There is plenty of data, great ideas and innovation happening in local councils across the country to help solve the Climate Emergency. But UK100’s network of local leaders and their staff face barriers stopping them from doing more and acting faster to achieve a just and fair transition. We exist to identify what needs to change nationally to unleash more climate and clean air action locally.

We are looking for an ambitious and energetic Research and Insights Manager to join UK100. You will collate and interpret our member's experiences, turning these into a robust evidence base and content to support our advocacy to national government and decision-makers. You’ll work across teams to communicate local best practice, develop responses to national and local policy, commission research, and collaborate with external stakeholders to support ambitious local action on Net Zero.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: UK100 is actively taking steps towards developing new opportunities for people from an array of backgrounds, ensuring that everybody has an equal opportunity and is not treated differently or discriminated against because of their characteristics. UK100 values the voices of each of its employees in order to progress in a collaborative, innovative and well balanced way. The postholder will be expected to echo and support this. This can be found on the UK100 website here. 

Key responsibilities:

• Gathering insights from our network of over 100 councils on the successes and failures, opportunities and challenges of local action on delivering Net Zero. Shaping these into a clear body of evidence to support local delivery and our national advocacy.

• Manage UK100’s research programme of reports and briefings, ensuring that research is informed by local insight and evidence and that high-quality outputs are delivered impactfully.

• Lead UK100’s response to national and local policy developments and consultation activities, including providing evidence and insight to support the development of national and local government policy and regulation. Producing policy reports that draw on relevant data and evidence, distilled into clear asks of the UK Government from Mayors and local leaders.  

• Contribute content for UK100’s online Knowledge Hub, working closely with UK100’s Membership Programme Manager to deliver a programme that acquires best practice information, case studies and multi-media content for our stakeholders. 

• Monitor external trends, responding with agility to opportunities and threats to our members ability to work towards their climate goals.

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with key industry bodies, partners and stakeholders who want to contribute/facilitate to create local Net Zero delivery.

• Scope, commission, and oversee impactful projects: to time, on budget and meeting agreed KPIs.

To support and comply with UK100’s guidance on branding, tone of voice and key messages, positively contributing towards raising UK100’s profile.

• We are a small team. Ad hoc duties will thus arise, and every staff member are expected to support the team efforts.
  

Place in organisational structure:

The post holder will:

• Report to the Membership & Insights Director

• Line manage the Research & Policy Officer. 

Key relationships:

Internal:

• Membership & Insights Director 

• Campaigns & Communications Director

• Campaigns Manager

• Communications Manager

• Policy and Research Officer

• Network Programme Manager

External:

• Relevant local government leaders

• Councillors and officers

• Relevant national government officials

• NGOs and partner organisations

• Consultants and academics

Benefits: 

• Competitive salary 

• 25 days annual leave (plus statutory bank holidays) 

• An additional 3 days paid leave over Christmas period 

• An additional 2 days of paid leave per year to volunteer 

• Subsidised gym membership 

• Enhanced pension offering & access to professional pension advice 

• Competitive Parental Leave policies 

• Opportunity to request a Sabbatical after 1 year of service 

• Company MacBook Air  

• Work from home allowance 

• UK100 supports flexible working arrangements 

• Mental Health first aider 

Special Note:

This job description does not form part of the contract of employment, but indicates how that contract should be performed. The job description may be subject to amendment in the light of experience and in consultation with the post holder.

Person Specification

Essential Knowledge

• Extensive understanding of relevant policy and politics re: air pollution and Climate Emergency

• Understanding of the structures of local government

Experience

• Significant experience of overseeing research that has supported advocacy across a varied range of issues

• Significant experience of building and maintaining effective collaborations and partnerships with multiple individuals and organisations

Skills and abilities

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to communicate complex ideas in simple language

• Ability to develop and maintain productive working relationships and establish credibility with colleagues and with a wide range of individuals and organisations 

• Ability to plan, provide clarity to and organise a varied and heavy workload to meet deadlines

• Effective Supervisory, management and coaching skills

Other

• Committed to the vision of UK100

Interviews: To be held virtually on week commencing 6th March 2023