Head of Research Strategy and Policy

The Purpose of the Role

Reporting to the Director of Research, this newly established role will lead on core areas of the University’s research strategy and policy activity. The postholder will lead a team of five, setting strategic direction in areas of responsibility and then managing priorities and delivery of workstreams and activities. The post requires close working with senior colleagues across the University to set ambition and determine priorities in relation to research strategy, policy, culture, profile, and reputation and will be responsible for coordinating activities that deliver significant value to the University’s research community.

Context:

Trinity Research

The Research Strategy and Policy team sits within the Trinity Research unit and reports to the Director of Research. The postholder will be a member of the Director’s Leadership Team which also comprises the Head of Research Impact and Engagement, Head of Research Governance, Ethics and Integrity, Head of Research Development and the Post-Award Manager. As currently configured, the post will lead a team of five. As four of these roles are new and have yet to be appointed to, the postholder will be significantly empowered to shape the team. The Director reports to the Dean & Vice-President of Research who has overall responsibility for Trinity’s research strategy.

Trinity Research is responsible for: delivering sector-leading support to the research community, leading work on institutional research strategy, research policy and research culture initiatives, leading the University’s engagement with national and international research funding and policy matters, and working to enhance the profile and reputation of the University’s research.

Main Responsibilities:

The Head of Research Strategy and Policy will have the following responsibilities:

• Team leadership: Lead the Research Strategy and Policy team, prioritizing team and staff development and ensuring the high performance of a team whose portfolio spans: research strategy development and implementation, internal policy review, external policy engagement, research information and performance monitoring, research quality and culture, university rankings activity, strategic internal and external reporting and senior committee management.
• Strategy Development and implementation: Lead, with the Director of Research and Dean of Research, on the development of institutional strategic research priorities and direct the creation, implementation and review of the resultant agreed actions. To include significant cross-functional working with colleagues across the institution including those in Trinity Innovation and Enterprise, EDI, Sustainability, Civic Engagement and Finance teams involving co-ordination of colleagues’ activity both within and outside of direct line management. There will be a strong focus on utilizing research information with respect to monitoring research performance.
• Institutional research policy development: Provide expert leadership in the development and review of the University’s research policies and policy implementation activities. This will include working on policies articulating the university’s position in a number of new and critical areas.
• External policy engagement: Monitor the national and international research policy environment. The post-holder will be responsible for keeping abreast of all relevant national and international research policy developments, for proactively and independently developing robust proposals that enable Trinity optimally to respond to them, and for presenting those proposals to the Dean of Research and Director of Research. Lead on the development of Trinity’s position on responses to research-related consultations and take responsibility for developing mechanisms to disseminate intelligence related to research policy developments within the institution. Take overall responsibility for developing and leading research foresight and horizon-scanning activities institutionally to ensure Trinity is optimally positioned to respond to emerging funding and policy-related opportunities.
• Research culture planning and delivery: Initiate, secure agreement for, and drive implementation of a range of strategic initiatives to enhance the University’s research culture. This will include proactively identifying gaps and building upon existing good practice to design, deliver and advocate for initiatives that create a positive research environment for all. Responsibilities will include for independently developing and delivering a range of actions to support and enhance interdisciplinarity and research networking within the University as well as initiatives that relate to meeting Trinity’s obligations connected to Wellcome, DORA and CoARA requirements, among other activities.
• Corporate research communication delivery: Direct the production of high-quality, flexible and fit for-purpose externally-facing research communications material. The postholder will engage senior colleagues to direct the development of research communications material that showcases the University’s research strategy, strengths and impact.

Person requirements

Qualifications

• The post-holder must be qualified to degree level or equivalent - essential

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Proven experience in a research leadership, strategic-level research management, or senior research policy role in a Higher Education environment
• Significant recent and relevant experience of strategy development and implementation within a Higher Education environment
• Experience in research-related policy development and implementation within a Higher Education environment
• Demonstrable, significant knowledge of of key current international and national policy issues relevant to University research especially in relation to research performance and culture
• Strong track-record in bringing new ideas and understandings that offer challenge to existing practices and that improve service delivery and outcomes
• Proven track record of leading and managing high-performing research support teams and in tracking and improving delivery standards
• Demonstrable experience deploying personal credibility to both relate to the academic community and to work with senior academic and professional colleagues to successfully influence change

Desirable

• Experience in assessing and delivering change to create a positive research culture
• Experience in managing research information related to research performance monitoring and reporting
• Experience in establishing new teams, setting high standards and driving high-quality service to achieve strategic goals

Skills and competencies

• Outstanding interpersonal skills and oral communication skills with an ability to inspire trust and build relationships and to communicate complex and nuanced positions in an accessible way - essential
• Demonstrable leadership ability with the skills to evaluate individual and team morale and performance and to create collegial and collaborative teams – essential.
• Excellent critical thinking and analysis skills with an ability to consider and digest a range of material, data sources and viewpoints to produce incisive and clear committee papers, memos and policy documents – essential.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritise across several high-profile workstreams– essential.
• A strong initiative-taker with the drive and ability to suggest and independently deliver innovative approaches and ways of working.

Trinity competencies

In Trinity there are 6 Core Competencies that are applicable to all roles across a range of professional, administrative and support jobs, unlike specialist or technical skills which may be job specific. They provide a common language for describing performance and the abilities/attributes displayed by individuals. They focus on ‘how’ tasks are achieved, not ‘what’ is achieved.

Below is a summary definition of the 6 Core Competencies.

1. Agile Leader:

Sees the big picture and harnesses opportunities to achieve the University’s goals. Creates clear direction for the future and how to get there.

2. Unlocks Potential:

Energised, capable and confident to take ownership and responsibility for their development and goals. Motivates, supports and develops people to perform to the best of their ability.

3. Service Ethos:

Finds ways to increase stakeholder and customer satisfaction. Builds relationships, is proactive and delivery focused in order to anticipate, meet & exceed expectations

4. Builds Trusted Relationships:

Communicates in a clear and respectful manner building trust and commitment for mutually beneficial outcomes.

5. Decision-making: Confidently makes timely decisions based on knowledge, evidence and sound judgement.

6. Achieves Results: Delivers results by setting direction, planning, executing and evaluating impact.