UK Government and Public Services Researchers

Licensed sponsor London Full-time Posted 1 hour ago

Help make government work better for the people of the UK – join the Institute for Government.

Two roles available now to join the Institute for Government.

The UK Government team specialises in understanding how Whitehall, Westminster and the civil service – and the people therein – work. We develop rigorous innovative recommendations and programmes to improve these parts of the state. To do this, we work closely with ministers, MPs, special advisers and civil servants to inform our research and make the case for change. We are an enthusiastic, motivated team, and bring our diverse experience and perspectives – from digital consultancy to academia and parliament, to the civil service – to our work.

The public services team specialises in understanding the effectiveness of public services across the country as a whole and how and why performance varies in different places. We look at the funding of and demand for public services, and the impact of government policies on their performance and on the workforce that delivers them. We aim to identify examples of good practice, and consider why some innovations have worked and others have not, making recommendations for improvement.

We are looking for people who care about making government work better, and have the experience or expertise and motivation to develop the Institute’s thinking on how we do so.

This is a great opportunity for early-career professionals who understand the policy and political environment and value rigorous research communicated effectively through varied written outputs, media engagement and professional networks.

What you will do

You will play a central role in one of the IfG’s research teams, working with friendly and effective colleagues to help make government work better for the people of the UK.

There are two roles available: one in the UK government team and one in the public services team.

The research teams do a mixture of quantitative, qualitative, desk-based and in-person research, and organise regular panel events, roundtables, workshops and professional development opportunities with politicians, officials and other external experts.

As a researcher you will

Work to build the Institute’s understanding of how government is performing, and how to make it work better. By leading work on smaller research projects, or leading parts of larger projects alongside colleagues and with support from your team, you will play a core role in the Institute’s research. This will include:

Shaping the Institute’s research programme by helping to develop project proposals
Conducting rigorous qualitative and quantitative research and analysis, including literature reviews, background research, interviews with politicians, officials and academics, and undertaking data analysis.
Engaging colleagues and stakeholders to develop creative and workable solutions to the challenges the state faces.

Communicate the Institute’s findings in order to help government work better by:

Writing compelling reports, setting out your research and arguments, and making the case for change.
Writing and updating the Institute’s explainers to set out how government works.
Commenting on the latest developments in government, sharing insights and expertise drawing on your research via social media and short-form videos.
Engaging with the media, including TV and radio, to amplify the Institute’s messages and recommendations and discussing project findings.
Working with our events team to organise and deliver public events, roundtables, podcasts and other kinds of discussion, and presenting our findings and recommendations in these forums.
Developing strong relationships with your stakeholders.

Work collaboratively across the Institute by

Lending your expertise to colleagues and drawing on their insights and research to contribute to the Institute’s overall mission and in line with our new strategy.
Actively contributing to the culture and working health of the Institute. This includes working with our partnerships team to help secure funding for elements of our work, including supporting the development of funding proposals and liaising with partners about funded projects.

What we are looking for

Essential skills and experience

Enthusiasm for the Institute’s mission and understanding of our work.
Relevant professional experience, and knowledge of UK politics, public policy, and the workings of government.
Collaborative, team-oriented approach with excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to build and develop relationships at all levels.
A hands-on, proactive attitude to work, the ability to manage your own workload and deadlines in consultation with colleagues, and a willingness to develop new knowledge and skills and seek help where needed.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to write clearly and persuasively and with strong attention to detail and able to tailor written outputs.
A high level of attention to detail, including when producing high-quality work to tight deadlines.

Desirable

Research experience including novel ways of conducting qualitative or quantitative research and evaluation in similar fields.
Experience of working with ministers, parliament, special advisers, civil service, devolved and local governments, or frontline public services.

How to apply

To apply, please follow this link: https://app.beapplied.com/apply/d6qejritss .

Before applying

We advise all applicants to read the full job pack on our website before applying.