Description
To assist in the development and implementation of policy for SFC’s support for Scottish university research and innovation, including provision of data analysis and the co-ordination and implementation of directorate planning.
This role is fixed term for 18 months.
Key Responsibilities
- Support work in monitoring and understanding the performance of the Scotland’s university research and innovation base, including data analysis and evidence development.
- Assist in the development and implementation of strategic programmes to deliver SFC’s vision for research and innovation.
- Undertake data analysis as required to provide advice and guidance to internal and external stakeholders.
- Assist in drafting Committee and Working Group papers, consultation papers, reports and letters on research and innovation policies and priorities.
- Co-ordinate and support directorate planning processes, including ensuring timely input into cross-SFC processes and risk register development.
- Work with and support the Director and the Directorate Leadership Group and its approach to working, planning and implementation.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
It is important through your CV / Cover Letter that you give evidence of proven experience of each of the following essential criteria:
Essential
- Effective oral and written communications skills, including the capacity to analyse, understand and respond to complex issues in an appropriate manner.
- Experience of liaising/working with external stakeholders.
- Good interpersonal skills in order to build, develop and maintain working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, as well as to work flexibly with colleagues in other parts of the organisation.
- Experience in working with data and basic data analysis techniques.
- Excellent organisational abilities to respond to a diverse and changing workload while maintaining a high degree of attention to detail.
- A resilient, positive and flexible approach.
- Qualified to SCQF Level 9 (Degree) or equivalent experience. Knowledge of UK Higher Education institutions.
Desirable
- Policy development or implementation experience.
- Understanding of research and innovation policy in the Scottish and UK context and of the main policy issues in higher education.
- Evidence of project management experience or a project management qualification.
- SCQF Level 9 (Degree) qualification in a numerate subject or other data qualification or equivalent experience.
Terms and Benefits
Normal full-time hours of work are 35 per week. We will consider flexible working arrangements. A flexi-time system is in operation.
- Annual leave entitlement of 26.5 days pro-rata, rising to 30 days pro-rata after 2 years’ continuous service. Public and privilege holiday entitlement of 13 days pro-rata.
- A flexible approach to hybrid working, giving you flexibility to work from home anywhere in the UK for some of the time while also maintaining regular in-person contact with colleagues.
- Annual pay review: approved within the framework of the Scottish Government’s Public Sector Pay Policy and negotiated with our recognised trade union, Unite. Salaries are reviewed annually in April for employees who commence employment prior to 1 October in the preceding year.
- Eligibility to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme. With its low member contribution rates and generous employer contributions, this gives you a secure, inflation-proof pension for life with no investment uncertainty. Details of contribution rates together with further details of the pension benefits are available on the Civil Service Pensions website. There is also the option of a Partnership pension account.
- Support for continuous professional development: as a part of SFC, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive support for continuous learning and professional development. Civil Service-Learning curriculum has thoughtfully designed to cater to various learning preferences, allowing employees to engage in a manner that best suits their needs. All our educational resources are conveniently accessible through the CSL website.
- Support for health and wellbeing, including generous occupational sick pay, free access to confidential advice and support through our 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, Special Leave (paid and unpaid), a contribution to learning outside work through our Lifelong Learning Fund, free winter flu vaccination, and access to occupational health support.
- We provide support to SFC employees with Volunteering Days.
- Support for travel to and from work, including a salary sacrifice cycle loan scheme, cycle storage and shower facilities, an interest-free loan for bus or rail season tickets and free office car parking for employees on a first-come basis.
Although most salaried roles are advertised as full time positions (35 hours a week), we are happy to discuss part-time or compressed hours to suit a candidates circumstances. We also operate a flexible working scheme to work around a candidate's other commitments such as caring responsibilities.
We will consider secondment applications for most salaried fixed-term or temporary positions and in many cases also for salaried permanent positions. If you are interested in applying on a secondment basis and this option is not explicitly mentioned in the job advert, please contact [email protected] for further information.
About Scottish Funding Council
We are the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council, more commonly known as the Scottish Funding Council (SFC).
We are Scotland’s tertiary education and research authority and our purpose is to sustain a world-leading system of tertiary education, research and innovation that enables students to flourish, changes lives for the better, and supports social, economic and environmental wellbeing and prosperity.
We are Scotland’s tertiary education and research authority and our purpose is to sustain a world-leading system of tertiary education, research and innovation that enables students to flourish, changes lives for the better, and supports social, economic and environmental wellbeing and prosperity.
We do this by investing around £2 billion of public money to deliver:
- Tertiary learning and teaching.
- Skills and apprenticeships.
- Student support and participation.
- Research, innovation and knowledge exchange.
- Data collection and dissemination.
- National quality assurance and enhancement processes.
- Capital and digital infrastructure for the sector.
- Strategic change, responsive provision and research priorities.
As a non-departmental public body established by the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005, we are directly accountable to Scottish Government Ministers and the Scottish Parliament. We work across many government portfolios and are sponsored by the Lifelong Learning Directorate.
We hold colleges, universities and other funded bodies to account for their delivery of required outcomes. We are also the statistical authority for colleges, and work closely with the UK-wide Higher Education Statistical Authority (HESA), to provide data and statistics for government, decision-makers, and the wider public.
We work in partnership with a wide range of partners and bodies, including those we fund, across all aspects of our remit.
General information for applicants for SFC roles
You must already be eligible to work in the UK to apply for these roles. SFC do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skills Worker License and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.
We are pleased to support applications from everyone regardless of age, disability, race and ethnicity, socio-economic background, gender, sexual orientation, sex, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, as well as those who have skills in Scottish Gaelic or British Sign Language, who have the right skills for the job.
General information for applicants for SFC roles
You must already be eligible to work in the UK to apply for these roles. SFC do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skills Worker License and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.
We are pleased to support applications from everyone regardless of age, disability, race and ethnicity, socio-economic background, gender, sexual orientation, sex, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, as well as those who have skills in Scottish Gaelic or British Sign Language, who have the right skills for the job.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and actively encourage interviews through the scheme.
Further information about SFC is available on our website Scottish Funding Council home page (sfc.ac.uk). Additional information about our recruitment process can be found at Recruitment FAQs | Scottish Funding Council Careers (sfc.ac.uk).
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