Senior Research Officer - Estyn

Senior Research Officer

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We’re looking for an experienced researcher who enjoys shaping how evidence is used to inform understanding, improvement and decision-making across Estyn.

The successful candidate will be responsible for leading the research function within Estyn to develop the structures and systems needed to support the organisation to become more research informed and research literate and support the integration of research principles throughout Estyn’s work, ensuring that evidence is critically appraised, clearly interpreted, and applied to strategic priorities and policy/ practice.

Key tasks include:

  • Designing approach for increased and systematic interrogation of our existing evidence to support Estyn’s work
  • Advising on our future analysis of qualitative inspection outcomes
  • Developing protocols for our use of analysis tools, including qualitative data analysis software
  • Developing a robust method for analysing qualitative comments in surveys
  • Lead on advising on our future staffing requirements for Estyn’s research services
  • Ensuring that all analysis is ethically robust, transparent, and communicated with clarity about strengths, limitations, and implications.
  • Leading on developing ensuing guidance and professional learning for inspectors 
  • Delivering the thematic survey briefing and training process for inspectors, including gathering relevant background information and providing advice on project design, research methods and instruments
  • Ensuring a research-informed approach to survey design, analysis, and quality assurance to support Estyn’s thematic survey work and wider evidence base, including the Annual Report and inspection
  • Timely dissemination of, and engagement with research findings to Estyn’s internal audience, including producing a regular Research Update
  • Leading on developing and maintaining strategic links with the wider research community and promoting the use of external evidence
  • Working across the team to provide integrated analytical advice to Estyn colleagues
  • Contributing to the development and maintenance of a systematic approach to storing intelligence and relevant knowledge, including the development of tools and systems to share research-informed knowledge

Duration: Permanent

Salary: £47,698 – £56,471

Closing date: 10:00am on 10 February 2026

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