Senior Research Manager

Centre for Sustainable Energy; Bath; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension

25 days holiday

Bike purchase

Life Assurance

Health plan

Retail discounts

Breakdown cover

Job summary

Centre for Sustainable Energy in Bath is seeking an experienced research leader to shape and deliver social research for a fair energy transition. You will lead major projects, design research strategies, manage partners, and shape funding proposals to strengthen CSE's portfolio and influence policy.

The role requires coordinating teams, presenting outputs to clients and policymakers, and advancing social and behavioural evidence to reduce fuel poverty and accelerate sustainable change.

Qualifications

• Track record of leading impactful, large-scale research.
• Experience developing funding proposals and new streams of work.
• Proficient in numerical/data analysis and survey design.
• Strong written and verbal communication for diverse audiences.
• Ability to produce clear research reports and concise summaries.
• Experience coordinating teams and stakeholders for delivery.
• Excellent time management and multi-tasking.
• Advanced knowledge of UK sustainable energy policy and social dimensions.
• Self-motivated with independence in work.

Responsibilities

• Manage large, strategic and technically complex research projects, including design, planning, ethics, data management, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation.
• Provide expertise in research management and social research across CSE.
• Contribute advanced subject knowledge in the social impacts of the UK energy transition and/or a specialist area relevant to CSE's mission.
• Provide leadership and coordination of the work of others, including external partners and subcontractors.
• Develop and maintain relationships with project partners and funders.
• Identify opportunities for CSE to influence policy and industry developments, and develop new funding proposals.
• Consolidate research insights to deliver outputs, communications and policy influence.
• Present outputs to clients and wider stakeholders and represent CSE at external events.
• Line manage two junior members of the team, providing mentoring and support.
• Participate in effective workload planning across the Research & Analysis team.

Skills

Leadership

Research management

Data analysis

Survey design

Qualitative methods

Evaluation methods

Excellent communication

Report writing

Project budgeting

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

We are looking for an experienced research leader to help shape and deliver research that supports a fair and sustainable energy transition. You'll lead major research and evaluation projects, develop new opportunities for CSE's work, and build relationships with partners, funders and policymakers to ensure our evidence informs real-world decisions. You will identify new opportunities, develop compelling funding proposals, and work with colleagues to win new projects that strengthen CSE's research portfolio and influence. You'll manage large, strategic and technically complex research projects, providing social research expertise and advanced subject knowledge to advance CSE's strategic objectives. Through your work, you will help ensure that social and behavioural evidence plays a central role in reducing fuel poverty, tackling climate change and creating a more equitable energy system.

Specific responsibilities:

• Manage large, strategic and technically complex research projects, including research design, planning, ethics, data management, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation.
• Provide expertise in research management and social research across CSE.
• Contribute advanced subject knowledge in the social impacts of the UK energy transition and/or a specialist area relevant to CSE's mission.
• Provide leadership and coordination of the work of others, including external partners and subcontractors.
• Develop and maintain relationships with project partners and funders.
• Identify opportunities for CSE to influence policy and industry developments, and develop new funding proposals.
• Consolidate research insights to deliver impactful outputs, communications and policy influence.
• Present outputs to clients and wider stakeholders and represent CSE at external events.
• Line manage two junior members of the team, providing mentoring and support.
• Participate in effective workload planning across the Research & Analysis team.

Essential attributes for this role include:

• A strong track record of conducting and leading impactful research, including complex, large-scale projects.
• Experience developing successful funding proposals and new streams of work.
• Research methods skills, including numerical/data analysis, survey design, and qualitative and/or evaluation methods.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage a wide range of audiences.
• Ability to produce clear, accurate research reports and effective technical and non-technical summaries.
• Effective coordination of teams, stakeholders and clients for the purposes of project delivery.
• Excellent time management skills, including priority setting, multi-tasking and problem-solving.
• Advanced knowledge of UK sustainable energy policy and the social and behavioural dimensions of the energy transition.
• A positive, flexible approach, self-motivated with the ability to work independently.

CSE offer a range of other benefits including:

• Company pension scheme (8% employer, 6% employee contributions)
• You will be entitled to 25 days' paid holiday (plus statutory holidays)
• Subsidised bike purchase and Tech Scheme
• Life Assurance
• Health Cash plan
• Retail discounts
• Discounted breakdown cover and many more.

We will pay fees and expenses on relevant training courses.

We are flexible with the working hours of this role and will discuss this openly if you are invited to interview.