Founded in 2013, Generation Change has united a diverse coalition of the leading charities and social enterprises that support young people to take action in their communities on the issues that matter to them.
Together we share a powerful vision: for social action to become a normal part of growing up in the UK, so that the next generation will put social purpose at the heart of the society and economy they enter as adults.
To make that vision a reality will require deep-rooted, systemic change in the way young people are able to take part in social action. We need to see a vast improvement in the way that activities and programmes are delivered, recognised, and given funding to scale up across the country.
At the heart of this problem is a lack of currency for the activities that already take place. It is currently difficult to understand the outcomes that certain programmes are able to achieve, which makes it harder to learn and improve over time, or to build recognition around best practice.
Our Mission
To grow the market for high quality youth social action provision, by making it easy for anyone in any setting to adopt, access and recognise best practice.
How we do it
Starting this year, we are launching a pathway for new organisations to join our partnership – by taking part in a rigorous evaluation and improvement pathway we call the Impact Accelerator.
This 12-month scheme helps practitioners to adopt a shared impact framework, which they then use to drive learning about impact. Organisations that successfully adopt this model join our movement as “Impact Partners” – gaining recognition as pioneers of best practice in youth social action.
Generation Change will support our community of Impact Partners to drive a wider movement for best practice – setting benchmarks, and sharing insights that can improve the way that youth programmes get funded, delivered and replicated across the country.
Generation Change is seeking outstanding candidates to join the organisation as our
Research and Service Designer.
- Place of work: London, with remote working considered.
- Salary: £34,000 - £45,000 pro rata
- Accountable to: Director / Head of Development
- Hours of work: Part time, with 0.6 FTE being ideal (negotiable).
- Contract: 3-year fixed term contract – flexible working.
Context of the vacancy
Over the last 2 years, Generation Change has designed and piloted a new initiative to help youth programmes adopt a common impact framework and become more effective at using evidence to drive their service design. Out of this pilot we developed our Impact Accelerator, which we believe has the potential to create a shared community of practice in the field of youth social action that has widespread recognition.
We have now secured a 3-year funding contract to deliver the Impact Accelerator to at least 35 organisations between now and 2020. We are therefore in the process of hiring up a team that can deliver this model - and crucial to this will be our ability to provide expert consultancy and training in research and service design methodology.
About the role
As our Research and Service Designer, you will work with colleagues at Generation Change and Dartington Service Design Lab to deliver intensive and bespoke guidance and critical challenge to a range of youth organisations looking to improve their impact methodology.
In this role, you will be looking to blend science-based and user-centred design approaches to support organisations in their decision making when it comes to improving their programme and evaluation design.
You will be expected to contribute to the development of our impact framework, independent validation process, and training content – as well as helping to effectively capture and disseminate insights and learning from delivery organisations to wide and diverse audiences.
Key responsibilities
- Deliver training and consultancy in research and user-centered design methods to a range of different organisations delivering services to young people;
- Forge and maintain close and positive relationships of trust with youth practitioners, working on a 1-to-1 basis to provide bespoke consultation, critical challenge and guidance;
- Maintain strict levels of non-disclosure, handling commercially sensitive data and evidence submitted by youth organisations in confidence.
- Work in close partnership with colleagues and research associates at Dartington Service Design Lab, contributing to the refinement of the “Confidence Framework” and its application to evidence-based practices in the field of children’s outcomes;
- Ensure high quality delivery of work, on time, managing your time effectively on a flexible working basis;
- Monitor your time and engagement with clients, reporting all communication through a CRM system, and maintaining regular check ins with the wider Generation Change team;
- Develop insights content that summarises learning, evidence and best practice that is identified through the Impact Accelerator process
- Contribute to public dissemination of findings at events and through communications;
- Attend and help to facilitate peer-review sessions, and contribute to the development of a community strategy that can enable practitioners to support and challenge each other in issues of evaluation and service design.
- Contribute to the intellectual life of the organisation and development of a body of knowledge in the field of youth social action
- Stay up to date on issues of children’s outcomes, evaluation methods and the application of scientific research to policy relating to youth social action.
Other responsibilities
- Model Generation Change’s values and articulate our vision, mission and strategy to a range of stakeholders;
- Maintain high levels of productivity and manage your own time effectively across a flexible working environment that affords high levels of freedom in how you carry out your work;
- Represent Generation Change in a range of contexts to external audiences;
- Build effective relationships with team members, our network community and external partners, helping to sustain a positive environment for collaboration;
- The Director may assign other business tasks from time to time.
Person specification
We are seeking accomplished researchers and social scientists who have a specialism in using empirical methods to understand social outcomes. You will have at least a Master’s degree in a related field – and at least five years’ working within a research or frontline evaluation role. All of the below skills and attributes are considered essential or strongly desired:
Education and employment background
- A Master’s or PhD in a relevant field – e.g. health/social care; human development; research methods; public policy; psychology; behavioural science; children’s development;
- Strong track record in using science-based research and evaluation methods to examine and improve social outcomes – for example in a research organisation; public services setting; or charitable delivery context;
- Experience of using research in child and human development;
- Strong competency in science-based approaches to service design
Knowledge (and practical experience) of
- Implementation science (theory of change, logic models, data monitoring, fidelity, etc), applying evidence and research methods to policy and practice;
- Evidence-based programmes, practice and processes seeking to achieve social outcomes. Applying empirical science methods to service design;
- Quantitative analysis – using statistical software;
- Innovation in service design, continuous improvement approaches, innovative approaches to service evaluation, data driven service refinement approaches;
- User-centered design, design methodology, rapid-cycle testing, agile development, user-validation methods;
- The design, structure and functioning of public systems (children’s services, social care, physical and mental health, housing, etc)
Skills
- Excellent group facilitation skills;
- Excellent verbal and presentational communication skills – you are able to convey and explain difficult concepts in ways that are easy to grasp for diverse audiences;
- Ability to produce and deliver well-designed, engaging presentations;
- Experience conducting rigorous and rapid reviews of scientific literature, research and evidence, with an ability to interpret and synthesise findings from experimental evaluations;
- Experience undertaking, analysing and interpreting interviews and focus groups;
Personal attributes
- Highly organised, accountable – you are fastidious about developing and sticking to timely and efficient processes and schedules;
- Excellent time and workload management skills; resilient to pressure and able to stick to deadlines whilst balancing your own productivity you’re your personal and mental wellbeing;
- Deeply curious; open to being wrong, a keen learner that absorbs and even relishes constructive criticism, negative data; unexpected findings;
- Well honed ability to listen, empathise and adapt your behaviour to suit differences in working culture, levels of understanding, values and perspectives;
- Excellent personal skills, combining assertiveness with an ability to form relationships of sincere trust / integrity, treat people with respect, and bring out the best in people.
- Excellent team working skills, with a proven ability to excel at working in collaboration – able juggle a range of perspectives and find common ground.
- Creativity and problem solving ability;
- Deeply passionate about improving outcomes for young people, improving practice in the field of youth social action, and contributing to a growing evidence base in a new field of practice.
Job requirements
Contract:
Part-time, and open to negotiation about the number of days per week. This role can be offered on a 3-year, flexible working contract, with a 6-month probationary period.
Location:
Remote working, with regular travel to London, and periods of travelling to other parts of the UK.
Hours of work:
Flexible. Our normal office hours are 9:30am – 5:30pm, Monday to Friday, but all staff work flexibly and will manage their own time.
Start date:
As soon as possible, with flexibility for notice periods.
Remuneration
Salary:
£34,000 - £47,000 per annum
Pension:
3% pension contribution, with 3% employer contributions.
Annual leave:
25 days as a minimum leave requirement.
Benefits:
Unlimited holiday policy. Flexible and remote working offered. Part-time considered.
To apply
To apply for this position please send your CV, plus a cover letter no longer than 2 pages, to: apply@generationchange.org.uk
If you have any questions about this position, please contact our Director: david.reed@generationchange.org.uk
Closing date: midnight, 23rd March 2018
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Social InnovationYouth Generation Change Seeks Research and Service Designer Founded in 2013, Generation Change has united a diverse coalition of the leading charities and social enterprises that support young people. English Generation Change http://www.generationchange.org.uk/
Non-profit Job (Part-Time) Research 1521759600 London, UK jobseekerLondonSocial InnovationUKCommunityInclusionProject ManagementResearchSocial InnovationYouth apply@generationchange.org.uk 1521846000 Default Image 2 Premium GBP Forschungs- und Servicedesigner*in London, England