Posted to IASSIST on: 2024-11-05
Employer: Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Employer URL: https://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/
Description
Head of Research Data Management
Are you interested in advocating for and supporting excellence in research data management across the University of Oxford? Are you confident in working across departments and divisions of a complex organisation, and working with a range of senior colleagues to develop and deliver excellent services to researchers? Then the role of Head of Research Data Management at the Bodleian Libraries could be for you!
This role provides strategic leadership in the delivery of specialist systems and services which support research data management across the University. The post is based in the Open Scholarship Support department of the Bodleian Libraries, which provides a central point for advocacy and strategy in the areas of open access, open scholarship, research data management, copyright and licensing, and digital preservation. Open Scholarship Support is a small and dynamic team which supports hybrid working patterns.
Reporting to the Head of Open Scholarship Support, you will actively engage and lead staff in cross-Bodleian and University matrix teams. You will have an understanding of the HEI and academic publications landscape, both within the UK and globally. You will also be educated to postgraduate level, with a track record of strategy and policy development, and the ability to develop strong collaborative relationships with academic and professional staff.
This is a permanent, full-time post which is available under a hybrid office/remote working arrangement. We welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of whether or not you have the right to work in the UK.
Overview of the role
The Head of Research Data Management role will have a focus on leading the Bodleian Libraries’ delivery of specialist systems and services which support the effective management of research data across the University. Strategic leadership for Research Data Management (RDM) at the Bodleian Libraries is in line with Priority 2.3 of the Bodleian Libraries Strategy to ‘Create a sustainable, world-leading capability, to preserve and give access to born-digital collections, covering Oxford research outputs (publications and data) and collections acquired by the Bodleian Libraries.’
At the start of 2023/24, the Bodleian Libraries developed a plan to consolidate its research data management services and to further develop these services to ensure they meet the needs of researchers, taking advantage of new opportunities and working with colleagues in IT Services and Research Services who, together with the Bodleian, support research data management under the name Research Data Oxford. This has built on a university-wide review of RDM provision which took place in 2020, which delivered a roadmap for developing the next generation of services required to support RDM at Oxford. The purpose of the RDM review was to ensure that the University’s governance, systems and staffing are optimally designed to support researchers as they carry out their research - and that subsequent investment in infrastructure and services is adequate, sustainable, and meets future policy needs.
The Head of Research Data Management will have responsibility for the implementation of the plan and for setting the direction of the Bodleian’s Research Data Management Services in collaboration with service owners. These services comprise the data component of the University’s repository, ORA, the Sustainable Digital Scholarship service, the Bodleian’s data service, the DOI service, and the provision of RDM training and advice. The post holder will have responsibility for proactively advocating for RDM. They will provide expert advice and guidance to colleagues across the Bodleian Libraries and the University on issues relating to RDM, open data, data reuse and data reproducibility.
The post holder will be based in the Open Scholarship Support department where they will work alongside experts in a number of complementary areas - digital preservation, copyright and licensing, open publishing and digital innovation - to provide a joined-up service to Bodleian and University staff and academics. They will work closely with colleagues across the Bodleian and across the University, including the Research Practice initiative and teams within Research Services and IT Services, to deliver a research data infrastructure which meets the needs of researchers. Under the direction of the Head of Open Scholarship Support, they will forge strong links with the research community across departments to investigate researchers’ ongoing data needs. Long-term strategic thinking is required, as well as the ability to plan and deliver innovative projects to further the University’s RDM and Open Scholarship agenda.
The post holder will be responsible for proactively monitoring the changing scholarly communications landscape relating to RDM and open data, in particular evolving funder requirements and national and international policy changes. They will play a lead advocacy role, engaging closely with colleagues in other comparator institutions, in particular the COLIM group of libraries (Cambridge, Oxford, UCL, Imperial and Manchester), alongside national bodies such as RLUK and Jisc.
Responsibilities
- Provide professional advice and leadership, act as an advocate, and be a key contact on Bodleian’s research data management provision across the University.
- Lead on taking forward the plan to consolidate the Bodleian’s RDM services, and on setting the future direction of these services contributing to the elevation of RDM and Open Scholarship policy.
- Provide matrix leadership and work collaboratively with colleagues across the Bodleian and the University to set the direction for the Research Data Oxford collaborative group, contributing actively to RDM governance, and policy and strategy development.
- Working with the Bodleian Head of Subject Areas, ensure effective high-level liaison with academics across all Divisions. Be sensitive to the needs of different academic disciplines and show commitment to delivering a strong user-focused service.
- Initiate, manage and deliver projects to support excellence in research at the University of Oxford and the Bodleian Libraries, including developing new services and optimising existing services.
- Provide strategic oversight of the data component of the ORA service, working closely with colleagues from across Scholarly Resources (Open Scholarship Support, Collections Management, and BDLSS). Ensure that long-term sustainability and, where applicable, permanent retention is a key consideration in the design and delivery of all RDM solutions.
- Oversee the integration of the Sustainable Digital Scholarship Service into the Bodleian Libraries and, in collaboration with Head of the Centre for Digital Scholarship and Chief of Digital Operations, establish the location of the SDS team in the existing structure of Scholarly Resources based on service roles.
- Understand and plan an evolving agenda for RDM on the basis of changing expectations of research funders, in particular with relation to UKRI and the REF, and the developing needs of our researchers.
- Monitor and contribute to national policies, frameworks and strategies with implications for RDM, representing the Bodleian on external groups where appropriate. Attend relevant committees and conferences related to research data management, ensuring that the Bodleian is kept up to date with the latest developments in these areas.
- Work closely with members of the Open Scholarship Support department to provide a cohesive service around the areas of scholarly communications, open access, copyright and licensing, digital preservation and innovation, and research data management.
- Take responsibility for financial budgeting and forecasting when appropriate, and in particular for strategic projects.
- Facilitate and oversee routine reporting on key service metrics to identify emergent trends in need, support requirements and service development.
- Contribute to internal networks and initiatives (incl. FAIRsharing Community Champions Programme, the Digital Humanities @ Oxford Summer School) and external bodies (incl. Research Data Alliance, Digital Curation Centre).
Other duties
- Participate in a regular Annual Review
- Undertake any necessary training identified
- Comply with health and safety regulations
- Comply with the policies and procedures set out in the Handbook for Academic Related Staff
- Any other duties that may be required from time to time commensurate with the grade of the job
The Bodleian Libraries reserve the right to make reasonable amendments to the job description in consultation with the post-holder at any time.
Open Scholarship Support Department
The Open Scholarship Department provides a central point for advocacy and strategy in the areas of open access, open scholarship and research data management provision. It enables the Bodleian to support areas such as open science and reproducible research, and to support policy developments in this area, i.e. Plan S, the UKRI OA Review and the development of Read and Publish deals. It also enables more proactive identification of suitable funding opportunities and the preparation of bids across all disciplines. The department works in partnership with colleagues across the Bodleian Libraries, the University’s academic divisions and departments such as Research Services and IT Services.
For more information please visit: https://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/about/libraries/ourwork/open-scholarship-support
Selection criteria
Essential selection criteria
- Demonstrable experience of proactively managing data services and overseeing their strategic development to deliver enhancements and meet the needs of more users.
- Knowledge and experience of research data management practices and the research data lifecycle in the broader context of scholarly communication and researcher needs.
- Excellent communication, presentation and written skills, including the ability to deliver presentations and formal reports for different stakeholders, both within and outside the University.
- Significant experience of planning, coordinating, and implementing effective digital projects, both independently and in a team environment, and of managing and contributing to multiple and simultaneous projects.
- Able to demonstrate a user focussed approach to delivery and the ability to maintain effective working relationships with researchers at all levels within the University and with external stakeholders (e.g. Jisc, funding bodies).
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in cross-disciplinary teams and working groups to deliver common goals in RDM.
- A proven ability to work effectively in complex organisations using negotiation, influencing and advocacy skills to build consensus with diplomacy and tact.
- Outstanding organisational skills with the ability to prioritise work at individual and team levels, to be sensitive to the pressures facing other groups and individuals and to work to deadlines and under pressure.
- Knowledge of funder policies and requirements concerning research data management.
- Postgraduate qualification in information management, librarianship or archives, and/or relevant work experience at a senior level in the HE sector and/or in an information service.
Desirable selection criteria
- Knowledge of data tools used for wrangling, analysis and visualisation
- Knowledge of digital library developments, scholarly communications and open access.
- Awareness of relevant legislation (data protection, copyright)
Salary
£55,636 - £64,228 per annum
Job Location
Oxford, UK
More info/apply URL: https://bit.ly/BodHeadRDM
Archived on: 2024-11-27