Home Affairs and Social Policy: Senior Analyst

About the Senior Analyst position

We wish to recruit an exceptional candidate at a Senior Analyst level to grow our team of social policy researchers working in the fields of domestic and European crime and justice. We welcome interest from individuals with experience of policy research in topics such as: EU responses to serious and organised crime; European law enforcement cooperation; imprisonment and prison policy; drugs and illicit markets; desistance from crime; domestic violence and hate crime. The role can be tailored to individuals with excellent qualitative and/or quantitative research methods. Experience of policy research is essential.

Although the role will be based in our Cambridge office, we are currently predominantly working from home, so it is possible to be based anywhere in the UK in the short term.

See key responsibilities, skills and experience and qualifications for this position outlined below.

About RAND Europe

RAND Europe is a not-for-profit policy research organisation. Our mission is to help improve policy- and decision-making through evidence-based research and analysis. We realise our mission by undertaking objective, balanced and relevant research, sharing the insights and information widely, and working in partnership with a range of clients and collaborators. RAND Europe has offices in Brussels and Cambridge, and employs approximately 80 researchers: just over half of our research staff have doctorates with the balance holding other post-graduate degrees. Our work lies on the continuum between that of universities and consultancies, combining the academic rigour of universities and the professional, task orientated approach of consultancies. In addition to our strong ethos of evidence-based research, RAND Europe is a values-driven organisation, and our experience shows that our most successful researchers closely align their behaviours with our value set.

About the team

The Home Affairs and Social Policy Research Group undertakes contract research and analysis in a range of public policy areas: crime and justice (including responses to offending, international law enforcement cooperation, organised crime and illicit markets); education (including early childhood education and care, school effectiveness); employment and social policy (including skills, employability, gender equality, child and family policy). We have an extensive portfolio of work with the EU, national governments, charitable foundations and others. We collaborate widely with like-minded academic and other organisations across Europe and with colleagues based in RAND’s U.S. offices. We employ robust methods and offer multi-disciplinary perspectives.

Key responsibilities

• Manages and delivers complex projects, with some supervision, including monitoring budget, timetable and deliverables
• Coordinates and directly contributes to the delivery of written reports that present research findings for policymaker audiences with minimal supervision
• Maintains day-to-day contact with clients and funders
• Contributes to impact by identifying opportunities for communication of research findings
• Analyses calls for tender to identify proposal requirements
• Manages or leads small to medium size proposals
• Drafts sections of proposals
• Supports business development activities
• Supports strategic corporate initiatives
• Ad hoc duties as required

Skills and Experience

• Ideally at least 2 years of experience in conducting policy research in any of the following areas: crime and criminal justice; serious organised crime and policy responses to it; European law enforcement cooperation; drugs and illicit markets; imprisonment and prison policy; domestic violence and hate crime
• Undertaking data collection and analysis using appropriate methods
• Knowledge and experience of research designs for evaluations
• Relevant experience in similar role
• Experience in independently leading small to medium-scale analytical projects
• Report writing, preferably for policymaker audiences
• Advanced Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Expert use of NVivo or Stata/R
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
• Fluency in English (essential) and proficiency in other EU languages (desirable).

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a social science, public policy or related discipline – essential
• PhD in a similar subject area (or be close to finishing a PhD) – desirable

It is essential that the candidate already has the right to work in the UK.

Benefits package

• 8% Employer contribution pension
• BUPA medical insurance
• Income protection
• Group life assurance
• Employee Assistance scheme
• Enhanced holiday allowance
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Cycle to work scheme
• Company bikes
• Employee wellbeing initiatives

How to apply

Please submit an application via RAND Europe’s online careers portal comprising a CV, covering letter and a short writing sample in English (up to 3 pages, aimed at a non-technical audience), which will all need to be submitted as one document.

The deadline for applications is Sunday 31st January 2021.