As part of its Placement Fellowship Scheme the ESRC welcomes
applications from academics interested in working in a research capacity
in the National Audit Office (NAO). The Scheme encourages social science
researchers to spend time within a partner organisation to undertake
policy relevant research and to develop the research skills of partner
employees. The Fellowship will be jointly funded by the ESRC and the NAO
while the Fellow remains employed by his/her institution.
Project Title: 
	Data Analytical Modelling working with VFM auditors
Length of Fellowship: 
	12 months
Proposed start date: 
	1st June 2010 - or mutually agreed date
Location of Fellowship: 
	National Audit Office 
	157-159 Buckingham Palace Road 
	Victoria 
	London, SW1W9SP
Expected tasks
This is a call for an Operational Researcher with applied Data
Analytical Modelling expertise to work alongside Value for Money
auditors and help develop the use made by the National Audit Office of
these methods. The Operational Research Fellow will work with in-house
methods specialists to:
*	Build on existing use and knowledge of DAM methods 
*	Identify value for money audits where modelling methods can be
applied 
*	Support auditors through the application of modelling methods
including scoping, data collection, analysis and reporting 
*	Provide practical expertise and coaching for NAO auditors on DAM
methods to evaluate modelling work carried out by our client departments

*	Support the use of other Operational Research techniques such as
Data Envelopment Analysis.
Skills required
The Operational Research Fellow will work with in-house staff to
formulate and apply mathematical modelling methods to interpret
quantitative data and assist study teams with their value for money
audits of Government Departments and Non Department Public Bodies
(NDPBs). We are looking for a high level of expertise and experience in
applying operational research methods, communicating related findings to
professional and lay audiences. It is essential that the Operational
Research Fellow has:
*	An MSc / PhD in quantitative methods such as operations
research, economics, or applied mathematics 
*	A minimum of 3-5 years of applied experience in operational
research methods 
*	A very good command of basic spreadsheet software (such as
Microsoft Excel) 
*	A very good command of at least one modelling software and
statistical software packages (such as Arena, Simul8, Stata, SPSS) 
*	Experience with communicating modelling outputs with non-experts

*	Teaching experience on quantitative methods 
*	Experience in developing modelling solutions not necessarily
using ready made software.
Other skills which are desirable but not essential include:
*	Knowledge of other Operational Research and quantitative
analytical techniques (such as Data Envelopment Analysis and Stochastic
Frontier Analysis) 
*	Experience of working with Government Departments or other areas
of the public sector 
*	Experience of explaining techniques to non-experts and
presenting findings which are understandable to a lay audience 
*	The ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to
produce reports which are based on a combination of quantitative and
qualitative techniques.
Background
The NAO have worked to great effect with the ESRC over a number of years
and see our technical expertise as closely aligned with their new
2009-14 Strategic Plan. Of the ESRC's seven areas of strategic
challenge, for example, this call for a Research Fellow directly
contributes to the their Global Economic Performance, Policy and
Management goal through our work helping Government to refine the cost
and efficiency of public programme interventions. We, like the ESRC,
wish to access world class economic and social research skills to drive
improved service delivery and realise social benefits.
The NAO is undergoing major changes and value for money audit is
evolving due to internal demands from the NAO senior management team,
external demands from Parliament and Government as well as wider data
collection and analysis advancements. As part of this exciting change we
are looking to increase the use we make of DAM techniques in assessing
value for money and designing recommendations. Recent examples of
reports which have utilised DAM techniques include:
*	Reducing Healthcare Associated Infections in Hospitals in
England (June 2009); 
*	Supporting people with autism through adulthood (June 2009); 
*	HM Revenue and Customs: Handling telephone enquiries (January
2010) 
*	Department of Health: Progress in improving stroke care
(February 2010)
These reports and supporting methodology papers can be found on our
website <http://www.nao.org.uk/> 
The Operational Research Fellow will be a key part of these
developments, helping to apply rigorous quantitative analysis in our
reports. In this way, the Operational Research Fellow will help ensure
that NAO products improve value for money for the taxpayer by directly
contributing to improvements in the evidence base underpinning our
reports to better command the respect of Parliament and Government
Departments.
The closing date for this call is 29 April 2010.
For application details see
http://www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentre/opportunities/placement
/NAO4_2010.aspx


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