Research Manager

Our client, a leading public sector organisation, is seeking an experienced Research Manager (Grade 7) to join their growing research and policy team. This is an exciting opportunity to lead high-impact research programmes that inform policy development, drive service improvement, and support evidence-based decision-making across a large and complex organisation.

The successful candidate will manage a diverse portfolio of quantitative and qualitative research projects, oversee data-driven initiatives, engage with senior stakeholders, and contribute to the strategic development of services and policy.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver a programme of policy, research, evaluation and data analysis projects.
• Manage research projects from inception through to dissemination of findings.
• Produce high-quality research reports, briefing papers, presentations and policy recommendations.
• Analyse complex datasets and translate findings into clear, actionable insights.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders including government bodies, public sector organisations, academic institutions and sector representatives.
• Support the development of data products, dashboards and performance reporting frameworks.
• Manage commissioned research projects, procurement processes and external research providers.
• Present research findings to senior management, committees and stakeholder groups.
• Supervise and support research staff, students and project teams.
• Ensure effective governance, quality assurance and project management processes are maintained.

Requirements

Essential

• NFQ Level 9 qualification (or higher) in a relevant discipline such as:
  • Social Science
  • Public Policy
  • Economics
  • Statistics
  • Geography
  • Research Methods
  • Data Analytics
  • Political Science
  • Business
  • Or a related field
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in policy research, policy analysis, economics, statistics, data analytics, or a related discipline.
• Experience managing complex research or policy projects from planning through delivery.
• Strong quantitative and qualitative research skills.
• Experience producing reports, briefings and recommendations for senior stakeholders.
• Experience working with policy, performance or administrative data.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills.
• Strong communication, organisational and project management abilities.
• Experience managing or supervising staff, contractors or multidisciplinary teams.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel, Word and PowerPoint.

Desirable

• Experience within local government, public sector or policy-focused organisations.
• Knowledge of the Irish public sector and policy environment.
• Experience with programme evaluation, benchmarking or performance measurement.
• Experience managing externally commissioned research.
• Experience working with large and complex datasets.
• Knowledge of Power BI, Tableau, SPSS or similar analytical tools.
• Experience supporting committees, advisory groups or working groups.
• Postgraduate qualification in a relevant field.

What We’re Looking For

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent report writing and presentation abilities.
• Strong leadership and people management experience.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver to deadlines.
• Sound judgement and decision-making skills.
• A collaborative and proactive approach to stakeholder engagement.
• A commitment to innovation, continuous improvement and evidence-based practice.

Benefits

• Permanent position
• Competitive public sector salary package
• Hybrid working arrangements
• Opportunity to influence policy and strategic decision-making
• Professional development and career progression opportunities
• Collaborative and purpose-driven working environment