Recruiting: Researcher, Centre for Public Data
Applications for this role are now closed. Thank you for your interest.
Date posted: Tuesday 30 May 2023
Closing date: Sunday 25 June 2023
Rate: £40-£50k p.a. pro rata (3 or 4 days per week)
Location: Anywhere in the UK
The Centre for Public Data (CFPD) is looking for a researcher to support the organisation’s work of strengthening UK public data. This is a contract position and you’ll be working remotely as part of a small, supportive team.
What you’ll be doing
Working across an interesting range of policy areas, your responsibilities will include:
Conducting research on data and data gaps across Government, and writing reports on your findings
Communicating your work in blogs and briefings
Interviewing and coordinating with stakeholders and partners, including organising and running meetings
Supporting the organisation’s advocacy work, helping to identify stakeholders and build relationships
Contributing to the organisation’s overall strategy and development.
About you
We’d like you to have the following:
Strong academic record, preferably with Masters or PhD
Demonstrable experience of writing and structuring your own research
Demonstrable experience of strong organisational skills and attention to detail
Excellent written English, with a concise and clear style
The ability to absorb information quickly, working in new policy areas, and synthesise it into structured, persuasive briefs
You’ll be working independently much of the time, so the ability to be disciplined with your work and manage your own time
A positive and proactive approach
The ability to give feedback kindly and receive feedback
Desirable: Interest in Parliament and its workings, or in public statistics and data.
Experience in public policy or media would be useful but isn’t essential. You won’t need technical data expertise.
About us
CFPD is a non-profit organisation that works to improve the quality of the UK’s public data to support civil society and democratic scrutiny. We’re non-partisan and aim to build a consensus for better public data across Britain’s political parties. We seek to influence new policy and legislation to produce stronger and more useful data, and work with partners to fill data gaps.
Since we began work in 2020, we’ve already had significant impact: we’ve helped secure stronger data on Covid loans and public subsidies, had amendments tabled to Bills, and had our campaigns featured at PMQs and in all major UK newspapers.
Our work reaches across government, and recent research has covered:
criminal justice, including a methodology to track data gaps that’s now being used by other organisations, and research into specific issues like data gaps on custodial remand
the private rented sector, including work on landlord registers and short-term lettings registers
the performance of external contracts, such as employment support providers.
You’ll be working directly with our Director, Anna Powell-Smith, who will support and coordinate your work. You’ll be supported by our board of directors, and you’ll also work with external contractors and a range of peer organisations.
With growing interest in data across government, this is an opportunity to publish practical policy research in an exciting area with real impact.
Pay and benefits
You’ll have a pro rata salary of £40,000-£50,000 depending on experience. This is a one-year contract position, but with the potential to extend. We’re expecting that you’ll work 4 days per week, but 3 days is available if preferred. You’ll also have a generous 30 days’ holiday allowance (pro rata) and employer pension contributions: a learning and development allowance is also available.
How to apply
Please send your CV, and a covering note of up to 300 words explaining how you meet the criteria above, to anna@centreforpublicdata.org by 25 June 2023. Please also link to or include an example of written research of which you are the sole author.
Suitable applicants will be asked to complete a short written exercise - we will pay for your time on this. Shortlisted applicants will then be invited to interview with Anna and one of our non-executive directors. Feel free to get in touch too for an informal discussion if you’d like to discuss the role with either Anna, or our current researcher, Gideon Leibowitz - we’re very happy to chat.
Note: This is a remote position and you can be based anywhere within 4 hours of GMT, but you must already have the right to work in the UK. We are not taking applications from agencies for this role.
Not for you? We may be hiring again soon, and we’re always keen to hear from people with skills in public-interest technology research and advocacy. Drop us a line at contact@centreforpublicdata.org or sign up for news.