Research and Evaluation Manager (50+ Employment)

Job Title

Research and Evaluation Manager, 50+ Employment

Reporting to:

Deputy Director, Work

Reporting from:

Economics and Research Analyst, 50+ Employment

Location

Central London Offices and Hybrid working to be supported

Expectation that your minimum office attendance will be 6 days per month. This is open to amendment in the future

Hours

37.5 hours / 5 days a week

This is a full-time post. However, we will consider applications from people looking to work 2-3 days a week if they are willing to job share.

Flexible working arrangements are supported

Salary Band/Grade

Band 3 - 47,336

Duration

18 months fixed term

Background Information

About the Centre for Ageing Better

Everyone has the right to a good life as they get older and our whole society benefits when people are able to age well. But far too many people face huge barriers, and as a result are living in bad housing, dealing with poverty and poor health and made to feel invisible in their communities and society.

The Centre for Ageing Better is pioneering ways to make ageing better a reality for everyone. Its key areas of work include challenging ageism and building a nationwide Age-friendly Movement, creating Age-friendly Employment and Age-friendly Homes.

We are a charitable foundation, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, and part of the government's What Works Network.

We are striving to create an organisation that reflects our society and the communities we serve. A workplace where everyone feels empowered and where diversity of background and thought is celebrated. We know there is more work to be done and are committed to continuing to improve our practice around Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

About the Work Action Area team, and this role

The Work Action Area team is a friendly, passionate, multi-disciplinary team of 11 people working to create fair access to work for people in their 50s and 60s. We run the Age-friendly Employer Pledge, pilot projects to test out new models of employment support and undertake high-level policy analysis and influencing.

Policy-makers, journalists and thought leaders see us as the go-to experts on 50+ employment, and we reach over 450 employers via the Pledge. We don't just write about change we are making change.

The Research and Evaluation Manager is core to this work. You will be the research lead in the team managing the research and evaluation activity that generates the strong evidence base we are known for.

You will be managing ongoing research and evaluation contracts, working with some of the best employment research teams in the country, and steering their work. Particularly significant will be the evaluation of our Age-friendly Employer Pledge.

You will also oversee and conduct in-house research, working with our Economics and Research Analyst (who you will line manage), the Policy and Public Affairs Officer, and the rest of the team.

You will have a lot of scope to identify research priorities and develop and manage research projects from end to end. That includes developing practical and meaningful policy recommendations.

We have a busy policy and public affairs strand to our activity, and there will be opportunities to get involved in the influencing side of our work (with local and national government). Ultimately, we hope you will become another expert in 50+ employment who can amplify our voice in a variety of settings.

Job Purpose

To lead the development and delivery of high-quality, impactful research and evaluation projects that promote fair access to work for people in their 50s and 60s.

To manage the procurement and delivery of research from external research teams.

To oversee and conduct in-house research projects.

To support our policy influencing at a national and local level.

To manage the Economics and Research Analyst.

Specific duties and responsibilities

Managing evaluation and research being delivered by external teams

- Manage the Work Action Area team's existing evaluation and research contracts or support

Senior Programme managers to do so.

o Attend regular meetings with contracted research teams to check progress and

make decisions about research methods

o Act as key point of contact between Ageing Better and evaluation/research teams o Review and agree research methodologies and tools used by contractors o Ensure that delivery milestones are being met and payments are being made o Manage and negotiate any contract changes

- Scope, procure and manage any future evaluation and research contracts from the work team with support from the Deputy Director and Economics and Research Analyst.

- Review outputs and developing additional, sharply written materials drawing out the

insights for key influencers

Overseeing and undertaking in-house primary and secondary research

- Work with the Deputy Director to define priorities for original research over 18 months - Work with the Deputy Director to scope and manage the delivery of that research - Conduct some of that research yourself or support colleagues to do so (particularly the

Economics and Research Analyst).

o Focussing on desk-based and qualitative methods

- Create new outputs based on this analysis including briefing papers and blogs

Policy development

- Work with colleagues to develop workable policy proposals based on contracted and

original research

Expert commentary and influence

- Working alongside other members of the Work Action Area team, support the Comms team

with media responses and proactive press releases

- Participate in and, occasionally, lead meetings providing the expert voice on 50+

employment issues including those with policymakers and influencers, government analysts, the research community and other external audiences

Work with colleagues

- Line manages the Economics and Research Analyst (a quantitative and policy specialist) - Support the Work Action Area team to improve their understanding of key issues - Actively contribute to development and culture of Work Action Area team.

Act in line with Ageing Better's principles and values

- Take personal responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the rights of older people - Comply with our policies and procedures at all times, in particular, Data Protection and

Health and Safety

- Promote and support open and effective collaboration across Ageing Better - Carry out all duties in a professional manner and in line with our values - Undertake any other roles or responsibilities that may be reasonably required within the

scope and band of this role.