Senior Research Officer; Post-16 Education (Temporary)

We are recruiting for a temporary Senior Research Officer within the Children, Education and Lifelong Learning Team in the Research Service at the Senedd., + Take individual responsibility for providing timely, high quality advice, analysis and briefing, particularly on Higher Education, Further Education and Skills.
+ Provide confident and effective research support and advice to Senedd Committees and their Chairs.
+ Develop effective relationships with Members of the Senedd and their staff.
+ Work collaboratively with colleagues from different service areas across the Senedd to provide tailored and integrated support to Members of the Senedd and their staff.
+ Maintain the highest standards of accuracy, impartiality and independence in your own research and briefing work.
+ Work creatively to present impartial, engaging information to a range of audiences. Maximising social media opportunities for disseminating information and engaging with our audience.
+ Work with Members of the Senedd and their staff on developing and progressing proposals for legislation if within your subject areas. This would involve working with other researchers, lawyers and clerks, as well as external stakeholders.
+ Develop links and identify opportunities for joint working and for sharing information with your counterparts in other UK legislatures, academics, external stakeholders and others connected with public policy in your area of expertise.
+ Share responsibility for, and contribute to, the leadership and development of the Research Service.
Similar to all posts in the Research Service, you are likely to have to cover subject areas outside your immediate field of expertise in response to the information priorities of our customers and to work flexibly as necessary., 1. Research skills and experience: Experience of delivering policy research or briefing, in writing and verbally, including the ability to interpret and critically review complex technical, legislative and public policy information.
2. Political awareness: Sound judgment and sensitivity to political issues with the ability to shape your behaviour to deal confidently, impartially and objectively with Members of all political parties.
3. Subject knowledge: Extensive knowledge and understanding of at least one of the following policy areas with a good understanding across all three: Higher Education, Further Education, Skills. This includes policy knowledge within the Welsh context, but also within the wider UK context.
Welsh language criteria:
The language skills for this post have been assessed Courtesy Level Welsh.
Candidates should have the ability to:
To pronounce Welsh names, answer the telephone, greet people or make introductions bilingually
To understand and use proactively familiar, everyday, expressions
To understand very short texts where people are giving basic information about themselves or others in correspondence, on forms or to interpret content using the technology available.
For further information on the Welsh language levels, please visit our website., You will be updated on your progress via the email address you first register with. Please check your Junk Mail and Spam folders to make sure you don’t miss any future correspondence.
Interviews will be held in person in Tŷ Hywel, Cardiff Bay on 30 January 2025.
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.

You will be working directly with Members of the Senedd, their staff, and with Senedd Committees at an exciting time of significant focus on the policy areas covered by this post. As well as possessing the necessary skills required for the role, you will have the ability to work collaboratively, creatively and confidently with a variety of people. As a post with senior responsibilities you will be expected to have excellent research and communication skills. You will also need relevant policy knowledge, as well as the ability to provide advice and briefings on aspects of Welsh policy and legislation that fall within your area of expertise.
Within the team, this post has particular responsibility for covering Higher Education, Further Education and Skills. However, as demand requires, the post holder will also need to support work of the other subject areas within the wider remit of the team (for example this includes pre-16 education policy).
There will be a requirement to attend the office in Ty Hywel, Cardiff Bay to suit business needs.

Alongside your salary of £45,003, Welsh Parliament contributes £13,037 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%