"application/pdf" . . . "text/plain" . "text/html" . """Job Description _________________________________________________________________________ Summary Job title Research Manager Division Social Sciences Department CSAE, Economics Location Department of Economics, Manor Road Building, Manor Road, Oxford Grade and salary Grade 7: £38, 674 – 46, 913 p.a. Hours Full time (37.5 hours / 1 FTE) Contract type Fixed-term for 3 years Reporting to Dr Dennis Egger, Assistant Professor, Dept. Economics, and Rose Page, Executive Director, Centre for the Study of African Economies Vacancy reference 179266 The Centre 650 million people, or 8.5% of the world’s population, still live below the international poverty line of $2.15 per day. Despite concerted efforts from the international community, the UN’s first Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of ending extreme poverty by 2030 therefore remains highly ambitious. Which interventions and policies can make this a reality at the scale and speed required? An exciting new Research Centre lead by Dr Dennis Egger at the University of Oxford is being established, funded by the UKRI under the auspices of the Future Leaders Fellowship Programme. The postholder will join Dr Egger as the inaugural research manager of a new research centre for macroexperimental development at Oxford. The centre will focus on combining experimentation at-scale with more structural approaches to economics to learn about the challenges and impacts of large-scale development interventions. Thematically, the research agenda will initially focus on the macroeconomic and general equilibrium impacts of cash transfers and social protection more broadly, particularly in East Africa (Malawi, Rwanda, and Ethiopia). The vision is to build a platform for research helping to catalyse the scale-up of proven development interventions – cash transfers in particular – to reach millions of people living in poverty. The centre will work with partner organisations, including governments, international organisations, and the NGO GiveDirectly. There are several large-scale randomized controlled trials and data collections – on the direct and general equilibrium impacts of cash transfers and social protection, including in the context of refugees – in the field or in preparation, in Malawi, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. The research centre will manage these evaluations, including relationship management with partner organisations and governments, designing the core evaluation strategy and large-scale data collections. Given the scale of these challenges, no research team can answer all questions alone. The vision therefore is to build an Open Access interdisciplinary research eco-system to broaden the methodological approach and crowd-in scholarship by others, including assembling a high-profile advisory board, collaborating with additional investigators, providing access to data collection infrastructure and sites for field visits, sampling frames, the ability to add survey modules, etc. We will particularly engage local universities to build capacity in partner countries and establish scholarships to support Sub-Saharan African researchers at all levels. The Role The postholder will be integral in setting up the research centre in collaboration with Dr Egger. They will share the vision and a passion for implementing it. We are looking for an experienced Research Manager to join the programme from the outset, giving the postholder the opportunity to establish ways of working and help set the tone as the programme develops. The postholder will lead all operational and financial aspects of the research centre. They will help with hiring, and the setting up of systems and management structures. In its initial year, the centre plans to hire post-doctoral researchers, several doctoral students, and pre-doctoral fellows. The postholder will manage this team and support field research activities in East Africa, manage cross-project research synthesis activities, help build a platform for open data access, collaborate with the academic team on fundraising, and lead activities to promote research findings. They will also be engaged in relationship building and management with the advisory board, and partner organisations and governments. The postholder play a key role in co-developing research and empirical strategies, including survey and data collection design. Additionally, their involvement in conducting fieldwork, analysing data, producing visual outputs for publications and policy briefs, and co-authoring these outputs clearly demonstrates their integral role in the Centre’s research agenda. This appointment offers a unique opportunity to take on significant operational and financial responsibilities in a growing multidisciplinary research group in developing country settings, to train and mentor high quality staff, and to provide research management for more complex research activities. The postholder will be part of a dedicated research team at the Department of Economics at Oxford University, work closely with the Professional Servicesteam at the Centre for the Study of African Economies [CSAE], and perform a key liaison role with colleagues across the wider University, including at the Blavatnik School of Government [BSG], and the Oxford Department for International Development [ODID]. The role will be based at Oxford, but involve substantial amount of travel for fieldwork, workshops, conferences, and stakeholder engagement. CSAE and the research group can support this travel financially, as well as provide other research-related resources. Responsibilities 1. Quantitative research on specific research projects, including the following tasks: 179266 - Research Manager 2 • Match, clean and analyse household and individual level data, with support and guidance from the Principal Investigator; • Conduct and present original quantitative data analysis; • Construct and follow a coherent and structured data management and organization system; • Contribute to research presentations and publications. 2. Contribute to the design, management and oversight of field-based teams, including the following tasks: • Conduct tasks to support development of hypotheses and theoretical frameworks, such as: literature review, analysis of qualitative or administrative data; • Support development and coding of questionnaires (using SurveyCTO) and interventions; • Support the logistics and field operations of other projects; • Set-up data collection and management systems to ensure data quality and research integrity; • Build and maintain relationships with implementing partners; • Support PIs and implementing partners in developing budgets and activity plans, and monitoring spending. • Contribute to outreach and dissemination activities with support from the team to maximise the impact of the team’s research findings, including the following tasks: • Conduct policy advisory work and produce policy briefs and working papers; • Depending on interest, conduct cost-effectiveness analyses of interventions to inform policy discussions; • Work with the CSAE’s communications teams on dissemination of findings. 3. Programme leadership and fundraising • Work with senior leadership in developing a research strategy for the centre and in supporting fundraising (e.g. through preparation of grant applications). The group already has substantial funding, but further funds will be mobilized to complement these. 4. Relationship management • Develop and maintain relationships with implementing partner NGOs or governments in developing countries. • Establish and maintain links with UK and international programme collaborators. 5. Fieldwork and data management Build and manage organisational systems for fieldwork management and data collection. The postholder will be supported in this role by the CSAE Professional Services team; fieldwork management will be done in collaboration with research assistants and in-country survey firms. • Drafting and collating materials for ethics approval process for research projects; • Procurement and contracting of in-country survey firms and collaborators; • Arranging fieldwork logistics, including travel, insurance, and risk assessment; • Build and maintain relationships with implementing partners and survey firms; • Support development and coding of questionnaires and interventions; • Maintain and extend cross-project systems for ensuring high quality data collection, both during field activities and when data is cleaned and archived; • Establish robust data management systems and open access data platform for data sharing. 179266 - Research Manager 3 6. Programme management, contracting, and reporting The postholder will be supported in this role by the CSAE Professional Services team. • Oversight of programme budget, and responsibility for budget forecasting and management, and monitoring spending; • Manage the grant portfolio of the group, including oversight of financial reporting and contracting on all grants; • Liaison with partner firms in developing countries on financial reporting; • Maintenance of financial records in accordance with University Financial regulations; • Responsibility for post-award management using the Oxford systems; • Advising PIs, the research team, and collaborators on financial and procedural issues; • Drafting and managing collaborator agreements and consultancies; • Liaising with funders about ongoing project management; • Contributing to and editing draft reports to funders as required; • Managing arrangements for consultant researchers, including drafting contracts and authorising payment; 7. Personnel • Train and manage a team of pre-doctoral fellows and doctoral Research Assistants who will run fieldwork in developing countries and provide analysis support for existing and new Oxford-run research that is part of the research programme. This includes: • • 1. Recruitment, induction, task lists and feedback reviews, coordinating with the and/or Economics HR teams. 2. In collaboration with PIs, assign tasks and priorities, and monitor performance; 3. Capacity building with RAs and DPhil students and compilation of training materials and online shared resources. 4. Coordinating workshops, retreats or collaborative meetings, including regular lab meetings. Management of temporary research assistants, including recruitment and payment; Take overall responsibility for Research Assistants and field teams complying with university and funder research data management requirements. 8. Dissemination, outreach, policy engagement • In collaboration with the programme team, communicate relevant findings to key stakeholders, including policymakers, the media or other end users, through personal contacts, evaluation summaries, contributing website content, or arranging workshops and talks with assistance from the CSAE events team. • Conduct policy advisory work and produce policy briefs. • Build contact with groups whose mandate is to invest in scale-up of rigorously tested interventions. Selection Criteria Essential selection criteria • An undergraduate degree 179266 - Research Manager 4 • Technical training in experimental methods and an understanding of quantitative survey-based research and randomized evaluations (field experiments) to the level necessary for management of such research. • • • • • • • Ability to carry out independent quantitative research, including excellent skills in statistics/econometrics and programming software; Proficiency in Stata, R or Python; Demonstrable team working skills with a flexible can-do approach, self-motivation, resilience and a willingness to adapt to the changing team needs and priorities; Previous experience in project management; Proven ability to manage projects from inception to completion, including scoping, overseeing, and delivering projects; Exceptional organizational skills with a strong attention to detail and accuracy; Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to synthesise complex issues for a non-expert audience. Desirable selection criteria • Master’s degree or equivalent in economics (or similar) with a quantitative focus; • Prior experience working in a developing country setting in management of large-scale quantitative research projects is highly desirable. • Proficiency in using survey tools such as SurveyCTO. • Previous experience working or living in developing countries. • Experience in fieldwork budgeting and monitoring of expenditures with third party suppliers. Pre-employment screening Standard checks If you are offered the post, the offer will be subject to standard pre-employment checks. You will be asked to provide: proof of your right-to-work in the UK; proof of your identity; and (if we haven’t done so already) we will contact the referees you have nominated. You will also be asked to complete a health declaration so that you can tell us about any health conditions or disabilities for which you may need us to make appropriate adjustments. Please read the candidate notes on the University’s pre-employment https://www.jobs.ox.ac.uk/pre-employment-checks screening procedures at: 179266 - Research Manager 5 About the University of Oxford Welcome to the University of Oxford. We aim to lead the world in research and education for the benefit of society both in the UK and globally. Oxford’s researchers engage with academic, commercial and cultural partners across the world to stimulate high-quality research and enable innovation through a broad range of social, policy and economic impacts. We believe our strengths lie both in empowering individuals and teams to address fundamental questions of global significance, while providing all our staff with a welcoming and inclusive workplace that enables everyone to develop and do their best work. Recognising that diversity is our strength, vital for innovation and creativity, we aspire to build a truly diverse community which values and respects every individual’s unique contribution. While we have long traditions of scholarship, we are also forward-looking, creative and cutting-edge. Oxford is one of Europe's most entrepreneurial universities and we rank first in the UK for university spin-outs, and in recent years we have spun out 15-20 new companies every year. We are also recognised as leaders in support for social enterprise. Join us and you will find a unique, democratic and international community, a great range of staff benefits and access to a vibrant array of cultural activities in the beautiful city of Oxford. For more information, please visit www.ox.ac.uk/about/organisation. The Department of Economics Oxford Economics is one of the largest and most diverse groups of academic economists in Europe with a permanent faculty of over 50 including 11 statutory (established) professors, and there are additionally around 20 postdocs and early career researchers on fixed-term appointments of 3 or 4 years. Our members include some of the world’s most distinguished academic economists. We aim to produce first-class research across the range of the discipline, organised within nine Research Groups, covering all the major sub-fields as well as more specialist areas such as Economic History and Behavioural Economics. The Research Groups promote and support high-quality research and interaction, and provide an active and supportive research environment for faculty and research students in their field, including regular seminars/workshops. The Department is also home to several specialised economics research centres, including the world-renowned Centre for the Study of African Economies. Economists in Oxford are not confined to the Department of Economics, but are also present in other places including the Said Business School, the Blavatnik School of Government and the Oxford Internet Institute and candidates may well also find researchers with related interests outside the Department. In the most recent Research Assessment Exercise (REF 2021) Oxford submitted the largest number of researchers of all UK institutions to the Economics and Econometrics Unit of Assessment (UoA). Over half of submitted outputs, impact case studies and environment statements received the highest grade of 4*. Members of the Department provide economics teaching for three undergraduate programmes (including Oxford’s flagship Philosophy, Politics and Economics degree) and five graduate programmes including the MPhil and DPhil in Economics, with a total of around 1000 undergraduates and 330 graduate students. For more information please visit: www.economics.ox.ac.uk. Social Sciences Division The University’s academic departments and faculties are organised into four large groups known as Academic Divisions (Social Sciences, Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences (MPLS), Medical Sciences, and Humanities). The divisions are responsible for academic strategy and operational planning, oversight of the teaching and research of their constituent departments and faculties, and for personnel and resource management. The social sciences at Oxford are distinctive for both their depth and breadth, with over 1,100 academic and research staff 179266 - Research Manager 6 working across fifteen departments, faculties and schools. The Head of the Social Sciences Division is Professor Timothy Power. The Division is a world-leading centre of research and education in the social sciences. The Times Higher Education (THE) University Rankings returned the University of Oxford to the number one spot in the world for Social Sciences in 2022. We have placed first in three of the last five years (2018, 2019 and 2022). More than 800 researchers were returned to Main Panel C (Social Sciences) for REF 2021 across a diverse range of subject area ‘units of assessment’ – from geography and business to archaeology and law. Over 55% of the research submitted from the Division was judged to be world-leading (4*, the highest score available). More than two-thirds (69%) of the research’s impact was also recognised as world-leading (4*). Research from across the Division was also submitted to subject areas across Panels A (Medicine, health and life sciences), B (Physical sciences, engineering and mathematics), and D (Arts and Humanities), highlighting the enormous breadth and diversity of research expertise across the Division. Our academic and research staff and students are international thought leaders, generating new evidence, insights and policy tools with which to address some of the major global challenges facing humanity, such as sustainable resource management, poverty and forced migration, effective governance and justice. Particular research highlights in recent years have included COVID-19 and Climate Change. As well as active interdisciplinary links with researchers in other divisions at Oxford, we engage and collaborate extensively with other universities and a wide range of governmental and non-governmental practitioner communities such as law, business, public health and welfare, international development and education around the world. The Division has an extensive portfolio of external funders, partners and supporters, with competitively-awarded external research income exceeding £50 million per year and philanthropic income over £25 million a year. As part of our commitment to equality of opportunity, eleven of our departments have achieved Bronze awards under the Athena Swan Charter (a UK accreditation scheme recognising organisations’ commitment to equality and diversity, particularly in gender). Our School of Geography and the Environment holds an Athena Swan Silver award. In February 2023, for the first time, the University as a whole was awarded an institutional Athena Swan Silver award, acknowledging the progress that has been made in addressing a number of gender gaps across the University over the last five years. The Division delivers an exceptional range of high-quality educational programmes all underpinned by the innovative research being undertaken by our academics. The student body is made up of over 2,000 undergraduate students, nearly 3,000 students studying postgraduate taught programmes and 1,200 postgraduate research students. The programmes we offer are wide-ranging, often interdisciplinary and include professionally-oriented provision in areas such as business, law and education. The Division is home to several of Oxford’s most widely recognised teaching programmes, such as Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at undergraduate level; and at the Masters level programmes such as the Bachelor in Civil Law (BCL), Environmental Change and Management, International Relations, and Social Data Science. For more information, please visit: www.socsci.ox.ac.uk. How to apply Applications are made through our online recruitment portal. Information about how to apply is available on our Jobs website https://www.jobs.ox.ac.uk/how-to-apply. Your application will be judged solely on the basis of how you demonstrate that you meet the selection criteria stated in the job description. As part of your application you will be asked to provide details of two referees and indicate whether we can contact them now. You will be asked to upload a CV and a supporting statement. The supporting statement must explain how you meet each of the selection criteria for the post using examples of your skills and experience. This may include experience gained in employment, education, or during career breaks (such as time out to care for dependants) 179266 - Research Manager 7 Please upload all documents as PDF files with your name and the document type in the filename. All applications must be received by midday UK time on the closing date stated in the online advertisement. Applications will be considered by a selection committee. The selection committee is responsible for conducting all aspects of the recruitment and selection process. Candidates are encouraged to send their applications by 15th January 2025. Online interviews for shortlisted candidates are scheduled for late January 2025 - early February 2025. Information for priority candidates A priority candidate is a University employee who is seeking redeployment because they have been advised that they are at risk of redundancy, or on grounds of ill-health/disability. Priority candidates are issued with a redeployment letter by their employing department(s). If you are a priority candidate, please ensure that you attach your redeployment letter to your application (or email it to the contact address on the advert if the application form used for the vacancy does not allow attachments). 179266 - Research Manager 8 Important information for candidates Data Privacy Please note that any personal data submitted to the University as part of the job application process will be processed in accordance with the GDPR and related UK data protection legislation. For further information, please see the University’s Privacy Notice for Job Applicants at: https://compliance.admin.ox.ac.uk/job-applicant-privacypolicy. The University’s Policy on Data Protection is available at: https://compliance.admin.ox.ac.uk/dataprotection-policy. Hazard-specific / Safety-critical duties This job includes hazards or safety-critical activities. If you are offered the post, you will be asked to complete a health questionnaire which will be assessed by our Occupational Health Service, and the offer of employment will be subject a successful outcome of this assessment. The hazards or safety-critical duties involved are as follows: Travel outside of Europe or North America on University Business University Benefits, Terms and Conditions Details of University policy in the following areas can be found at the links provided. Salary Academic staff pay | HR Support (ox.ac.uk) Pension https://finance.web.ox.ac.uk/uss Sabbatical leave Council Regulations 4 of 2004 | Governance and Planning (ox.ac.uk) Outside commitments https://hr.admin.ox.ac.uk/holding-outside-appointments. Intellectual Property https://governance.admin.ox.ac.uk/legislation/council-regulations-7-of-2002 Managing conflicts of interest https://researchsupport.admin.ox.ac.uk/governance/integrity Membership of Congregation https://www.ox.ac.uk/about/organisation/governance https://governance.admin.ox.ac.uk/legislation/statute-ivcongregation Family support https://hr.admin.ox.ac.uk/family-leave-for-academic-staff. 179266 - Research Manager 9 https://childcare.admin.ox.ac.uk/home. https://www.newcomers.ox.ac.uk/. Welcome for International Staff welcome.ox.ac.uk. Home | Staff Immigration (ox.ac.uk) Relocation https://finance.admin.ox.ac.uk/relocation-scheme-arrangements#collapse1094916 Promoting diversity https://edu.admin.ox.ac.uk/home Other benefits and discounts for University employees Staff benefits | HR Support (ox.ac.uk) Pre-employment screening https://jobs.ox.ac.uk/pre-employment-checks. Length of appointment Appointments to Associate Professorships at Oxford are confirmed as permanent on successful completion of a review during the first five years. See Academic posts at Oxford | HR Support Retirement The University operates an employer justified retirement age for academic posts of 30 September immediately preceding the 70th birthday. See https://hr.admin.ox.ac.uk/the-ejra Data Privacy https://compliance.admin.ox.ac.uk/job-applicant-privacy-policy. https://compliance.admin.ox.ac.uk/data-protection-policy. 179266 - Research Manager 10 """^^ . . . . . "Turtle description of JD" . "text/turtle" . . "application/xhtml+xml" . "text/n3" . "NTriples description of JD" . "Past vacancies at the University of Oxford" . . . "application/rdf+xml" . "HTML description of JD" . . . "RDF/XML description of JD" . "JD" . "Document" . "value" . . . _:N4f03ce3027254bfb96d5136823116c97 . . . . "Title"@en . . "type" . "Format"@en . "Source"@en . "in dataset" . "Description of JD" . . . 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