Senior Research Officer - Fire and Rescue

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government; London; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is seeking a Senior Research Officer for their Fire and Rescue team. This role entails delivering research that guides fire policy, requiring strong skills in both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The successful candidate will work on impactful projects aimed at improving fire safety across the UK.

Benefits

Civil Service pension scheme contribution of 28.97%

Learning and development tailored to your role

Flexible working options

Inclusive workplace culture

Qualifications

• Experience of conducting qualitative and quantitative research projects.
• Excellent planning and project management skills.
• Strong communication skills to convey complex data.

Responsibilities

• Delivering quantitative and qualitative research to inform fire policy decisions.
• Designing primary and secondary research.
• Managing stakeholder relationships to enhance research impact.

Skills

Planning

Interpersonal Skills

Attention to Detail

Project Management

Quantitative Research

Qualitative Research

Education

Undergraduate degree in social science

Job description

Bristol, Darlington, Leeds, London, Wolverhampton

Job Summary

Are you a researcher with experience in leading projects from design through to delivery and dissemination?

Would you say you have excellent attention to detail, with the drive to take your projects forwards?

If so, we have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Research Officer to join our Fire and Rescue team at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and we'd love to hear from you!

We are recruiting a Senior Research Officer to our Fire and Rescue Analysis team. This role sits in the Fire Research Team, who meet fire policy objectives through bespoke research solutions. Our objective is to provide robust research and evidence which contributes to keeping the public safe. This is across a broad policy area, working to enhance understanding of fires (for example, trends in fire incidents and likely future incidents), improve fire prevention and protection, and better understand the work of fire and rescue services. We do this through primary research and secondary analysis, and use our findings to assist policymakers in making strategic decisions.

Our work spans a range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies. This often involves hard-to-reach groups or looking into areas that are challenging to assess, as well as conducting secondary analysis of our world-class incident-level data. Projects that the postholder may work on include a mixed-methods project on how contaminants in fires might affect firefighters, and assessing the impact of climate change on fire incidents.

Job Description

• Delivering quantitative and qualitative research projects that enable the Fire directorate to make timely, evidence-based decisions
• Designing primary and secondary research and analysis, to fill evidence gaps and fill policy customers’ needs
• Analysing and synthesising a range of evidence to present compelling summaries and narratives
• Managing relationships effectively with policy and analytical colleagues, senior stakeholders and external organisations to ensure maximum impact
• Communicating succinctly and providing advice, with support of senior analysts, on the outcomes of research and analysis
• Providing oversight of junior analysts’ work, including potential opportunity to line manage a Research Officer
• Planning and prioritising a broad portfolio of work
• Delivering quantitative and qualitative research projects that enable the Fire directorate to make timely, evidence-based decisions
• Designing primary and secondary research and analysis, to fill evidence gaps and fill policy customers’ needs
• Analysing and synthesising a range of evidence to present compelling summaries and narratives
• Managing relationships effectively with policy and analytical colleagues, senior stakeholders and external organisations to ensure maximum impact
• Communicating succinctly and providing advice, with support of senior analysts, on the outcomes of research and analysis
• Providing oversight of junior analysts’ work, including potential opportunity to line manage a Research Officer
• Planning and prioritising a broad portfolio of work
  
  

Person specification

• Experience of conducting both qualitative and quantitative research projects
• Experience of designing research projects, including scoping out evidence gaps, defining research questions and developing research materials (e.g. survey questionnaires, qualitative topic guides, and data collection instruments)
• Experience of analysing both qualitative and quantitative data, including a range of statistical methods
• Experience of delivering research reports and sharing findings
• Experience of, and appreciate the strengths / weaknesses of, a wide range of research methods (quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, evaluation)
• Excellent planning, project management and prioritisation skills, managing a diverse portfolio of work with challenging and often competing timelines
• Strong interpersonal skills, including an ability to develop strong relationships with a range of stakeholders, both analytical and non-analytical, to identify their evidence needs, work closely and collaboratively with them, and provide constructive challenge when required
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical data and analytical concepts and practices to non-technical stakeholders, including senior leaders
  
  

Alongside your salary of £43,763, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £12,678 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
  
  

Selection process details

As part of our pre-employment checking process, we will be using your CV to confirm your job history. Please note that by providing us with your CV you are consenting to us using the information enclosed as part of the checking process. Unless stated otherwise in the advert, your CV will not form part of the assessment but will be used for information purposes and only shared with the panel at interview stage.

Our application system is designed to remove as much bias as possible from the recruitment system – this means that a hiring manager does not know your name, your details, see your whole application in one go (or have your CV at review stage unless stated otherwise).

Your answers are randomised and chunked up. This means that each assessor views sets of responses to each question rather than seeing a candidate’s full application. The science behind this is that recruitment can be subject to ordering and fatigue effects and we want to reduce this as much as possible.

Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors.

When Writing Your Application, Remember

• The assessor won’t be reading your answers sequentially.
• Do not assume that the same assessors will have read all of your answers.
• If talking about something in your first answer, make sure that you write the second answer as if you had not written the first (and so on!)
  
  

Stage 1: Filter and eligibility questions, entry tests

Candidates who successfully pass the initial filter and eligibility questions will be asked to confirm which of the analytical professions they belong to or are applying to be part of. This information will be used to progress successful applications to the appropriate professional checks element of the process.

Existing civil servants who are currently a member of one of these professions will retain their professional membership in this role. Applicants on promotion will be assessed for promotion within their profession as part of the selection process. Please make any current affiliation clear in your application.

External candidates or civil servants without a current profession affiliation may be considered for accreditation to one of the professions as part of the recruitment process. If you are not currently a member of a government analytical profession you will be put through the membership process for your chosen profession as part of this application. You must pass the membership process for your application to be successful. If you do not pass the relevant profession entry test your application will not be taken further. See the Guide for Analytical Candidates document for more details of the membership process for the relevant profession.

You will need to address the technical competences for your profession in the application and at interview.

Please refer to the Guide for Analytical Candidates which provides:

1 - The technical competences for each analytical profession – GES, GORS, GSR and GSS.

2 - details of the entry requirements to each analytical profession

3 – details of the entry process for each analytical profession

Entry Qualifications

Government Social Research (GSR):

Hold an undergraduate degree, at a minimum of 2:1 or 2:2 with a postgraduate degree, in a social science subject. A qualifying social science subject is one which contains substantial social research methods training (comprising around one third of modules taken in the course). It should cover quantitative methods and at least three of the five topics listed below.

Mandatory: Quantitative methods, including research design, data collection (i.e. questionnaire design, sampling, weighting), data analysis (e.g. statistical analysis)

Three Of

• Systematic/literature reviews
• Qualitative methods, including research design, data collection (i.e. interviewing, focus groups, ethnography), data analysis (e.g. thematic analysis)
• Interpretation of data (qual & quan), presentation of results, provision of recommendations/ conclusions
• Study design, hypothesis formation, testing and evaluation
• Application of ethics to research
  
  

Relevant degree subjects in the social sciences can be varied. Potential members need to demonstrate the substantial social research methods training they have taken and not merely the social science degree subjects.

OR

Professional Experience route: Hold an undergraduate degree at a minimum of 2:1, or 2:2 with a postgraduate degree, in any subject, or a degree equivalent (e.g. an advanced Certificate or Diploma from MRS), plus have at least 4 years’ social research practice experience. The degree requirement for Main Stream applicants is an undergraduate degree at a minimum of 2:2 with no need for a postgraduate degree. In any case, social research practice experience consists of experience working in a research agency, market research agency or specialist research team. To enter the GSR through this route you must make explicit the breadth and depth of your research experience and skills, which must include quantitative research methods and three of the following: systematic/literature reviews; qualitative methods; interpretation of data and presentation of results; study design, hypothesis testing and application of ethics to research.

Social Researcher Candidates (entry Test)

Candidates who ARE NOT members of Government Social Research service (GSR) will be invited to sit the Government Social Research Knowledge test. This is the first part of the GSR membership process and you must pass this test for your application to progress to the next stage of the recruitment process.

We will arrange for you to sit the GSR Knowledge Test as soon as possible. This test must be completed prior to interview and if candidates fail the knowledge test their application is terminated at this point.

Candidates who are EXISTING members of Government Social Research service (GSR) do not need to complete this test as part of their application.

Candidates who do not pass the filter and eligibility questions will not move to the second stage.

Competencies

You will need to address the technical competences for your profession in the application and at interview.

Social research competences

Social research: technical skills

Social research: using and promoting social research

At sift, we will be assessing

Technical (lead Element) - Describe a complex piece of research you delivered, including the methods you used and why these were chosen, and how you ensured it was robust.

Behaviour: Managing A Quality Service - Please outline an example of how you have made improvements to ensure a high quality piece of analysis

Experience: Please outline your experience of leading qualitative and quantitative research projects in a policy context.

There is a 250 word limit per question.

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift using the lead behaviour listed in the advert. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of the following success profiles elements:

Behaviour: Managing A Quality Service, Working Together, Making Effective Decisions

Technical - Candidates will be asked to prepare a 5-minute presentation, further details will be provided on invitation to interview.

In the full campaign we will test the below Success Profile Elements:

Behaviours: Managing A Quality Service, Working Together, Making Effective Decisions

Technical

Experience

SEO

• The salary for this role will be £48,104 (London) or £43,763 (National).
• For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply and is non-negotiable. If you apply for a role that requires a transfer of location, for example if you are transferring from London to a National location, your salary will be adjusted in accordance with our policy on transfer between HQ pay ranges.
• In order to receive this specialist pay band, you must be fully qualified and in a qualifying post as agreed by the Head of Profession.
  
  

Please note that the average employer pension contribution is based upon the National minimum salary for this role. Should your agreed starting salary for this role be different, the average employer pension contribution will be calculated accordingly. If you are a Secondee, this will not apply as you will remain on your home organisation’s terms and conditions.

Benefits

Transfers across the Civil Service on or after 4 October 2018:

Any move to MHCLG from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

For further information about the benefits available to MHCLG employees, please see the attached Candidate Pack.

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION:

• Wolverhampton
• Darlington*
• Bristol
• Leeds
• London
  
  

There may be opportunities for candidates to work flexibly depending on the business needs. This will be discussed with the vacancy manager on a case-by-case basis if you are successful for the role.

• Please note: The Darlington Economic Campus (DEC) is a pioneering new cross-government hub which will bring together people across departments and public organisations to play an active role in the most important economic issues of the day. The work of the Campus will make a real difference to people both across the UK and internationally. There will be substantial career opportunities and exciting prospects - a career at the Campus means you will be working at the heart of Government, with access to the benefits and fantastic opportunities offered by the civil service.
  
  

For further information on the DEC, please take a look at the attached DEC candidate pack.

Sift And Interview Dates

Sifting is envisaged to take place w/c 21/07 with interview dates to be confirmed. All interviews are currently being held remotely via videocall.

Reserve List

In the event that we identify more appointable candidates than we currently have posts available, we will hold applicant details in a reserve list for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. This may include roles at a lower grade. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this. Those candidates who do not wish to remain on the reserve list should contact [e-mail] to be removed from the reserve list.

Security Clearance Requirements

Please note that successful candidates will need to pass the CTC security checks – this requires you to have been resident in the UK for the past 3 years. Please refer to the MHCLG Notes on Security Clearance section of our Candidate Pack for further information on Counter Terrorism Clearance (CTC).

Candidate Pack Information

Please see attached Candidate pack for further information. The candidate pack contains information about the CS Commissioners appeals and complaints procedure.

Before starting your application it’s very important to make sure that you are eligible to apply and meet the Civil Service nationality requirements. All candidates are expected to read the information provided in the MHCLG candidate pack regarding nationality requirements and rules

Internal Fraud Database

The Internal Fraud function of the Fraud, Error, Debt and Grants Function at the Cabinet Office processes details of civil servants who have been dismissed for committing internal fraud, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned. The Cabinet Office receives the details from participating government organisations of civil servants who have been dismissed, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned, for internal fraud. In instances such as this, civil servants are then banned for 5 years from further employment in the civil service. The Cabinet Office then processes this data and discloses a limited dataset back to MHCLG as a participating government organisations. MHCLG then carry out the pre employment checks so as to detect instances where known fraudsters are attempting to reapply for roles in the civil service. In this way, the policy is ensured and the repetition of internal fraud is prevented.

For more information please see - Internal Fraud Register

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
  
  

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact

• Name : Rosie Phillpot
• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Recruitment team

• Email : [e-mail]