***THIS JOB VACANCY HAS NOW CLOSED***
An opportunity has arisen for a Senior Researcher to join the Trust.
The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust is a grant making charity, which supports the Armed Forces Covenant by funding projects which address specific priorities. To find out more about our work and the organisation, please visit our website www.covenantfund.org.uk/
Your focus will be to lead and deliver robust evaluative research to measure the impact of large and complex strategic grant programmes, and to disseminate findings to key internal and external stakeholders
You will need to have considerable experience in the delivery of evaluations and research projects.
Salary: £50,000-£60,000 per annum dependent on experience. This is a fixed term contract for up to 3 years
This is a remote/home working position. This post may require occasional attendance at meetings or events in London or elsewhere.
How to apply: Applications should take the form of a letter (no more than two pages of A4) providing evidence of how you meet the person specification, and a CV – both attached to an email addressed to info@covenantfund.org.uk giving the contact details for two professional referees and how you know them. Please also confirm when you would expect to be able to start if your application is successful
Please include the wording Application for Head of Impact in the email subject line.
Timetable:
Deadline for applications is 5 January 2022
First interviews are likely to be via video call in the following week
Please see job description and person specification below.
Senior Researcher/ Head of Impact
Job description and person specification (November 2021)
Reporting to: Chief Executive
Summary of role: Responsible for developing and delivering research and evaluation for the Trust on HMT supported funding programmes, and ensuring this is produced and disseminated in such a way to meet the requirements of the Trust’s partners, and to have the greatest impact.
Salary: £50,000 – £60,000
This is expected to be a full-time role, but the Trust is open to considering flexibility around this. Fixed term – up to 3 years
The Trust is a remote working organisation, with occasional requirement for travel to attendance at meetings (unlikely to be more frequent than 10 per year) of Trustees or the staff team. The Trust is committed to being an equal opportunities employer and to providing development and training opportunities.
Main Duties
- Develop and deliver research and evaluation projects, from initiation to dissemination, for the Trust to measure the impact of HMT Funds; and additional high impact projects supported by the Trust including reflecting on existing and current programmes and grant holders, such as those supported by LIBOR-related funding
- Build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders and partners, particularly HMT and MoD.
- Work with the Director of Policy and Communications to integrate learning from impact research throughout the work of the Trust
- Produce briefing papers on key topics for the Chief Executive; and for external stakeholders
- Contribute to the Fund’s development by being alert to, and developing a good understanding of relevant issues relating to the Covenant, the voluntary sector and grant making
- Disseminate learning and findings from funded work to Armed Forces community, the public, and Treasury, Cabinet Office and MoD officials and ministers.
- Manage own workloads, and collaborate with colleagues on shared tasks and projects, to ensure milestones and targets are met.
Person Specification
Essential
- Experience in the design and leadership of innovative research approaches to developing understanding of the impact of major funding programmes
- Strong research and analytical skills, rooted in a research methods qualification, and experience in using this analysis to develop compelling fact-based written narratives
- Experience in delivering quantitative, qualitative and mixed method research projects
- A track record of designing and delivering high quality research and reports that inform and influence high level stakeholders such as Government departments including HM Treasury, particularly focusing on grant funders, service delivery charities and the relationship between the two
- Significant voluntary sector experience, with a deep understanding and appreciation of charities, funders and the relationships between the two, and their vital role in supporting beneficiaries
- A track record of developing innovative methodological approaches to research and data analysis to create new understanding and insight, particularly in the areas of grant funding and impact evaluations at both an individual project and programmatic level
- Experience of tendering/procurement and managing research contracts
Desirable
- Senior management and leadership experience.
- Strong knowledge and understanding of the UK grant making and funding landscape
- A track record of collaborative projects with university led research centres
- Leadership and project management of technical and website developments to deliver data, information and learning to a range of stakeholders and audiences
- Personal knowledge or experience of working with, or being part of, the Armed Services community
