About the job Research and Studies Director

Our client is a federal program that aims to increase the Emiratis contributions in the private sector.

JOB PURPOSE:

Reporting to the Deputy Secretary General, the Research and Studies Director leads the Research and Studies Department to develop insights into UAE labour market and issues pertaining to Emiratization agenda. The Research and Studies Director guides team members in their efforts to produce, design, analyse, interpret, use data, develop behavioural insights and evidence to inform and improve policy making and design and launch behavioural nudges and interventions. The Director advises senior leadership on important strategic initiatives using data and best available evidence.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Identify flagship publications and key reports publishing agenda to be adopted by the department
• Oversee the development of appropriate models to estimate the impact of different labour market and policy interventions on labour market outcomes
• Lead team members efforts to analyse and visualise large amounts of data related to labour and employment markets to understand and quantify labour supply and demand at both macro and micro levels
• Identify key behavioural science-based methods and service offerings and contribute to their continued refinement and development
• Oversee the design, piloting and launching of behavioural nudges and interventions following the organization\'s strategic plans
• Manage potential external contributors to provide additional analysis
• Coordinate with key stakeholders, including but not limited to, MoHRE and sector custodians on issues related to Emiratization agenda for UAE
• Represent the division during interactions with other international / regional entities with similar mandate to share ideas / innovation that can be customised for UAE market
• Transfer knowledge and relevant experience to help build the capabilities of the team

Budgets

• Lead the preparation of the department budgets and implementation of the approved Budget and work plans to deliver department objectives, and provide input towards the development of division budget
• Investigate and highlight any significant variances to support effective performance and cost control

Policies, Systems, Processes & Procedures

• Implement approved department policies, processes, systems, standards and procedures in order to support execution of the departments work programmes in line with Council and international standards.
• Comply with all applicable legislation and legal regulations.

Performance Management

• Contribute to the achievement of the approved performance objectives for the department in line with the Council performance framework

Innovation and Continuous Improvement

• Design and implement new tools and techniques to improve the quality and efficiency of operational processes
• Identify improvements in internal processes against best practices in pursuit of greater efficiency in order to define intelligent solutions for issues confronting the function

COMMUNICATIONS & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

Internal

• Daily interaction with team members
• Interaction with senior management as and when required

External

• Interact with Federal and Local entities as well as private sector firms to discuss issues, exchange feedback and knowledge.

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:

Minimum Qualification

• A minimum of bachelor degree in social sciences, business administration or any other related field, preferably with a relevant postgraduate degree

Minimum Experience & Knowledge & Skills

• Minimum of 12 years of experience in Economics, Labour Market Analysis, Social Sector Policies, Employment Creation and Labour Market Indicators
• Experience in research methodologies from the behavioural sciences for studying cognition, emotion, motivation, decision-making, personality, social influence, etc.
• Ability to design, develop and appraise policy interventions and run multi-criteria analysis for policy prioritisation
• Ability to compile, analyse, and report data to explain economic phenomena and forecast labour market trends
• Ability to use innovative data analytics and data gathering methodologies
• Strong international or regional knowledge is desirable, especially regarding the Middle East
• Demonstrated capability and track record in the practice of planning & performance management that has progressed to a leadership role
• Must have the proven ability to handle complex, unstructured problems in a rigorous, analytical fashion
• Significant experience of managing staff and teams.

Professional Certifications

Any related certification.

BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES:

• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate through all avenues of communication (e.g., email, phone, website, in person, etc.)
• High attention to detail
• Ability to perform under pressure and on deadline
• Ability to process and understand large amount of data
• Ability to build and manage a collaborative and high performing team
• Ability to respond accurately and in a timely manner to requests for information from relevant stakeholders
• Ability to communicate and develop strong working relationships with internal teams

Nathan & Nathan