Research Consultant: Care Initiative roundtables on innovation in long-term care

Casual/Consultant Contract
Approximately 20 days of work available from August 2026 through early 2027
Closing date: Friday 31 July 2026 at 12:00

About the project

During the 2026-2027 academic year, the Care Initiative at Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, will host two roundtable events each focussed on an area of innovation that could deliver positive reform in the provision of long-term care. The events will support Green Templeton’s plans to launch a new centre to drive reform of long-term care in the UK.

The focus of the first roundtable, planned to be held in autumn 2026, is to explore the desirability and feasibility of establishing a College of Care Workers with the long-term ambition of securing Chartered or Royal status. The one-day roundtable will be held at Green Templeton College and will be attended by some 15 key stakeholders from practice, policy and academia. The event will explore the potential benefits and feasibility of organising the care workforce around a common professional standard and membership model (similar to that in nursing or more recently established for paramedics) and to disseminate findings and recommendations through the production of post-event reports.

Main purpose

Green Templeton is seeking a Research Consultant who will work closely with Mary Daly, Fellow Emerita, Green Templeton College and Professor Emerita of Sociology and Social Policy, Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, to make the roundtable a success. In particular, the Research Consultant will refine the purpose and develop the structure of the roundtable and undertake the research to scope the issues involved and prepare briefing material. This will require them to review and summarise a wide range of technical literature (e.g. legal, administrative, operational) in order to prepare clear, comprehensible content on the strategic, practical and other issues involved in setting up a college of care workers. In advance of the event the Research Consultant will distil this material into a background report and set of insights that will inform the discussion at the roundtable. The Research Consultant will also take on a significant role during the roundtable meeting, organising the process to capture the discussion and conclusions, and writing-up the report setting out the findings and recommendations of the meeting.

The Research Consultant will need to be available for a minimum of 20 days in total starting in August 2026 through to early 2027. They will receive £5,500 remuneration for the first roundtable, to be paid in instalments based on mutually agreed deliverables. A second roundtable will be held in 2027. The Research Consultant will be considered for supporting this second event, with remuneration for that work to be agreed separately.

Key responsibilities

In particular the Research Consultant will:

• Work with Mary Daly and the Care Initiative team to refine the purpose and develop the structure of the roundtable meeting in autumn 2026 on ‘Is a College of Care Workers desirable and feasible and what is the pathway to get there including obtaining a royal charter?’
• Identify, collect, review and synthesise relevant material including literature on professionalisation within adult social care, previous and ongoing proposals for professional bodies for care workers, and distil lessons from professions that have developed colleges in recent decades (such as paramedics). This will involve working with leading experts from academia, policy and practice to incorporate their viewpoints and expertise.
• Write clear, accessible documents for both academic and non-academic audiences to help prepare the roundtable meeting, working independently to agreed deadlines.
• Identify potential roundtable participants from a diverse range of perspectives, identifying their influence, interest and potential contribution.
• In collaboration with others, develop and deliver a post-workshop dissemination plan. This plan will require agreeing on the focus of the reports that present relevant findings and recommendations (audience, length and tone, academic vs policy), and on how these will be disseminated.
• Plan and deliver a process that captures the discussion and conclusions of the roundtable to feed into the post-event reports.
• Work with Mary Daly and others to write and publish (early in 2027) the post-meeting report(s) setting out the findings and recommendations and other outcomes of the roundtable meeting.

Person specification

Essential

• Research and policy analysis experience
• Knowledge of social care systems
• Experience producing briefing papers for senior stakeholders
• Strong stakeholder engagement and consultation skills
• Excellent written communication skills
• Experience supporting roundtables or other events

Desirable

• Understanding of professional regulation and workforce development relevant to the field of long-term care
• Experience working with Royal Colleges, Chartered Institutes or professional membership organisations
• Knowledge of adult social care policy

Terms and conditions

Contract

The postholder will be employed by Green Templeton College on a consultant/casual contract for the duration of the project.

Duration

The Research Consultant will need to be available for a minimum of 20 days in total starting in August 2026 through to early 2027.

Hours

Flexible working hours will be agreed with the successful candidate. Approximately 20 days of work will be available between August 2026 through early 2027, with tasks expected to be undertaken throughout that time in line with project needs.

Travel expenses

Occasional attendance at Green Templeton College may be required for which travel expenses will be reimbursed.

Reporting

Dr Pete Jordan, Director of Academic Projects, and Professor Mary Daly, Fellow Emerita and founder of the Care Initiative.

Working environment

This role is primarily home-based and can be carried out remotely, with the exception of attendance at the required roundtable event and any associated on-site planning or preparation.

Successful applicants will be required to comply with Green Templeton’s arrangements for homeworking and may be asked to complete a homeworking workstation assessment before commencing work.

A laptop and any necessary equipment required for the role will be provided by the college and must be returned at the end of the contract.

Pay

A fee of £5,500 will be paid for the delivery of the first roundtable. Payment will be made in instalments against mutually agreed deliverables. This fee is inclusive of holiday pay and all expenses incurred in connection with the role.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Green Templeton welcomes applications from people from all sections of the community. We encourage applications from candidates from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds, candidates with disabilities, and those from diverse backgrounds. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.

Sustainability

Green Templeton recognises that the actions and choices of our community have a huge impact on the college’s environmental footprint, and are committed to embedding sustainable thinking throughout its operations.

How to apply

Please submit the following:

• A CV outlining your educational background and relevant experience.
• A covering letter (maximum 2 pages) explaining your interest in the role and demonstrating how you meet the selection criteria.
• The names and contact details of two referees.

Applications should be sent to hr@gtc.ox.ac.uk by Friday 31 July 2026 at 12:00.

Remote interviews will take place in the week commencing 10 August.

Further details about work on the future of long-term care at Green Templeton

Data protection

All data supplied by applicants will be used only for the purposes of determining their suitability for the post and will be held in accordance with the principles of the Data Protection Act 2018 and the College’s Data Protection Policy.