The Alan Turing Institute is the UK’s national institute for data science and artificial intelligence. The Institute is named in honour of the scientist Alan Turing and its mission is to make great leaps in data science and artificial intelligence research in order to change the world for the better.

To support the future ambition and continued growth of the Institute we are seeking an experienced and highly motivated leader to build a function that will support all areas of impact, evaluation and knowledge exchange, and ultimately take responsibility for the development and delivery of the Institute’s plans for evaluation and impact to support the Institute’s next iteration of its Science and Innovation Strategy.

The Institute creates pathways to impact through three ambitious goals:

Advance world-class research and apply it to real-world problems: innovate and develop world-class research in data science and artificial intelligence that supports next generation theoretical developments and is applied to real-world problems, generating the creation of new businesses, services, and jobs.

Train the leaders of the future: train new generations of data science and AI leaders with the necessary breadth and depth of technical and ethical skills to match the UK’s growing industrial and societal needs.

Lead the public conversation: through agenda-setting research, public engagement, and expert technical advice, drive new and innovative ideas which have a significant influence on industry, government, regulation, or societal views, or which have an impact on how data science and artificial intelligence research is undertaken.

These goals are realised through our programmes and researchers who collaborate across disciplines, our flagship training programmes such as Data Study Groups, the Enrichment Scheme, and the Turing Internship Network, and our emerging role in the national skills agenda, and our public engagement activities. Further information can be found in our annual report.

ROLE PURPOSE

The is an exciting new role for someone with strong experience in impact in the context of research and other higher education activities, and in the development of impact strategy, frameworks, assessment mechanisms and improvement plans. The Impact Lead will build and lead a small team that will support all of the Institute’s directorates in delivering the Institute’s impact agenda by developing the policies, process, tools and systems to support reporting, evaluation, impact and knowledge exchange. The Turing Institute is currently required to use ResearchFish to report outputs and outcomes from UKRI funded projects and Programmes of work (£48m over five years for the Living with Machines and AI for Government programmes). The role will sit within the Programme Management directorate at the Institute, which currently supports delivery of all the Research Programmes at the Institute, and work closely with:

• The Institute’s new Chief Scientist
• The Office of the Director
• Colleagues leading and supporting research activity across the Institute, including in the research Programmes, PhD programmes/ studentships, Academic Engagement, Partnerships Development
• Colleagues leading and supporting training the next generation, including Data Study Groups, the Internships network
• Research Application Managers, who identify potential users of research generated by and with the Institute
• Colleagues in the Communications and Marketing team, for identification and early planning of projects where impact case stories and collateral for showing impact to funders, partners, and the media can be developed
• University partners who may require information and support from the Institute when they are creating impact case studies for the REF for work funded by the Institute or undertaken collaboratively with the Institute (noting the Institute does not have to submit to the REF)

DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

• Build, lead and manage a small but effective team to support reporting, evaluation, impact and knowledge exchange across the Institute
• Lead the development of the Institute’s overall strategy, with regard to reporting, evaluation, impact and knowledge exchange.
• Lead a collaborative approach to create and deliver an Institute-wide impact planning and assessment framework that encompasses the breadths of the Institute’s interests i.e. research programmes and / or funders, and support leads of programmes of activities at the Turing to tailor the framework to their areas.
• Develop processes for evaluation of research outputs and outcomes and evaluation of impact (including quantitative and qualitative measures) and help to adapt and apply these to other areas of the Institute, such as skills, as appropriate.
• Manage the development of business processes, tools and systems to support impact and knowledge exchange (including but not limited to tools to record, collate and analyse data on impact), supporting the procurement, implementation and further development of such systems as necessary (working with the Head of Business Change where required).
• Support Directors, as required, to analyse the impact performance against its goals in their area
• Work closely with the Office of the Director to lead the preparation of external Institute-wide reviews (including Scientific Advisory Board review; UKRI-reviews (QQR, QA and impact reporting (e.g. ResearchFish).
• Identify suitable activities creating impact or on routes to impact which can be referred to Communications and Marketing team for impact case study development, and ensuring a log of impact case studies is maintained.
• Responsible for drafting and updating policies, guidelines and procedures to support impact and knowledge exchange and ensuring these are promoted through appropriate channels, including induction, and adhered to.
• Provide advice for embedding impact into proposals for activities, including but not limited to for bids for funding for research projects, and advise on how to capture evidence of impact through activity lifecycles.

• Degree level of equivalent qualification and/or experience
• Significant experience working in a research or higher education setting in an impact function.
• Significant experience of leading, designing and rolling out a reporting and impact framework to a new organisation
• Ability to demonstrate initiative and flexibility to manage competing demands and pressures whilst remaining calm
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the current issues in Higher Education and Research Institutes, including the policy and funding environment as they relate to research and impact
• Significant knowledge of different research impact frameworks used by research institutes, research charities and higher education (e.g. ResearchFish, REF etc.)
• Experience of collating and analysing qualitative and quantitative data and information
• Experience of working across people of all seniority levels across research and administrative teams; Experience of influencing and coordinating the activities of senior academics and managerial colleagues.

Please see the job description for a full breakdown of the duties, responsibilities and person specification.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This full time post is offered on a fixed term basis for two years. The annual salary is £56,800 - £58,500 plus excellent benefits, including flexible working and family friendly policies, https://www.turing.ac.uk/work-turing/why-work-turing/employee-benefits

This opportunity is open for direct employment and secondment from home institutions can be considered also.

Closing Date: Monday 07 February 2022, 23:59.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

If you are interested in this opportunity, please click the apply button below. You will need to register on the applicant portal and complete the application form including your CV and covering letter. If you have questions about the role or would like to apply using a different format, please contact us on 020 3970 2148 or 0203 862 3340, or email [email protected].

If you are applying for more than one role at the Turing, please note that only one Cover Letter can be visible on your profile at one time. If you wish to apply for multiple roles and do not want to overwrite your existing Cover Letter, please apply for the role using the button below and forward your additional cover letter directly to [email protected] quoting the job title.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

The Alan Turing Institute is committed to creating an environment where diversity is valued and everyone is treated fairly. In accordance with the Equality Act, we welcome applications from anyone who meets the specific criteria of the post regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

We are committed to building a diverse community and would like our leadership teal to reflect this. We therefore welcome applications from the broadest spectrum of backgrounds.

Reasonable adjustments to the interview process will be made for any candidates with a disability.

Please note all offers of employment are subject to obtaining and retaining the right to work in the UK and satisfactory pre-employment security screening which includes a DBS Check.

Full details on the pre-employment screening process can be requested from [email protected].

The Alan Turing Institute is based at the British Library, in the heart of London’s Knowledge Quarter.

In line with current Government guidance, most of our organisation is currently working remotely. When Government guidance changes, we will trial a Hybrid Working Model for an initial six-month trial period. During this period, staff will be expected to work at our British Library office for a number of days per month, dependent on the requirements of the role. As a guide, we anticipate this will be between 2-4 days per month, but the hiring manager will be able to confirm this during the interview.