Senior Research Manager

Centre for Sustainable Energy; Gloucester; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company pension scheme (8% employer, 6

25 days' paid holiday

Subsidised bike purchase

Life Assurance

Health Cash plan

Retail discounts

Discounted breakdown cover

Fees and expenses on relevant training

Flexible working hours

Job summary

Centre for Sustainable Energy is seeking an experienced research leader to shape and deliver evidence that supports a fair and sustainable energy transition. You’ll lead major research projects, win new funding, and build relationships with partners, funders and policymakers to ensure real-world impact.

You will oversee social research work, guide researchers, and develop opportunities to strengthen CSE’s portfolio while advancing its strategic objectives.

Qualifications

• Proven track record leading impactful research programs.
• Experience developing funding proposals and securing new streams of work.
• Skills in research design, data analysis, survey design, and evaluation methods.
• Excellent written and verbal communication for diverse audiences.
• Ability to coordinate teams, stakeholders and clients for delivery.
• Strong time management, prioritisation and problem solving.
• Deep knowledge of UK sustainable energy policy and social dimensions of energy transition.
• Self-motivated, flexible, and able to work independently.

Responsibilities

• Manage large, strategic, technically complex research projects including design, planning, ethics, data management, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation.
• Provide expertise in research management and social research across CSE.
• Bring advanced knowledge of social impacts of the UK energy transition and/or related specialist area.
• Lead and coordinate work of others, including external partners and subcontractors.
• Develop and maintain relationships with project partners and funders.
• Identify opportunities to influence policy and develop new funding proposals.
• Condense research insights into outputs, communications and policy influence.
• Present outputs to clients and stakeholders and represent CSE at events.
• Line manage two junior team members and mentor.
• Participate in workload planning across the Research & Analysis team.

Skills

Research leadership

Funding proposal development

Research management

Data analysis

Communication

Stakeholder engagement

Time management

Policy influence

Independent working

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:

An applicant appointed to the role will be expected to:

• 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.

To see a more detailed list of responsibilities please see the supporting documents attached. These documents are also available to download from our website.

Qualifications:

• 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.

Candidates with the relevant experience or job titles of: Research Manager, Research Project Manager, Research Project Leader, Project Team Manager, Funding Project Manager, Social Research Manager may also be considered for this role.

Benefits:

• 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.