Job Description: Director of Research and Insights

Key responsibilities

Leadership and strategy

Support the translation of Crest’s long-term organisational strategy into clear organisational priorities (business plan) to ensure balanced growth, profitability, compliance and excellence
To provide strategic and intellectual direction to our in-house think tank, Crest Insights, ensuring it is in a position to grow and adapt to the changing needs of our funders and clients, to offer best value and impact
Work with the Partner for Consultancy and Insights to develop and maintain a high-performing think tank team that understands their shared purpose and can work well collaboratively to maximise their value externally to funders and clients and internally to our staff
Ensure compliance to all organisational statutory, legal and regulatory requirements, integrated within the overall management of the organisation risk management approach and governance

Culture and people

Role model Crest values being credible, courageous and collaborative at all times through exceptional leadership and management skills, maintaining visibility across research, supporting the development of policies, processes and activities that motivate, support and engage staff.
Enhance collaboration within Crest Insights and with our consultancy and inquiries practices, identifying and maximising opportunities for better integration both externally (in terms of partnerships and sales) but also externally in terms of skill development and synergies across content, working closely with our Director of Consultancy
Support on all HR issues (e.g. recruitment, performance decisions, disciplinary appeals) related to Crest Insights ensuring compliance to legal requirements and Crest policies and procedures
Work with the Partner for Consultancy and Insights and the wider senior management team to ensure Crest has a skilled and capable workforce, through a robust training programme for staff, supported by required changes in recruitment practice

External profile and business growth

Promote Crest Insights and its output through expert commentary, media appearances, public speaking and other public affairs work e.g. Select Committees, webinars, working with the Partner for Communication on Insights-related marketing
Create winning bids and proposals for new funding, working closely with the Partner for Consultancy and Insight deepening Crest’s relationships with trusts, foundations and other external funders e.g high net worth individuals and private sector sponsors
Cultivate relationships with existing/ new research partners e.g. police bodies, NGOs, universities, academics operating independently of their institutions and other think-tanks
Identify synergies and opportunities for collaboration and integrated delivery with Crests consultancy practice, led by the Director of Consulting, including joint proposals, shared networking opportunities and stakeholder management alongside the internal transfer of knowledge and insight

Delivery and quality assurance

Ensure the Insights team produces high quality rigorous research with timely and accessible outputs, which influence decision-makers within government, engage practitioners across criminal justice and public safety
Lead the design of research projects and provide ad hoc research methods support and challenge to other members of the Insights team and inform our wider consultancy practice e.g. contribution to Red Groups
Provide exceptional and robust client/funder management, through direct delivery and modelling of good practice to SMT and the wider management team to ensure quality, timely and profitable delivery
Support the Partner for Consultancy and Insights in ensuring a robust oversight process to the delivery of Insights work, identifying and solving challenges related to capability and capacity and ensuring that lessons learnt are applied into a process of continuous improvement

Financial oversight and governance

Support the development of the annual budget process, and adapt delivery and sales priorities and approaches to proactively
Ensure the robust oversight of resource management across all programmes of work within Insights - reducing overservicing, by meeting client/funders needs and ensuring robust bids and proposals

Position in Organisation

Knowledge, experience and behaviours

Essential

Experience operating at Director or similar level, with exposure to a think-tank or research environment
A clear understanding of the key policy issues, legislative agendas and surrounding, policing, justice and public safety missions and strategies
Experience in designing, delivering and promoting robust research in the police, justice and public safety sectors or equivalent
Experience of ensuring rigorous ethical approaches to research, taking into account safeguarding for both our funders, clients, stakeholders and staff
Strong expertise in both qualitative and quantitative research methods, with ability to deliver research projects and quality assurance to others’ work including report writing and policy development
Experience of creating winning bids and proposals for funding for new research projects
Proven track record of leading high profile and large scale research projects, delivering them on budget and time
Strong people management skills and a commitment to work collaboratively, motivate teams and support development of more junior team members
Experience of developing and maintaining partnerships and alliances with trusts, foundations, grant-giving organisations and other stakeholders
Experience managing and reporting on budgets

Desirable

A track record of conducting research within police, justice and public safety environment
Experience of developing and executing with success fundraising strategies and proposals in a research context
Excellent written and oral communication skills, with a track record of research publications
Experience of external engagement e.g. parliamentary affairs, public speaking and media commentary

General Responsibilities

Commitment to equal opportunities, social inclusion and social value
Cooperation with corporate policies and procedures, such as data sharing and security, safeguarding, social value and health and safety
Adhere to confidentiality requirements
Commitment to Crest Advisory values
Collaborate with and behave respectfully towards colleagues