Senior Research Officer

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people’s day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.

The objective of the Marine and Fisheries Directorate is to ensure our seas are cleaner, healthier, safer, more productive, and biologically diverse. This means protecting and improving the marine environment, both in the UK and internationally, and managing our diverse range of fisheries sustainably. Now that we have left the EU it provides the opportunity to improve how we manage our seas, whilst enabling marine, fisheries, and seafood businesses to thrive and develop.

We recruit by merit based on fair and open competition, we embrace diversity and promote equality of opportunity, and we are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. There is a disability confident scheme (DCS) for people with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

We are inclusive:

We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible and recognise how important inclusivity is to achieve the best outcomes. We hope to attract applications from all underrepresented groups.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

What will I be doing?

• You will join Defra’s Marine & Fisheries Evidence Division, specifically the social science team consisting of a range of social scientists working on research and evaluation across core Marine & Fisheries policy areas and programmes.
• Your primary role will be managing the evaluation of the UK Seafood Fund – a £100M fund to support the long term future and sustainability of the UK fisheries and seafood sector. The evaluation is under way and being conducted by a consortium of evaluation and industry consultants – you will oversee the work of the contractors and liaise with internal policy customers. This is a large and complex process, impact and value for money evaluation.
• You will also support and lead other social research or evaluation work within the Marine & Fisheries teams as appropriate.
• Maintaining and building engagement with external social scientists, arms length bodies (ALBs) and Devolved Administrations.
• Supporting the Heads of the Marine Social Science, Fisheries Social Science and Evaluation in regularly reviewing and developing our social science offer to the Directorate, including identifying new opportunities to upskill and maximise impact.
• You will join a community of social researchers and evaluators across Defra’s Group and have opportunities to further develop your skills through access to regular training and knowledge share events

Some of the activity that this role will be delivering includes:

• Working closely with Defra’s Marine & Fisheries Head of Evaluation – you will be responsible for the ongoing delivery of the UK Seafood Fund evaluation contract (process, impact and vfm evaluation) through to March 2025 when it concludes.
• You will work closely with the evaluation contractors to guide and quality assure the evaluation, ensure it is delivered to time and within budget and achieves key project objectives.
• You will work closely with the UK Seafood Fund administrators to ensure the evaluators have access to key programme and applicant information.
• You will work closely with Defra’s Marine & Fisheries Funding Team and the Fisheries Funding Board over the design of evaluation materials, the delivery of interim and final analysis/reporting and the development of action plans to support the dissemination and integration of key learning from the evaluation.

This list isn’t exhaustive but provides an overview of the activities the role will carry out.

Essential Criteria

• You will have knowledge and / or experience in applying mixed-method policy, programme or funding evaluation.
• You will have led or managed the successful delivery of process and impact evaluation projects.
• You’ll have experience managing suppliers to deliver complex social research or evaluation contracts to agreed time-frames and within agreed budgets.
• You will have knowledge and / or experience in environmental social or behavioural science methods.
• You will be self-motivated and comfortable using your own initiative.
• You’ll be an effective team player and will enjoy working with people to achieve shared goals. This includes proactively creating and maintaining positive, professional and trusting working relationships with people in the team, department and outside organisations. 
• You take a positive approach to tackling problems and find ways to identify suitable solutions whilst thinking ahead to anticipate, identify and address any risks or problems before they occur. 
• You will be well prepared, have good organisational skills, and excellent written and verbal communication skills.

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Government Social Research technical skills, with a particular focus on evaluation experience and skills

• 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 average employer contribution of 27%

A career in the Civil Service is like no other. If you’re looking to join a world class team and develop your career with us, then the Civil Service is the place for you! You might be wondering, “what’s in it for me”? Take a look below at some of the benefits available to you as a civil servant in Defra.

M & F Directorate Benefits

Learning and Development
Everyone in Defra is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. When you join the Marine and Fisheries Directorate, you will be welcomed into your new team through an induction programme that will provide you with helpful information on the civil service, Defra, our work and our policies.

Department Benefits

Technology
We’re a firm believer in agile and flexible working. When you join Defra, we’ll kit you out with a new Windows 10 Laptop, to make sure that you perform your best wherever you are.

Leave
25 days’ paid leave per annum rising to 30 days after five years’ service, in addition to eight public holidays and the King’s Birthday privilege day. We also offer
– competitive maternity, paternity, parental and adoption leave;
– study leave for the pursuit of academic studies;
– 3 days paid leave for volunteering per annum;
– 15 days paid leave per year for reservist training; and,
– generous paid sick leave.

Cycle to Work Scheme
Defra loans you a bike for your commute as a tax-free benefit. At the end of the loan period, you have the option to buy the bike, saving 30% of the original cost.

Season Ticket and Bicycle Loan
We offer interest-free season ticket loans, to all Defra employees with more than three months’ service, for purchasing train and bus season tickets, as well as station car parking. For those unable to take advantage of tax-free benefits, we also offer an interest-free bicycle loan to enable the purchase of a bicycle for commuting.

Gym, Social and Sports Activities
Our offices have a range of different onsite facilities, including gym, fitness facilities, games room, showers and cycle storage. There are also a variety of networks and social groups to join. Ask your line manager for more information.

Restaurant and Café Facilities
A range of our offices offer onsite restaurant and café facilities.

Civil Service Benefits

Pension
Your pension is a valuable part of your total reward package, and you will be given the chance to join one of three different pension plans. You can find more information on the Civil Service Pension on the MyCSP Website at www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk

Civil Service Sports Council
The Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC) organises a wide choice of activities throughout the UK, from art, gliding, abseiling and orienteering to cabaret weekends and quiz and curry nights. Your CSSC membership will provide you with FREE access to hundreds of national and local sites, in addition to savings at many high street stores, cinemas, restaurants and historic houses.

Office attendance

Successful candidates are expected to work from one of the office locations listed in this advert. Our current office attendance approach requires 60% attendance in Defra group workplaces or off site meetings with partners and customers.  This balance provides thriving workplaces to connect with colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs balanced with personal flexibility and choice.

Job contact :

• Name : Paul Harvey
• Email : paul.harvey1@defra.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk