Senior Impact and Evaluation Adviser at Save the Children UK

About the Role 

The Senior Impact & Evaluation Adviser will provide expert advice on impact, evaluation, and evidence strategies to impact and learning colleagues in UK country teams (who will lead on individual project design, implementation, data collection and analysis). They will support and provide capacity building for colleagues to embed high-quality design, impact measurement, and evaluation into major new initiatives; and lead UKI's approach to ethical research.

We are looking for someone with extensive experience applying a range of qualitative and quantitative methods in social change research. This includes experience in at least one of the following: participatory research (ideally with adults and children), place-based and/or systems change evaluation, and research that explores public attitudes. Ethical rigor is at the heart of what we do, and you will lead our approach to research ethics, ensuring all work meets the highest professional and ethical standards.

In this role, you will: 

• Provide expert advice to impact, evaluation, and learning colleagues in country teams on impact frameworks, evidence strategies, evaluation methods, and data strategies – for both place-based work and advocacy strategies
• Ensure that expert advice on impact and evidence strategies balances the need for rigour and pragmatism; reflects the priorities of our impact strategies; and responds appropriately to funder priorities
• Support colleagues with the implementation of impact and evidence strategies, helping colleagues in country teams to overcome challenges with data collection and analysis where needed
• Support colleagues with commissioning external support for evidence and learning, for example, by drawing on external professional networks; and advising on specifications
• Support fundraising by advising senior colleagues on project design, impact measurement, and evaluation approaches for major new initiatives
• Lead work with a range of colleagues to identify and respond to professional development needs and opportunities around impact measurement and evaluation
• Explore opportunities for shared learning and practice improvement across impact, evaluation, and learning with SCUK colleagues and partners, such as by convening internal or external networks / communities of practice
• Oversee the current UKI approach to research ethics and associated processes, including leading on immediate improvements; and contribute to the further development of ethical approaches to our work
• Build and maintain excellent external networks in relevant fields; and stay up-to-date with the latest literature and debates on impact, evaluation, and evidence strategies in complex social change

We are looking for someone with the following experience, competencies, and skills: 

• Significant experience of designing and implementing evaluation or research strategies to support social change in complex systems
• Extensive experience applying a range of qualitative and quantitative methods in evaluation, impact measurement, and evidence generation
• Experience in participatory research with adults and children, place-based and/or systems change evaluation, and ideally public attitudes research
• In-depth knowledge of research and evaluation ethics, including ethics review processes
• Proven ability to coach and advise others in an empowering way that builds the skills and expertise of colleagues
• Proven ability to communicate and build support for the purpose and execution of different impact, evaluation, and evidence approaches to non-specialists
• Strong collaboration skills, with the ability to understand the needs of others and offer pragmatic solutions
• Ability to work across multiple projects and teams at the same time; prioritise own time well to meet agreed objectives; and set clear boundaries for own workload
• Ability to travel around the UK and Ireland to meet colleagues, partners, and families, with sufficient notice – around 4-6 times a year
• Please note: To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications are received. This is to ensure that we can manage application levels whilst maintaining a positive candidate experience. Unfortunately once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications.