Head of communications and digital jobs in stowmarket, suffolk

Research Associate - National Youth Agency

Contract: 12-month Fixed Term Contract (with potential to extend)
Hours: Full-time - 37 hours per week 
Salary: £30,000 – £35,000 per annum, dependent on experience
Remote: This role is 100% homebased with occasional travel for staff residentials and other events.

What we do

As the national body for youth work, the NYA has a dual function. We are the professional statutory and regulatory body (PSRB) responsible for qualifications, quality standards, and safeguarding for youth work and services in England. In line with our charity mission and aims, we also champion youth work through research, advocacy, campaigns, and programmes.

We work in partnership and believe in collaborative leadership, listening to youth workers and the youth work sector so that we can understand their needs and respond to the challenges they face. We are ambitious for youth work and for young people and integrate youth voice and influence across our work

About the Role

This is an exciting opportunity to join our Knowledge Team, working alongside two existing Research Associates and a Data Analyst. 

You will be integral in delivering research, data, and insights that support organisational development and programme delivery across NYA.

We are looking for an experienced mixed-methods researcher with a strong understanding of social research and evaluation approaches. Ideally, you will have experience working in or alongside the youth sector and be confident using both qualitative and quantitative methods.

You’ll need to be flexible, proactive, and a strong communicator, able to explain complex ideas to varied audiences. 

This role is ideal for someone looking to make a tangible difference through evidence-led approaches that shape policy, practice, and impact in youth work.

Key responsibilities for this role will include:

• Designing and delivering research projects using a range of methods including surveys, interviews, and focus groups.
• Supporting the development of the NYA research and data hub, including external research collation and data visualisation.
• Leading on evaluations to meet funder requirements and contribute to NYA’s growing evidence base.
• Analysing data from NYA programmes to support impact measurement.
• Promoting evidence-based practice across NYA and the wider youth sector.
• Communicating findings clearly through reports, briefings, and presentations.
• Managing research projects and collaborating with internal and external partners to deliver on time and to quality.
• Responding to internal and external research enquiries.

The ideal candidate will have experience in social research, familiarity with various research methodologies, and the ability to communicate complex findings to diverse audiences. 

Please refer to our Candidate Pack for more information on the role and the requirements.

Why Work for NYA?

NYA operates as a people-first organisation, prioritising the well-being and needs of its employees.

NYA offers an exceptional flexible working approach which encourages our team to balance professional responsibilities with their personal life.

A remote based team, spread across England, fostering inclusivity and diverse talent. Despite geographical distances between team members, NYA maintains a highly motivated and connected team through the optimisation of digital tools.

NYA is committed to supporting the continual personal and professional development of our team and helping them achieve their ambitions.

We provide 25 days leave plus 8 days, life assurance scheme, 5% employer pension contribution and a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme via Spectrum.life with unlimited specialist support available to all NYA employees.

How to Apply:

Please download our applicant pack to find out more about the role and requirements

To apply, please submit the following via our online application platform by 11:59pm on Monday 12th May 2025:

A detailed CV setting out your career history, with responsibilities and achievements in line with the person specification in the About You section. 

A covering letter (maximum two sides) highlighting your suitability for the role and how you meet the requirements in the

About You section. 

We will request data for our EEDI monitoring purposes, providing this is optional.

Please note: the covering letter is an essential part of the application process and will be assessed as part of your full application. We use AI detector software, so cover letters or CV’s with over 30% AI generated content with be disregarded. We understand that AI tools can offer support to candidates who have learning differences, which is why we will accept applications with some AI assistance. CV’s will not be accepted without a cover letter.

The National Youth Agency is an equal opportunities employer. 

At NYA our inclusive culture means that we embrace individual differences and understand that we need a diverse team to achieve our organisations mission. 

We wish to recruit candidates from all backgrounds to ensure our team reflects the rich diversity of the communities we serve. We encourage applications from anyone regardless of disability, ethnicity, heritage, gender, sexuality, religion, socio-economic background and political beliefs but we particularly welcome applications from global majority candidates and those from other minoritised ethnic groups in the UK as they are currently underrepresented in our team.

Youth Work changes lives

Which is why we’re committed to ensuring that as many young people as possible get to benefit from it. As the national body for youth work in England, the National Youth Agency (NYA) exists to champion its transformative power.  We believe all young people should have the opportunity to benefit from the life-changing impact of extraordinary youth workers and trained volunteers.

We help to grow youth work provision in ways that keep it effective, relevant, safe and engaging, to help millions of young people reach their potential and thrive. We do this by providing guidance, support, advice, training and staff development opportunities for youth workers and youth work organisations. At the heart of everything we do are young people themselves. We work hard to ensure their voices are integrated into all our work, to develop provision that truly meets their needs.

REF-221126

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet historically just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease. Brain Tumour Research is determined to change this. 

Their vision is to find a cure for all types of brain tumours. To achieve their mission, they are looking for a Community Fundraiser who will proactively engage with supporters, community groups and volunteers across the West Midlands to join their team of 12 Community Fundraisers across the UK.

The Community Fundraiser (West Midlands) is responsible for providing support and guidance to fundraisers within their communities to achieve their ambitions and ultimately raise vital funds for Brain Tumour Research. This is achieved through a wide variety of activities such as helping supporters to make the most of their own fundraising, engaging participants with externally organised events such as the Great Birmingham Run, and encouraging communities to get involved in events organised by Brain Tumour Research such as Wear a Hat Day and Walk for Hope. The Community Fundraiser will be the face of Brain Tumour Research in the area, providing excellent stewardship to existing supporters, and building great relationships with new supporters.

This post has been vacant since Autumn, and as such needs a fundraiser with confidence and capability in fundraising to join the team, provide donor love to the loyal supporters in the area, and approach developing the areas potential with energy and enthusiasm. If you have fundraising experience and are keen to join a charity with ambition and an amazing supporter base, then this could be the role for you.

Please note the successful candidate will need to live within the region (Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and Gloucestershire), have access to a car and be willing to travel around their region. If you are not currently based in this area, please clarify if you have plans to relocate.  

Application notes 

Please download the Candidate Info Pack provided for further information about the role, timelines and next steps.

To progress your application, please follow instructions in the pack to organise an informal screening call. Please note, we cannot shortlist candidates who have not had a screening call. 

As this role has been vacant for some time, we are running rolling interview to see suitable candidates as they apply. Interviews will be kept to one stage, and organised to suit the candidate, where possible. Don’t delay – apply today! 

Responsible to: Engagement Team Manager
Team: Engagement
Place of work: Home-based (within specified geographical area)
 
Benefits:

• Salary – £27,000 per annum
• 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday
• Home-based (with occasional UK travel)
• 26 days annual leave plus all Bank Holidays
• bhsf cash plan, 3% pension contribution, death in service insurance
• Learning and development opportunities, Employee Assistance Programme

 
Job summary
 
Reporting to the head of growth and sitting within the engagement team you will:

• recruit volunteers by promoting Re-engage’s services,
• develop effective relationships with new and existing referrers such as social prescribers and community link workers
• identify and cultivate new, innovative referral pathways to connect with a broader demographic of seniors experiencing social isolation and loneliness
• support the wider Re-engage team in the delivery of our grant funded projects

 
Engagement officer tasks and requirements
 

• Growing and developing our network of referral partners, including social prescribers and link workers, ensuring that Re-engage's work is promoted to people aged 75 who are experiencing social isolation and loneliness.
• Partnering with communities to create regular, volunteer led, social gatherings for people aged 75
• Utilise Re-engage's CRM (OPUS) to inform evidence-based, data-driven decision-making to develop effective engagement plans.
• Working closely with the service delivery team ensuring that the right people are recruited and engaged into the right roles, in the right place, and at the right times.
• Collaborating with the communications team ensuring the widest possible publicity for the region’s needs through media and social media opportunities, local press, radio, TV, and online forums.
• Liaising closely with the fundraising team delivering against recruitment targets linked to grants.
• Working with the fundraising team on proposals and grant applications using regional knowledge, identifying local need, and collecting case studies.
• Identifying speaking and presenting opportunities ensuring that Re-engage's work is promoted to referrers.
• Working effectively as part of a regional team, maintaining, and growing all Re-engage services.
• Joint accountability, with colleagues in the region, for the engagement of older people and recruitment of volunteers into Re-engage's portfolio of services
• Carrying out any other reasonable tasks assigned to you by your line manager.
• You’ll be a proactive, solution-focused person with passion and skill for networking and building relationships. You’ll be experienced at building and maintaining effective relationships with referrers and social prescribers and will be a flexible, hands-on team player, who will deliver Re-engage's strategic objectives, values, behaviours, and working practices.

 
Knowledge, skills, and attributes
 
Essential

• Excellent people skills with a proven ability to network and collaborate with professionals, partners, older people, volunteers, and colleagues.
• Digital first approach with strong ability in all areas of working digitally.
• Experience of working across different sectors and developing links with other organisations.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
• Organised and methodical approach to work with strong administrative skills
• Enthusiastic about using technology to its full advantage to engage and recruit older people and volunteers and make data informed decisions.
• Self-motivated, able to work remotely with minimal supervision.
• Experience of working to deadlines and meeting KPIs and targets
• A positive ambassador for Re-engage - committed to an organisation that challenges ageism, empowers volunteers and recognises and values diversity.
• Able to work your own initiative as well as collaboratively as part of a team
• A clear understanding of safeguarding systems and processes and of confidentiality and the implications of GDPR when working with volunteers and older people.

 
Desirable

• Experience of community engagement or sales, including online engagement.
• Experience working in a target-driven work environment
• Skilled at building and maintaining effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders from the statutory, commercial, and voluntary sectors to deliver results.
• Interested in learning about loneliness, social isolation, and factors that impact the ageing population.
• Understanding of volunteer journey, including recruitment and engagement.
• Full driving license and own car preferred as this post will require regional travel as and when required and the occasional overnight stay.
• Understanding of, and empathy with, the issues affecting older people who are isolated, and lonely.

 
About Re-engage
 
Re-engage is a charity that is positive about older age and committed to reducing loneliness so that people can have social lives and friendship groups however old they are. We inspire and enable meaningful connections and shared experiences within communities across the UK for people over 75 facing loneliness and social isolation.
 
Our volunteers work together to create better communities and help to enrich the lives of our members. Older people who may have felt very alone now feel valued as individuals, continue to form friendships, and have groups that give support. We make sure that people know they are important well into their old age.
 
We are proud of our values - positive, innovative, transparent, evidence-based, and accountable - and of our ethos of bringing generations together.
 
Our vision is a world where no one is ever too old to make friends and enjoy social interaction.
 
Our mission is to work within communities to end social isolation and loneliness in older people.
 
Re-engage is committed to growing a staff team that enjoys coming to work every day and gets satisfaction out of being part of delivering significant impact to the lives of older people. We all work remotely, and we don’t let that stop us from getting to know each other and enjoying down time together. Our wellbeing programme includes multiple interest groups: music, books, hobbies etc as well as coffee and catch ups, quizzes, mindfulness, and other group activities. Everyone is encouraged to get involved in working groups and staff networks, all of which contribute to us getting to know each other. We have strong values and promote behaviours that underpin all we do.
 
How we recruit
 
Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people from ethnic minority backgrounds are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Re-engage we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we’d encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
 
Re-engage uses the Hireful platform which helps remove unconscious bias for a forward-thinking, fair, and objective alternative to traditional hiring. Instead of using your CV alone, we'll be asking you to answer questions to test essential skills needed for the role. The responses are then anonymised and reviewed in a random order by members of our team. This enables us to make data-driven assessments focused on someone's ability, rather than their background.
 
The Hireful platform also asks some demographic questions before you start your application. We never see these responses with your application. We only see summary statistics to help us check if our candidate pool is balanced and if everyone has an equal chance to get hired irrespective of their background. If you prefer, you can easily opt out of answering these questions.
 
We would rather AI wasn't used for your answers as we want the real you, however we do reserve the right to reject applications if we feel the use of AI has been excessive.
 
The closing date is midnight on 18 May 2025 and interviews will be held week commencing 26 May 2025 and week commencing 2 June 2025
 
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