Díghníomhaithe

Leibhéil Eile Oideachais

Máirt DFómh 26 2021

Déar Samh 4 2021

Eile

1

Research Support Officer

ORGANISATION
Early Childhood Ireland is the leading organisation in the early years sector. It supports 3,900 childcare members, who in turn support over 120,000 children and their families through preschool, after-school, and full day-care provision nationwide. Early Childhood Ireland provides a range of professional supports and services for its members, and campaigns for better early learning and care and school age childcare provision in Ireland.

Early Childhood Ireland wishes to appoint a:

Research Support Officer (full-time, 3-year contract)

Reporting to:
Research and Professional Learning (RPL) Manager

Employer:
Early Childhood Ireland

Location:
Currently the organisation is trialing a hybrid working arrangement with weekly attendance in the offices of Early Childhood Ireland, in line with public health guidance. Early Childhood Ireland's offices are in Tallaght, Dublin 24 and this may be subject to change.

Working Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week.
At times, flexibility will be required due to occasional travel.

Salary and conditions:
€35,749 - €45,616; point on range dependent on experience.

There is a holiday entitlement of 23 days, rising to 24 days after two years’ service.

Bike to Work Scheme, TaxSaver Commuter Ticket Scheme, Employee Assistance Programme, Hospital Saturday Fund, two privilege days, flexi-time, paid maternity, parental and parents’ leave after two full years’ service.

Contract Duration:
This is a 3-year contract, subject to funding, with a six-month probation period.

JOB PURPOSE
The Research Support Officer will provide a highly professional, expert, and proactive research and strategic partnership funding support function to ECI’s Research and Professional Learning (RPL) Director.

This is a newly created post in Early Childhood Ireland to support the achievement of our Strategic Plan 2021-2026, which has a strong research focus. This is an exciting role for an experienced, knowledgeable research professional who enjoys the challenge of driving research funding attainment and is excited to participate in developing the research capacity of the early learning and care and school age childcare sector in order to enhance quality in services, to the benefit of children and their families.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy
• Support the Director of Research and Professional Learning to achieve ECI’s strategic research goals and objectives and to effectively implement the organisation’s strategic partnerships and research plans.
• Identify and develop strategic insights into appropriate national, EU and international research funding organisations and programmes through analysis and detailed understanding of their funding priorities and plans to ensure that upcoming strategically important opportunities are anticipated and considered in ECI’s planning.

Research funding and strategic partnerships
• Manage the preparation of ECI’s research proposals and research and strategic partnership funding proposals for external bids, in collaboration with ECI colleagues and partners, ensuring that proposals align with the strategic position and evaluation criteria of the funding agency.
• Attend required training, briefings and information sessions provided by national, EU and international funding agencies and maintain an up-to-date, accessible repository of information, guides etc. on same.
• Manage the development of the strategies and presentations required to participate in competitive research tendering scenarios.
• Act as the main point of contact for ECI with research funders, including EU funding.
• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with significant funders and strategic partners.

Research development and support
• Provide technical advice to RPL team colleagues on appropriate research methodologies and methods and on preparing reports.
• Support RPL team colleagues to develop ECI members’ research capacity.
• Manage the development of research proposals and the commissioning process with colleagues when ECI/RPL is commissioner.
• Manage ECI-commissioned research projects, where appropriate.

Governance and administration
• Assist in managing the processes and documentation associated with research governance, including ethics, GDPR, research contracts and agreements.
• Provide ECI’s finance department with the necessary financials of all RPL research grants.
• Provide an effective administrative framework to support the ongoing development of research.
• Collate and draft periodic research progress reports, evaluation reports, dashboard reports and annual reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Assist with the administrative aspects of contract management, project tracking and reporting.
• Manage ISBN and ISSN processes.

Research dissemination and utilisation
• Advise on the most effective means to support research utilisation to practice and pedagogy.
• Collaborate with team colleagues to develop and organise research events.
• Assist in the development of relevant promotional material including website, brochures, reports etc.
• Present at conferences and meetings, where appropriate.
• Support colleagues in developing dissemination and utilisation plans for ECI research outputs.
• Represent ECI at relevant events, meetings and networks.
• Evolve ECI’s research to practice e-zine.
• Undertake the role of Managing Editor of ECI’s annual Research Day Proceedings and evolve the publication.

THE PERSON:
The successful candidate will be an experienced, knowledgeable research professional who is highly motivated when it comes to driving research funding applications and delivery and is focused on research utilisation and impact. The person will have demonstratable knowledge, skills and experience in developing successful research funding proposals and in taking a strategic approach to research and partnerships.

Qualifications
• Minimum NFQ level 9 award in education, the humanities, or the social or behavioural sciences.

Skills and Experience
• Practical experience in research project management, project administration or project coordination.
• Previous experience in the management of external calls for research funding and supporting research proposals.
• Previous experience in a similar role in a third level institution, research centre or with a research funder.
• A knowledge or experience of research in the higher education sector.
• At least two years’ experience in a research role.
• Demonstrable achievements in research funding and research management.
• Knowledge of and experience in conducting quantitative and/or qualitative research.
• Demonstratable skills in research communication for different audiences.
• Proven excellent research report-writing skills.
• A good working knowledge of Microsoft packages (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project).
• Knowledge of using data visualisation tools*.
• Early Learning and Care/School-age Childcare sector knowledge and experience.*

Personal Attributes and Qualities
• Ability to be reflective, insightful and a critical thinker.
• Capacity to show leadership.
• Ability to work collaboratively with team colleagues, as well as independently.
• Flexible and responsive to change.
• Able to manage competing and shifting priorities.
• High levels of personal motivation, self-management, and attention to detail.
• Able to work constructively with colleagues across the organisation, with our members, and with other organisations.
• Willing to undergo training and development following recruitment, if required, as well as engaging in their own continuous professional learning.
• Good judgment.
• Impact-focused.
• Will work in accordance with the values and vision of ECI.

Candidates must clearly indicate in their cover letter and CV how they meet each of the above criteria.

Application Process
To apply, please submit a letter of application (specifying where you saw the role advertised) and an up-to-date CV of no more than three pages, for the attention of Rita Dolan – email: recruitment@earlychildhoodireland.ie before 12.00 noon on Thursday, 4 November. Interviews will be held during the week beginning 15 November 2021.

Shortlisting of candidates may apply and will be based on the Job Description and Person Specification. Candidates may be asked for further information or to undertake other tasks to assist in the assessment process.

Early Childhood Ireland does not require the assistance of third-party agencies at this time.

Early Childhood Ireland strives to be an Equal Opportunities Employer.