Behavioural, Insight & Research Customer Lab Specialist Support

HMRC has a long-standing commitment to ensuring its operations and policy decisions are informed by high quality, timely research. This research is largely delivered through external contractors who deliver larger-scale, independent research.

HMRC has already launched its Customer Lab in Shipley, near Leeds. A second Lab is likely to open in London in the Spring of 2018. The Labs are considered to be in line with industry best practice - both include space for the delivery of a range of different qualitative research methods, both also include viewing facilities, video-relay equipment and allow for visual and audio recording for the rapid generation of data for analysis.

Some staff have experience in fieldwork delivery gathered largely from prior experience working in research agencies, but for most this is fairly outdated. We are therefore in need of some specialist support from a highly experienced qualitative researcher to build our capability in primary fieldwork delivery.

The aim of this assignment is to build the capability to researchers within the Client's new Customer Lab function.

We require support that is innovative and future-focused, with a strong emphasis on building on the existing research methods, in addition to building capability at different levels across the organisation.

Once the contract is awarded, the Contractor must achieve the following objectives:

a. Build a sound understanding of the Client's current levels of capability to deliver in-house primary qualitative research. b. Develop a capability building approach that addresses the identified gaps, building capability and confidence in a proportionate, fit-for-purpose way that is cleared with the Head of Customer Research. c. Deliver formal training that builds capability, ensuring that appropriate tools and techniques are developed to help maintain capability over time. d. Provide 1-2-1 coaching and support for a short period to help individual team members proactively consider how they will apply their learning.

The overall value of the framework is £15-30k, and the intention is to run the Framework for 15 weeks with an option to extend further.