefit the economy and society. The team develops and delivers policies across various KE activities, including joint R&D, consultancy, knowledge transfer, and social enterprise development.

Salary: £45,272 plus £13,115 towards the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Additional benefits include flexible working, 30 days annual leave plus public holidays, access to the pension scheme, and discounts. For more details, visit our benefits webpage: Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).