Research jobs in United Kingdom

Location: Cardiff or virtually via MS Teams.

Time Commitment: Minimum of 1-2 days per month.

Tenure of office: Initial appointment of 4 years.

Remuneration: £337 per full day.

Closing date: 1 September 2025

Shortlisting: week commencing 19 September 2025

Interviews: week commencing 13 October 2025

Intended Start date: 1 January 2026, with handover from appointment.

Role Description

Strategic Functions

The Chair will oversee the delivery of:

• Local Government Electoral Boundary Reviews.
• Senedd Boundary Reviews.
• Remuneration policy and determinations.
• Election administration support through the Electoral Management Board.

They will also:

• Provide leadership for the Commissioners and secretariat, including line management of the Chief Executive.
• Lead on the Commission’s responsibilities for partnership working.

Stakeholder Management

• Ensure strong and effective relationships with key stakeholders.

Communication and Engagement

• Ensure effective consultation and engagement on proposals in accordance with the Commission’s Communication and Engagement strategy, ensuring feedback is used to support continuous learning and improvement.
• Ensure consultation is fully compliant with statutory legislative framework and used to inform decision making for all electoral reviews and remuneration determinations.
• Ensure Commission decisions are communicated clearly and all communications are accessible.

Analysis of information / use of research and evidence to support effective decision making

• Analyse and interpret information and make effective use of evidence to support panel decision making on Local Government Electoral and Senedd Boundary Review options and remuneration.
• Identify trends across all aspects of Commission programmes to inform a research and evidence plan that ensures the Commission is contributing to the Democratic health of the nation.
• Use evidence and research in the provision of advice to the Welsh Government on the state of Democratic health in Wales.

Policy Development

• Develop policy, practice and robust methodology to support decision making
• Provide guidance and advice to key stakeholders on the effective running of devolved elections in Wales, remuneration policy and determinations, and electoral reviews.
• Through shared learning, develop and implement guidance for the effective delivery of elections across Wales.

Legislative Framework

• Understand the legislative framework that impacts decisions and Commission work.
• Ensure the Commission is working within the legislative framework.
• Horizon scan for future changes to legislation that are likely to impact the functions of the Commission.

Corporate Governance

• Ensure the organisation is fit for purpose with effective corporate governance arrangements in place in respect to financial and risk management and organisational development.
• Ensure plans and policies are regularly reviewed.
• Provide leadership and strategic direction to the organisation and support the Chief Executive and senior leadership team to delivery corporate objectives and drive a culture of continuous improvement.
• The Chair will specifically lead the way in terms of the Commission’s role in meeting Welsh Language standards, equalities duties, sustainable development and partnership working.
• Ensure the delivery of outcomes against the Commission strategy and organisational plan, delivery of Welsh Government objectives and that the Minister’s Remit Letter is fulfilled.

Performance Management and Quality Assurance

• Oversee the quality assurance process for the production of draft and final reports.
• Ensure the effective monitoring of the Commission’s performance.

Review Programme

• Delivering a full review of Senedd constituency boundaries that will be the basis of the 2030 Senedd Elections.
• Developing the Policy and Practice and Council Size Methodology for the next Electoral Review Programme, reflecting learning from the previous programme and commissioning research on specific issues.
• Ensure there is wide ranging consultation with Welsh Government, Principal Councils, Community and Town Councils, and all other stakeholders.
• Assessing a range of options for the numbers of councillors and the areas they represent, taking into account the complexities, and often contradictions, of the demography and infrastructure of the area under review and a wide range of opinions from consultation feedback
• Acting collectively in making draft and final decisions on individual electoral reviews.
• Working with principal councils to ensure community boundaries and electoral arrangements are regularly reviewed and coordinated with the programme of electoral reviews.
• Acting collectively in making orders on individual community reviews.
• Being aware, at all times, of the risks, reputational and other, associated with the reviews and the potential consequences for the Commission, its members and Welsh Government.
• Ensuring Commissioner’s responsibilities for overseeing a number of specific Electoral Reviews as Lead Commissioner carry out their role in leading presentations and addressing engagement meetings with Principal Council councillors, including group leaders, and senior council officers; Community and Town councillors and and clerks; the public and other groups who may be interested in the review

Welsh language requirements

• Welsh language requirements:3 – Although Welsh language skills are not essential for this post, they would be an asset. This role is a Welsh language skills desirable role.
• Understanding by reading:1 – Can read some basic words and phrases with understanding
• Speaking and being understood:1 – Can hold a basic conversation in Welsh
• Understanding by listening:1 – Can understand parts of a basic conversation
• Writing and being understood:1 – Can write basic messages on everyday topics

The Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Disability Confident Scheme

The Welsh Government is a Disability Confident Leader. We guarantee to interview any candidate with an impairment, health condition, who is neurodivergent or who uses British Sign Language if they meet the minimum criteria for the post.

Social Model of Disability

Welsh Government has adopted the social model of disability, which recognises that barriers in societyact to disable people who have impairments, or health conditions, who are neurodivergent or who use British Sign Language.

We are committed to removing barriers in the recruitment process so that all (or potential new) staff can perform at their best.

Recruitment adjustments can be made at any part of the recruitment process for candidates with an impairment or health condition, who are neurodivergent or who use British Sign Language.

How to Apply

All applications for this vacancy must be made using our online application system.

Unless stated otherwise in the ‘Other vacancy-related information for advert’, the Welsh Government cannot offer Visa sponsorship. Welsh Government holds a Visa sponsorship licence, but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

Applications are welcomed from people with a diverse range of lived and professional experiences. We are actively committed to becoming an increasingly diverse organisation which represents the diverse communities we serve. There are a number of Diversity networks that staff can participate in, which include the Disability Awareness and Support Staff Network; Minority Ethnic Staff Network; Mind Matters (Mental health and well-being); PRISM (LGBTI+), Women Together and the Neurodivergence Network.

If you have an impairment which prevents you from applying online, pleaseemail our recruitment team.You can:

• request an application pack in an alternative format
• request a recruitment adjustment to help you submit your application

Use the ‘Apply’ button to submit your application. You will be asked to register if you don’t have an account or sign in if you do. Registration takes a few minutes and you will need an email address.

You should check your Application Centre regularly for updates to your application. Please also check your spam/junk folder in case any communication regarding your application and/or assessment details finds its way there.

Once you’ve registered for an account and logged in, you’ll be taken to the online application form. You must complete this and submit it before the deadline on the closing date. We will not consider an incomplete application form.

If you would like to apply for this vacancy in Welsh, please use the Change Language link on this page.We welcome applications in Welsh, and applications submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than applications submitted in English.