Leading research–policy engagement: an empirical analysis of the capabilities and characteristics of leaders of evidence intermediary organisations

There is growing interest in evidence intermediary organisations as a means of bridging the gap between research and policy. However, their activities and effectiveness remain under-researched. This article provides an empirically grounded analysis of the activities and attributes of the leaders of evidence intermediary organisations operating at different levels of government and across diverse policy domains in the UK. It shows that successful research-policy engagement calls for an unusual blend of leadership skills and behaviours. Leaders of evidence intermediaries highlighted the need for four core capabilities (strategy making, policy engagement, quality assuring evidence, and organisational management) and three essential characteristics (the ability to overcome entrenched institutional obstacles to evidence mobilisation, to respond to shifting stakeholder demands, and to persevere when evidence is ignored by policy makers). These findings add to our understanding of day-to-day practices of evidence mobilisation, have implications for policy and practice, and point to several promising avenues for future research about this relatively new breed of organisations which are playing an increasingly prominent role in research-policy systems in a range of countries. The leadership capabilities and characteristics identified in our research can be used to develop job descriptions, career paths, and training and development opportunities for current and future leaders. They should also inform the design and leadership of future research-policy engagement initiatives. Future studies could usefully test out the applicability of our findings in other countries and contexts and from the perspectives of a wider range of actors.