The UK Data Service is committed to delivering high quality, user-friendly digital services that provide training and access to collect and preserve digital data for long-term research use. We are committed to research, innovation and meeting user needs. We want to test our assumptions thoroughly and regularly with our users (researchers, data providers and managers, policy makers, charitable organisations and our staff), so that we develop services in line with real, evidenced needs and ultimately attract new and more diverse audiences to access our nationally important collections and data training.
We’re looking for an enthusiastic manager to join our growing user-centred organisation. In this role, you will work in a multi-disciplinary capacity, to drive customer experience improvements across the organisation. Based in the Faculty for Social Science at the University of Essex, the UK Data Archive (UKDA) is the lead partner of the UK Data Service. We provide researchers with digital data access, training and support to use the UK’s largest collection of social, economic and population data.
First established in 1967, the data we hold helps researchers gain insights into societal challenges such as poverty, social mobility, and inequalities across health, education and crime. The UK’s only nationally funded research infrastructure for curating and providing research access to social science data, our expertise has been influential across the world. As lead partner of the UK Data Service since 2012, we work very closely with Universities of Manchester, Southampton, Edinburgh, UCL and Jisc. Customer-focused, we provide dedicated services to support data providers to deposit their research data and researchers to access the data we hold.
Understanding our users and creatively thinking about how they interact with our services is central to how we work. We are looking for someone with strong user research experience who has a good understanding of usability and accessibility practices and knowledge of a variety of user research methods and how they should be applied. Your ability to confidently analyse and evaluate research findings to reveal actionable insights and recommendations will help us build a rich picture of our audiences and their needs so that together we can create the best digital experience for our users and continually improve to meet their needs.
This post is fixed-term until 31/03/2024 due to the cyclical nature of the UKDA funding. Whilst this a full-time post (36 hours per week), part-time hours of 0.8 FTE could be considered for the right candidate. A job share arrangement will also be considered (0.5 FTE). Please state clearly on your application form the contract type for which you are applying.
This post involves access to Government systems, information or data and will be subject to the staff vetting process. Further information can be found in the job pack.
At the University of Essex, internationalism and diversity is central to who we are and what we do. We are committed to being a cosmopolitan, internationally oriented university that is welcoming to staff and students from all countries, faiths and backgrounds, where you can find the world in one place.
To support this commitment we have our Global Forum, a staff-led network that promotes and celebrates the rich cultural diversity among Essex staff, and our Colchester campus based Faith Centre, which hosts regular services, meetings and events organised by our chaplains and faith representatives. For more information see: https://www.essex.ac.uk/life/student-facilities/religion-and-faith
Please see the attached job pack, which contains a full job description and person specification, which outlines the full duties, skills, qualifications and experience needed for this role plus more information relating to the post. We recommend you read this information carefully before making an application. Applications should be made on-line, but if you would like advice or help in making an application, or need information in a different format, please email the Resourcing Team (resourcing@essex.ac.uk).
*More information: Working at the University