ELDIS Research Assistant (Ref:699)

Transcription

1 VACANCY PARTICULARS ELDIS Research Assistant (Ref:699) Hours per week: Full time, 35 hours per week (1.0FTE) Contract type: Fixed term for 3 months Grade: 5 Salary: 24,788-30,081 per annum, pro rata Closing date: Friday 4th December 2015, 10am UK time Interview date: TBC Who We Are The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) is a leading global institution for research, teaching and learning, and impact and communications, based at the University of Sussex. Our Vision Our vision is of equal and sustainable societies, locally and globally, where everyone can live secure, fulfilling lives free from poverty and injustice. What We Do The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) is a leading global institution for development research, teaching and learning, and impact and communications, based at the University of Sussex. Our vision is of equal and sustainable societies, locally and globally, where everyone can live secure, fulfilling lives free from poverty and injustice. We believe passionately that cutting-edge research, knowledge and evidence are crucial in shaping the changes needed for our broader vision to be realised, and to support people, societies and institutions to navigate the challenges ahead. Through our commitment to engaged excellence we work towards transformations that reduce inequalities, accelerate sustainability and build more inclusive and secure societies. We do this neither as a university organisation nor a thinktank, but by combining elements of both in a unique mix that is articulated in our engaged excellence approach. Since 1966 IDS has been working with partners to tackle complex development challenges and contribute the evidence, analysis, theory and facilitated learning that can help communities, practitioners and decision-makers at all levels work together for practical, positive change. Our partnership with the University of Sussex supports and accredits our teaching and learning programmes, where in PhD studies and a range of high-level Masters courses we aim to produce a new generation of development thought, policy and practice leaders. The Institute is home to approximately 100 researchers affiliated to thematic research clusters, 70 knowledge professionals, 65 professional staff and about 200 students at any one time. But the IDS community extends far beyond, encompassing an extensive network of over over 360 partners, 3,000 alumni and hundreds of former staff.

2 Job Description Eldis ( is a well established and respected internet based information service: filtering, structuring and presenting development information via the web and . It maintains an ever-growing library of editorially selected and abstracted online documents, and an organisational directory of development-related internet services. Eldis is currently read by over 100,000 users each month. The aim of Eldis is to: Support the documentation, exchange and use of evidence-based development knowledge Communicate this knowledge effectively through a range of appropriately designed services, using the Internet (web and ) as the main communication medium for delivery Reach audiences of researchers, development practitioners and policy formers at national and international levels Play a role in the processes of evidence-based policy formation Provide this information and services free of charge at point of use We focus on materials which are of strategic, policy or practical interest for development practitioners based in both the North and South. The target audience includes development professionals, donor agency staff, policy-makers, NGOs, researchers, students, information workers, journalists and development-focused web-service providers. Overall purpose of the role IDS are looking to recruit a Research assistant to work in the Eldis team, working to maintain the Eldis jobs board. They will act in a range of roles creating content for the Eldis website and assisting with marketing and evaluation activities. The work involved will include user support, content creation, marketing and evaluation. The successful applicants will also be responsible for adding and updating content from other sources to the Eldis website via our content management systems. In addition, as part of our ongoing marketing and evaluation activities, you will assist with the collection, processing and analysis of relevant marketing and monitoring data. Specific activities might include assisting with evaluation interviews of users, analysing the results of online questionnaires, responding to user enquiries and maintaining databases of key marketing contacts.. Main Duties and Responsibilities Community site support Work with the community site coordinator to support the Eldis website. The work involved will include user support content creation marketing of the site monitoring and evaluation

3 Editorial Under the supervision of a Resource Guide Editor and Eldis Community Coordinator you will: input new content adding appropriate keywords and performing basic quality control checks develop content for areas of the Eldis Community Site Managing and posting jobs submissions via the Eldis website, including follow-up with contributors Quality assurance with respect to the jobs postings themselves as well as how and where they appear on the Eldis site and via marketing channels Marketing and evaluation With direction from the M&E or marketing coordinator tasks might include: Gathering and maintaining statistics on usage of jobs postings on Eldis in order to communicate the value of the service to contributors and service users Marketing of Eldis jobs through mailing lists, social media etc Conduct market research with organisations that contribute to Eldis jobs to come up with service packages and pricing structures for the commercialisation of Eldis Jobs in 2016 Work closely with Eldis team members and the jobs service developer on the redesign of the Eldis Jobs Service in 2016 Administration Other tasks may include: updating and editing of web site elements to a pre-determined design responding to ad hoc queries, requests and comments from users carrying out regular maintenance of the website and database including fixing broken links Supervision The positions will be managed by the Senior Editor although allocation of specific tasks and day to day supervision may be carried out by Resource Guide Editors, Community Site Coordinator or the Programme Manager as required. General The Post-holders may also occasionally be asked to work on other projects undertaken by the Eldis team for external clients and to contribute to department and IDS-wide activities as agreed. They may also be expected to occasionally stand in for editors during absences Equalities You must be prepared to implement the Institute s Equal Opportunities Policy at a level appropriate to the job and must at all times carry out your duties with due regard to the Institute s Equal Opportunities Policy. Health and Safety You must be prepared to be responsible for the implementation of, and compliance with, the provisions of legislation relating to the health and safety of such employees and areas of the workplace as fall under your direct control and for complying with legislation relating to such works and contracts as are within your direct responsibility.

4 General You will be required to undertake such other duties appropriate to the grade and character of the work as may reasonably be required of you. Therefore, the list of duties in this job description should not be regarded as exclusive or exhaustive. Your duties will be set out in this job description but please note that the Institute reserves the right to update your job description, from time to time, to reflect changes in, or to, your job. Significant permanent changes in duties and responsibilities will require agreed revisions to be made to this job description. You will be consulted about any proposed changes. Person Specification Skills and experience Requirement Essential Desirable Assessment Qualifications Educated to at least degree level or equivalent in a development related subject Knowledge Web-based content management systems, listservs, HTML Social media marketing Facebook and Twitter Survey/market research design and methods, including quantitative and qualitative research skills and data analysis Skills Excellent writing skills are essential in order to produce summaries of information sources in a high quality, concise and readable style. Rapid, effective and clear abstracting skills. Good online research skills and knowledge of development literature, organisations and terms A high level of general computer literacy, with some knowledge of modern internet communication approaches Experience Research experience in a relevant development subject Experience of writing for the web and using the internet as a communication and dialogue tool Excellent verbal and written communication skills (English language) Confident, self starter Well organised and good at time management Health/other Post-graduate qualification in a development related subject Web metrics e.g. Google Analytics Web usability and design principles Legislation and codes of conduct relevant to marketing e.g. data protection Team working Creative thinking Knowledge of other languages Sales and marketing of jobs/ recruitment services or other online commercial services

5 Information to Candidates Benefits At IDS we offer a number of additional benefits to staff. These include: a competitive salary, including cost of living awards and incremental increases on an annual basis as per policy and the option to join our pension scheme. Please see for more details interest free travel loans, following successful completion of a probationary period support in attainment of a relevant professional qualification in line with the Professional Development Policy childcare voucher scheme and childcare fund competitive maternity and paternity policies that offer compensation above the statutory minimum 24 days annual leave per year (pro-rata for part-time), plus public holidays and up to 6 nonnegotiable closure days enhanced sickness pay entitlements support with relocation costs for staff joining us from outside the EU eligibility to use the University of Sussex gym and sporting facilities at staff rates Location The successful candidate will be based at the Institute of Development Studies on the University of Sussex campus. The University of Sussex is located 10 minutes away from the lively and cosmopolitan seaside city of Brighton on the UK South Coast, 60 minutes away from central London, 30 minutes away from London Gatwick Airport and is surrounded by the beautiful countryside of the Sussex South Downs. Situated between the sea and the South Downs, Brighton is one of the most vibrant and unique cities on the South Coast, for more information please go to How to apply Applications on official form only (CVs are not accepted): Human Resources Institute of Development Studies Brighton BN1 9RE, UK Alternatively please your application to hr@ids.ac.uk please insert the job title and reference number into the subject line of the . We would recommend that electronic applications are sent 24 hours in advance of the deadline, to ensure there are no technical difficulties. Owing to the large number of enquiries received and consequential processing/postage costs, regretfully, it is not possible to enter into further correspondence with all applicants. Therefore, if you do not receive any communications by the interview date, please assume that, on this occasion, your application has not been successful.

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