Development research officer jobs

Help unlock life-changing employment opportunities for underrepresented young people across London.
Join 20/20 Levels as our Business Development Manager and build the employer partnerships that power social mobility.

At 20/20 Levels, we believe talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. This role is a unique chance to work at the intersection of business development, recruitment, and social impact, securing paid roles, internships, apprenticeships and career pathways for our alumni.

You’ll engage employers in high-growth sectors, develop long-term partnerships, and position 20/20 Levels as a trusted talent partner for diverse early-career candidates. If you’re commercially driven, relationship-focused, and motivated by creating real change through employment, we’d love to hear from you.

We are looking for a dynamic Senior Research & Analysis Officer to manage and deliver information, data, and analysis to help Youth Futures build evidence for impact.

This is an opportunity for a researcher with excellent data analysis, trial design and data skills to work widely across a busy and ambitious directorate, helping us understand and address youth unemployment in England.

Working with two teams in the Impact and Evidence Directorate, you will gain experience and contribute meaningfully across a range of research and evaluation activities.

• You will work with the Head of Evaluation and Principal Economist to support the design, delivery and management of data systems; scope, commission and manage high-quality evaluations; and conduct data analysis and quantitative social and economic research.
• You will also use your analytical expertise to extract insights from data, identify trends, and liaise with policy and communication teams to prepare outputs for external use.
• You will support the work of YFF’s evaluation team in generating new evidence for employment support programmes and Employer Practice through impact evaluations, including Randomised Controlled Trials.
• The role also offers opportunities to work on data visualisations for effective communication of data and research insights.

This role can be based at our Birmingham, Leeds or London hub. We currently operate a hybrid model of two-days per week in the office and three-days from home.

For more information on this role, please download our recruitment pack.

Due to receiving high volumes of interest in our opportunities, this vacancy may close earlier than the advertised deadline. To ensure your application is considered, please submit it as soon as possible.

In this pivotal role as Prospect Research Manager at Diabetes UK, you will lead on managing prospect research, pipeline development, and adhere to best practice across income streams with a clear strategy that focuses on sourcing prospective high value donors to fund key strategic ambitions. One in 15 of us is now living with diabetes. Together, we have the opportunity to change this for the next generation. We are looking for someone who is a strategic thinker, analytical, organised in their approach and who can demonstrate accuracy and attention to detail in their work.   Join us and be part of something truly transformational as we change the narrative around diabetes and create a more inclusive world.

Endometriosis UK is the leading UK charity supporting those living with endometriosis. Formed in 1981, we offer information and support, for example through our website, information leaflets and webinars, and via our local support groups, Helplines and online forum.  As well as directly supporting those with endometriosis, we work to raise awareness of endometriosis amongst healthcare professionals, the public and the media; lobby for improved diagnosis, treatment and management; and support research. We have a big job to do and ambitious plans.

This role sits at the heart of Endometriosis UK working closely with the Community Engagement and Volunteer Manager, Support and Information Administrator and our Volunteer Coordinators based in England and Wales to facilitate the delivery of our support services through our network of volunteers.

At Endometriosis UK, our team of close to 200 trained volunteers are at the very heart of what we do. The empathy, generosity and commitment of our volunteers enables us to run all our support services, ensuring we can help and support all those affected by endometriosis.

The Scottish Development Coordinator plays a key role in ensuring we support and grow a thriving volunteer network, this involves working with the team to recruit, mobilise and inspire volunteers in their chosen roles. The Scottish Development Coordinator will ensure volunteers are supported at every stage of their journey to ensure those accessing our support services are well supported whilst ensuring the volunteer contributions are recognised and their achievements celebrated.

The post holder will help to expand our reach in Scotland to help raise the charity’s profile and ensure we are delivering vital supportive services to everyone affected by in Scotland this includes work with the wider team to develop exciting new projects to achieve our ambitious goals.

Closing date for applications: 10am Wednesday 11th February 2026 

Interview dates: The interview process will consist of 2 stages. Initial interview will take place online week commencing 23rd February followed by a second-round interview in person.

Location: Home-based in Scotland 

Do you have experience in prospect research, prospect management and due diligence? Are you passionate about the impact of philanthropy and major gifts?

Right now is Manchester’s time to shine. We are preparing to launch our first ever major fundraising and volunteering campaign.

At Manchester we don’t just focus on what we’re good at. We ask what we’re good for.

Through our teaching we are educating a new kind of socially responsible graduate – tomorrow’s thinkers, doers and leaders of a better world. Through our research we are addressing the most pressing global challenges with bold and brilliant solutions. Through innovation we are turning ideas into reality, creating the jobs and industries that will sustain us in the future. And in the heart of the city and beyond, we are breaking down barriers to art, science and learning in order to build stronger, more resilient communities.

Manchester people are different. Not only do we share the values of integrity, being bold, being ambitious, and being collaborative, we also share a pioneering spirit and the courage to make a difference. If you have a fearless personality, boundless optimism and a desire to create a healthier, fairer and more sustainable world, we’d love you to get in touch.

Exciting? We think so too.

About the role

Reporting to the Senior Development Research Officer (SDRO), the Development Research Officer (DRO) plays a vital role in the University’s fundraising operation.

This is an appointment to a Development Researcher role, as outlined in the job description. The focus of this position will be on proactive prospect identification, prospect development, pool management, and due diligence.

You will be the responsible for identification of fantastic prospects, working on innovative prospecting projects, working with fundraisers to drive prospect relationships forward, ensuring our CRM is kept up to date with prospect data, producing informative and insightful donor profiles, conducting fundraiser pool reviews; and preparing due diligence papers.

You will have a passion for philanthropy and the desire to gain a deep understanding of our donor and prospect pools, as well as the many projects undertaken at the University. You will provide accurate and appropriate information relating to potential and current donors to the University, high net worth individuals, corporations and charitable foundations worldwide.

Working with colleagues, you will play a direct role in the University’s programme of identification and analysis of potential donors, deploying and enabling systems to support the documentation and management of such potential donors and suggesting tailored strategies to reach and engage such donors.

Interviews to be held in person week commencing Monday 9 February.

What you’ll get in return

You’ll feel valued as a Development Research Officer at The University of Manchester, receiving access to exclusive rewards and benefits including:

• 23 days annual leave entitlement plus University closure days over the Christmas period, plus bank holidays;
• 3 volunteer days pa in your community;
• hybrid and flexible working opportunities;
• a generous contribution-based pension scheme;
• an annual pay review, plus incremental salary increase within the grade;
• Purple Place Reward Gateway lifestyle benefits - exclusive access to discounts across UK’s major retailers including supermarkets, technology, fashion, travel, and much more;
• free eye examinations with discounts on glasses and contact lenses;
• savings on food and cafes on campus;
• salary exchange for childcare vouchers, workplace nursery scheme, cycle to work, electric vehicle, or increased pension contribution;
• and much more! 

As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons and all appointments will be made on merit. As we are committed to the principles of the Race Equality Charter Mark, we would particularly welcome applications from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community who are currently under-represented at this level in this area.

Our University is positive about flexible working – you can find out more here

Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.

Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies.

This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date.

Please see Further Particulars document which contains the person specification criteria.

Please ensure that you send a covering letter explaining why you are suitable for this role when submitting your CV.

Please note, that we reserve the right to interview and appoint before the advertised closing date.

Overview

Race Against Dementia is a global charity founded by three-time Formula 1 World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart OBE to find preventions, treatments and cures for dementia – faster.

We fund and support pioneering early-career scientists around the world, giving them the tools, mentoring and Formula 1-inspired mindset to accelerate breakthroughs. From the UK to the USA, Australia to South Africa, our researchers are rethinking how dementia research is done – applying data science, AI and engineering to neuroscience in bold, collaborative ways.

This role sits within Race Against Dementia’s small, dynamic Operations team, who oversee the charity’s research programmes and internal processes. The team is responsible for managing Race Against Dementia’s research portfolio – from coordinating funding calls and supporting the selection of the projects we fund, to delivering the training and development programme for our researchers.

Purpose of the role

The Research Officer plays a central role in delivering Race Against Dementia’s research activity, helping to strengthen our research programmes and support the researchers we fund. The role combines strong organisational skills with clear science communication: coordinating processes, systems and partnerships to ensure smooth delivery, while translating research progress into accessible updates for internal and external audiences.

Duties and Responsibilities

Research administration:

• Manage the administration of all grant calls and related processes.
• Coordinate all incoming communications regarding research matters, ensuring timely, professional responses.
• Maintain team calendars and shared resources to support smooth team operations.
• Set up review sessions with Race Against Dementia Fellows to monitor progress.
• Support preparation of updates and progress reports for charity Trustees, funders and supporters.
• Work with the Research Manager to coordinate training activities for Race Against Dementia researchers.
• Support the planning and delivery of the annual in-person training event for Race Against Dementia researchers.
• Work closely with Race Against Dementia’s research partners and training partners to coordinate joint activities, communication, and ensure smooth delivery of collaborative projects and training activities.
• Undertake research to identify new organisations aligned with our mission.

Science communications

• Track key developments in dementia research and emerging trends in the field.
• Support the creation of research related social media content for the charity’s social media channels.
• Support the development of press materials to announce research updates and milestones.
• Contribute to copywriting and content development for the Race Against Dementia’s website.
• Work with the Research Manager to ensure the wider team is kept up to date with research developments across our network and the wider field.
• Help build and maintain a network of key dementia research stakeholders across academia and charities. 

Other duties

Carry out any other duties as required by the Research Manager, CEO and Board of Trustees including:

• To attend, where appropriate, local, regional and national meetings/events.
• To maintain a good knowledge of national and local initiatives which are of benefit to Race Against Dementia.
• To administer your own workload, including meeting targets and deadlines in line with the Race Against Dementia appraisal system.
• To attend relevant CPD training events as required.
• To undertake responsibility, as part of the team, for all Health and Safety work related matters.
• To work within the guidelines of Race Against Dementia’s policies and procedures.

All team members are expected to uphold and actively demonstrate Race Against Dementia’s values and purpose, fostering a culture of integrity, innovation, and shared ambition to accelerate progress in the race against dementia.

Our Time Charity is seeking an experienced Development Manager to help grow and embed our early help and family mental health services across the UK.

This is a senior, outward-facing role focused on securing statutory income, developing high-quality tenders, and building strong relationships with local authorities, Family Hubs and strategic partners. A key priority will be positioning KidsTime Workshops as a recognised, commissioned early help offer within local authority family support systems.

Working closely with the CEO, you will identify high-impact opportunities, navigate commissioning processes, and help ensure more children affected by parental mental illness receive timely, preventative support.

This role is ideal for someone with experience in local authority commissioning, business development or statutory income generation, who understands early intervention and wants to use their skills to create lasting social impact.

To learn more about the role, responsibilities and how to apply, please download the full recruitment pack.

Evaluation and Research Officer

STEM Learning is committed to understanding and improving the impact of its work. The Evaluation & Research Officer plays a key role in supporting this by designing and delivering high-quality evaluation and research activity that helps teams learn, improve and demonstrate impact across our programmes.

The Role

We are looking for an Evaluation & Research Officer to join our Data and Impact team at STEM Learning. This role plays a key part in ensuring that our programmes and projects are evaluated effectively, realistically, and in line with best practice, enabling us to demonstrate impact and continuously improve our offer.

Working closely with programme management colleagues, you will design and implement evaluations, ensuring relevant data is collected, analysed and interpreted. You will produce clear, high-quality outputs for both internal and external audiences, supporting learning, accountability, and impact reporting.

You will also contribute to external evaluations, liaising with external evaluators where required, and help embed evidence-informed practice across the organisation. A key part of the role is sourcing, reviewing and synthesising external research and sector evidence to strengthen STEM Learning’s evaluation approaches, findings and impact claims.

Our Ideal Candidate

Candidates will be able to demonstrate our values: Sustainable – Innovative – Proactive

• Demonstrable experience in programme and project evaluation and/or social research, using a range of quantitative and qualitative methods.
• Experience of designing and delivering evaluations, from planning through to analysis and reporting.
• Experience of conducting literature reviews and evidence synthesis and translating research findings into practical insights for programme teams.
• Good knowledge of mixed methods approaches and experience of analysing and interpreting complex datasets.
• Experience of producing clear, well-structured written reports for a range of audiences.
• Experience of working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, including contributing to externally commissioned research or evaluation.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• An understanding of, or strong interest in, STEM education, social impact, and evidence-informed practice.
• A commitment to ethical research practice and data protection standards.
• Willingness to engage in ongoing professional learning and development.

We welcome applicants who bring equivalent experience gained through different routes, and who can demonstrate the skills and behaviours needed for the role.

 About Us

At STEM Learning, we work to improve lives through STEM education. We are a purpose-driven organisation, supporting teachers through high-impact professional development, inspiring young people to build confidence and curiosity in STEM, and connecting schools with employers to grow the UK’s future talent. Guided by our values, we focus our effort where it can make the greatest difference - helping all young people, whatever their background, to see themselves in STEM.

The Evaluation & Research Officer plays an important role in helping STEM Learning understand, evidence and strengthen the impact of this work, ensuring we meet the expectations of funders, partners and the communities we serve.

 Our Benefits

• 30 days holidays plus bank holidays
• An additional day off on your birthday
• Access to an attractive pension scheme
• Our full-time hours are 37 hours per week
• Up to 3 days paid volunteering leave per year
• A comprehensive employee assistance programme

Next Steps

Closing date: Friday 20th February 2026

First Stage Interviews (online): Week commencing Monday 2nd March

Second Stage Interviews (in person): Week commencing Monday 9th March

To Apply

Please provide us with:

• Your up-to-date CV including the contact details of two referees (please note, references will not be approached without your permission and will not be taken up until the offer stage)
• A covering letter (no more than the equivalent of 2 sides of A4) explaining your interest in the role and why you think you would be the ideal candidate.

STEM Learning strives to be diverse and inclusive – a place where we can ALL be ourselves. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and communities, and are committed to employing teams with diverse abilities, skills, and experiences.

We foster a culture where every employee’s voice is respected and valued.

HEAD OF PARTNERSHIPS & DEVELOPMENT

About Us

Portobello Business Centre (PBC) is a not-for-profit organisation that helps people start, grow and scale successful businesses. 

For 30 years, we have been committed to social mobility, inclusion and entrepreneurship and have supported thousands of businesses. Alumni include household names such as Charlie Bigham’s, Innocent Drinks and Karen Millen, as well as countless sole traders and early-stage founders.

We are a small, ambitious, growing team working to deliver a new organisational strategy and expand our impact.

About You & The Role

You are a natural builder who enjoys closing deals, developing relationships and creating meaningful social impact. You will shape and lead PBC’s first dedicated fundraising function, building a portfolio from the ground up with limited existing donor relationships.

The role focuses on securing six-figure corporate partnerships and cultivating high-net-worth individual donors, alongside a smaller trusts and foundations portfolio. You thrive in a strategic, relationship-led role and are comfortable using a broad range of fundraising approaches.

Working closely with the leadership team, you will secure funding to support long-term sustainability and expand PBC’s impact across London and beyond. Initially the sole fundraiser, you will have the opportunity to develop and lead a team as the function grows.

Key Responsibilities

• Fundraising Strategy Delivery: Take ownership of multi-year fundraising strategy working closely with the CEO and Board to diversify and increase revenue streams that support PBC’s service expansion and reach

• Relationship Management: Research, identify and cultivate funding opportunities from companies and high-net-worth individuals, alongside trusts and foundations

• Trusts & Foundations: Oversee the grant pipeline, with external support for high-value applications and build relationships with decision-makers

• Develop Compelling Fundraising Material: Collaborate with CEO and wider team to evidence, quantify and articulate PBC’s social value using data and storytelling to position PBC as a high-impact partner for donors and partners

• Performance Monitoring & Reporting: Track and evaluate fundraising performance against financial and operational targets. Provide regular updates to the CEO and Board, ensuring compliance with fundraising regulations, sector and the Chartered Institute of Fundraising best practices

• Proactive Self Starter: Though collaborative, you are motivated to build and maintain momentum, identify and create opportunities and take full ownership of projects from initial idea to delivery

• Commercial Development: Support development, sales and delivery of commercial income strategy, specifically helping to grow the paid membership scheme and securing sponsorship for commercial programmes and offers

Benefits

• Annual Leave: 21 days’ paid annual leave, plus UK public and bank holidays.

• Christmas Closure: Additional 10–14 days of paid leave as the office closes between Christmas and New Year.

• Season Ticket Loan: Interest-free season ticket loan available to support travel costs.

• Training & Professional Development: Access to relevant fundraising, partnerships and leadership training, including external courses, sector events and conferences.

• Supportive working environment: A small, collaborative and ambitious team.

#Fundraising #HeadOfDevelopment #Partnerships #CorporateFundraising #CorporatePartnerships 
#SeniorFundraising #SocialImpact #London

We are looking for ambitious and strategic Development Manager – Corporate and Philanthropy to lead the growth of our corporate fundraising, build high-value partnerships, and work with our network of senior supporters to unlock transformational opportunities.

With a strong foundation of mid-level corporate partners (typically £5k-£25k) and a skilled Senior Officer in place to manage and grow those relationships, you’ll be free to focus on securing new, higher-value partnerships and support.

The Role:

You’ll lead our corporate new business development identifying and approaching companies aligned with our mission, and converting them into long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships.

You’ll work closely with the Director of Fundraising to cultivate high-net worth individuals and senior volunteers who can introduce us to the right people and help get us in the room.

Working with colleagues across communications, marketing and services, you’ll create professional, pitch-ready presentations and proposals that inspire companies to partner with us – and then deliver those pitches at a senior level, with confidence and clarity.

Key responsibilities:

· Research, Identify and approach new corporate prospects, building a strong pipeline of potential six-figure partners

· Lead on creating bespoke, compelling pitch decks and proposals, working with the communications and Marketing Team to ensure quality and impact.

· Deliver high-level presentations and pitches to senior stakeholders across a range of industries.

· Work with the Director of Fundraising to identify and engage major donors and key contacts who can help unlock introductions and strategic support

· Manage Senior Officer who leads on existing mid-level corporate partnerships.

· Support the growth of the mid-level portfolio and ensure excellent stewardship and reporting for all corporate partners.

· Collaborate with marketing, communications, and service delivery teams to ensure partnerships are meaningful, on-brand, and mutually beneficial.

· Monitor income and pipeline progress, ensuring accurate forecasting and tracking.

What we’re looking for:

· A track record of securing new business or corporate partnerships, ideally in a fundraising CSR setting

· Confident writing and presenting skills, with experience creating professional pitch decks and delivering high-level presentations

· A strategic thinker who can spot opportunities, plan a compelling approach, and close the deal

· Experience collaborating across teams (e.g. Marketing design, service delivery) to shape proposals and deliver joint objectives

· A strong relationship-builder with the credibility to work with senior executives, philanthropists and decision-makers

· Organised, self-starting and passionate about helping families when they need it most

· Line management experience desirable, but not essential

We welcome applications from the commercial sector and those working in CSR, partnerships or business development roles

We will be reviewing applications ongoing so early applications are advised. We may close the advert earlier than advertised.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Please submit your CV along with a covering letter(max 2 pages) explaining how your experience fits the role. More details can be found in the recruitment pack attached. 

Closing date: 6 February 2026

The Organisation

ImpactEd Group supports education and purpose-driven organisations to maximise and realise their potential.

We do this by helping our partners to be consistently impactful and operationally sustainable. Drawing on our domain expertise and technical skills in these areas, ImpactEd Group aims to be the first port of call for leaders across the education ecosystem.

This role exists as a senior leader in our Group, and leads the commercial growth of our Evaluation Practice. ImpactEd Evaluation (IEE) works with schools and organisations, analysing the impact of programmes and interventions to help them do more of what works and less of what doesn’t. The practice works with over 1,400 schools and 80 education and youth organisations, serving more than a quarter of million pupils. This includes helping our partners to design high-quality research projects, delivering them, and providing systems and tools for data collection, reporting and impact benchmarking.

The Opportunity

We are excited to be recruiting for a Principal Director to lead commercial growth within our Evaluation practice. This is a new role within the practice.  Reporting to our Group Directors and / or a Managing Director of IEE (subject to future appointment), the Director will work as part of a practice leadership team that will oversee all aspects of the evaluation team’s work, with a focus on leading business development. Our partnerships encompass education organisations such as charities, edtech organisations and government, and schools and multi-academy Trusts. Across all our partnerships, we aim to design and deliver high-quality research and evaluation projects that help our partners make better decisions for children using good evidence.

You will provide strategic leadership, represent the organisation both internally and externally, and be responsible for driving the commercial performance of the practice. This role will sit alongside a Principal Director focused on the delivery of our partnerships, and our Director of Research.

The role will focus on partnerships and business development, ensuring that ImpactEd Evaluation is positioned well as first port of call for schools and social purpose organisations. You will lead a number of sales and marketing campaigns, develop key propositions for our partners, scan and respond to relevant tenders and work closely with a team of evaluation experts to ensure we are able to continue to bring accessible expertise to our work and partners.

The role would be ideal for a candidate with deep understanding of the education sector, a track record in business development, and the ambition to shape the direction of a growing social enterprise.

About you

As a team focused on research and evaluation, we would also expect roles at this level to demonstrate:

• Values and people: Alignment with our values and ability to demonstrate them in your work. You will facilitate conversations about professional development for your direct reports and act as a coach and role model for other members of the team. 

• Partnership management: Modelling of excellence in partnership management, particularly on proactive driving of partnerships forward, scope management and stakeholder engagement.

• Scoping, sales and evaluation design: Leadership of business development for consultancy engagements and facilitation of evaluation design processes, including designing Theories of Change and evaluation plans, particularly for high-value and high-complexity partnerships, in collaboration with our in-house evaluation experts.

• Proposition development: Understanding of our sector and ability to combine that with our offers as a practice to create propositions that can drive partnership and business development opportunities.

• Reporting and improvement: Ability to listen to and synthesise partner needs to tailor evaluation reporting, quality assure others’ outputs, and help partners take action from research findings.

Why Us?

As well as a commitment to the organisations we work with, we have a commitment to our people and developing the next generation of leaders within the social enterprise, education and evaluation sectors.

Our employee experience is organised around four themes:

• Trust: we support hybrid working, provide flexible hours, and provide responsive management.

• Shared ownership: we are an employee owned organisation and look to increasingly share ownership with our employees, including in terms of governance and culture, and realise this in a number of ways such as ownership awards, and transparent governance including an Employee Voice board.

• Connection: we pay for your travel, provide termly company offsites, support informal clubs and societies, and provide opportunities for in-person and digital connection between colleagues.  

• Health and fulfilment: we have an extensive professional development programme, provide an annual books and development budget allowance and offer 3 days of CPD leave per year in addition to annual leave. We offer all employees access to a MediCash plan and wellbeing advice, including free therapist support.

We are seeking a leader with a hands-on approach to lead our small team of administrative staff and support our Board of Trustees and members to help shape and implement our strategy for the future. You will manage the day-to-day operations of the organisation, translating the strategy into practice to help the organisation grow and deliver real value to our members.

About Us
ACAT is a charity dedicated to advancing Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) through training, accreditation and the provision of continuous professional development to CAT Therapists. Also, through research and promotion of CAT as a valuable and valued talking therapy.

About you
We are looking for someone who is an experienced leader with a knowledge of and understanding of CAT who is:
A strategic thinker
Able to set, manage and report on budgets
An excellent communicator with a proven track record of implementing change

Why Join ACAT
The opportunity to work with dedicated professionals to develop CAT training and the governance of CAT therapists
30 days annual leave for FTE (Pro Rata)
Flexible working arrangements with both home working and some team-based hours each month at the office in Dorchester, Dorset, and attendance at ad hoc meetings and events in person within the UK from time to time.

This is a permanent contract; part-time flexible 14 hours per week subject to successful completion of a 6-month probationary period.

Closing date: Wednesday 11th February 2026

Benefits

• Flexible working arrangements 
• 40 days paid leave per year: 25 days annual leave, 8 bank holidays, 3 days between Christmas and New Year and 4 wellbeing days
• Strong commitment to professional development with a dedicated training budget
• Annual performance and pay progression reviews
• Up to 5% pension contribution
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme offering access to free therapy
• Work phone and laptop
• A supportive and inclusive culture with regular team social events
• Scope to take real ownership in a fast-growing charity   

Personal development programme: 

• You will have a line manager dedicated to growing your strengths and supporting your professional skills development 
• You can work with your manager to set your own objectives within the scope of the job description 
• You will have a dedicated buddy within the team 
• You will take part in external and internal training to help grow your knowledge and skills

Please note that care-experienced applicants who meet the essential criteria will be guaranteed an interview. We are actively trying to increase the diversity of our team and we encourage applications from people from minoritised ethnic backgrounds. We are dedicated to being a workplace where everyone feels a sense of belonging and where diversity is celebrated. In our last staff survey, 95% said they feel a sense of belonging at Settle. Please see our website for more information on our approach to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. 

We are looking for a Partnerships Engagement Officer to join us at this exciting stage in Settle’s development. Over the next few years, we aim to significantly grow the number of young people we are working with while maintaining the quality and impact of our programme. The Partnerships Engagement Officer will join the Business Development Team, reporting to the Senior Partnerships Manager. You will be integral to helping us to grow our reach so that we can work with more care-experienced young people across London. 

The successful candidate will nurture and strengthen our existing partnerships to maximise referral numbers. The core of the role will be to build strong formal and informal relationships with partners and increase awareness and a deeper understanding of Settle’s work. You will make regular in-person visits to Local Authority, Housing Association and charity referral partners across London to promote the Settle programme and ensure our offer is well understood and uptake is maximised.  Ideally, you will spend some of your time working from partner offices. 

With some experience of working for or with local authorities, housing associations or charities, you enjoy working collaboratively to improve processes and widen access to opportunities in order to create better outcomes for young people. This role will suit someone who can work independently and appreciates variety in their work: one day you might enjoy a lively conversation with a group of social workers and another you will delve into the data to produce informative reports for partners.

Longer working lives and ongoing economic transitions are reshaping careers: how we start them, and how we move through them. But too many people remain paid in low-paid, low-quality work – with damaging consequences for them personally, and our economy as a whole. We’re seeking a senior, policy-oriented research leader to help us and our partners generate insights that enable more people to move into and progress through better work.

You’ll have a proven track record in scoping and securing funding for research and influencing activity, with significant autonomy to lead your own programme at L&W. You’ll be supported by committed researchers and managers whom you will coach, lead, and develop—alongside a peer group of Deputy Directors working across other key pillars. We welcome quantitative expertise, but most important are the skills to design and deliver high-quality, impactful research programmes.

You’ll join an organisation with a national reputation for driving policy change—and a friendly, highly capable, delivery-focused team. 

Location: Hybrid working: 40-60% in an L&W office. Our offices for this role are currently in Leicester and London, but if you are based elsewhere, please contact us to talk about how the role could work for you.

Team:Research and Development

Salary:£64,450 -£77,880 per annum (pro rata), dependent on experience and location

Duration:Permanent

Working hours:0.8 to 1 FTE, with flexible working supported (e.g. condensed hours, flexible start and finish times)

Main Purpose

The Deputy Director, Policy and Research (Better Work and Progression) will have overall ownership of the ‘Better Work’ pillar of our strategic plan at L&W: overseeing all projects and activity in this area and generating new work (including developing project ideas and securing funding).

While there is significant scope to shape the ongoing programme of research and impact work, we anticipate that key areas of focus in this area going forward will be: understanding & better supporting career change; understanding and improving policy to increase employer investment in skills; high quality and fair access apprenticeships and technical education; understanding how to better support progression from low pay.

They will be a senior leader for the organization – helping to continuously shape our strategy and the plans we are implementing to deliver it.

Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership and management

• Intellectual leadership of the Better Work pillar: developing and owning policy positions, messages, theory of change and research priorities, and supporting the wider team to feed into and understand them
• Line management of senior and mid-level staff
• Act as a senior leader at L&W – including taking on specific organization-level responsibilities where appropriate

Income

• Write and/or co-ordinate responses to reactive research and evaluation tenders in the areas of employment, better work and progression
• Develop pro-active proposals that will drive change in your area, and respond to the interests of funders and partners
• Build relationships with current and potential funders and research partners

Impact

• Act as an external expert on the issues of better work and progression: writing press quotes, articles and blogs;speaking on platforms
• Building relationships with practitioners, policymakers and partners to improve our insights, and get our recommendations implemented
• Develop appropriate means of tracking impact towards our better work goals, and monitor against them. 

Delivery

• Deputy Director/Project Director-level oversight of projects being delivered in your and related areas: supporting project team to shape research plans, deliver sharp insights and manage funder relationships
• Quality Assurance of research proposals and outputs
• Use your research skills and experience to support the wider development of the Learning and Work team

Person Specification

Experience

Experience of developing, overseeing and delivering programmes of policy-relevant research at a high level - Essential

Experience of business development in a policy/research context: developing ideas, writing bids and building relationships with funders- Essential

Experience of building senior-level relationships with external stakeholders for impact and influence -Essential

Track record of delivering national and/or local policy change - Essential

Experience of senior organisational leadership as part of a team - Desirable 

Experience of responding to tenders- Desirable 

Skills

Advanced research skills (qualitative of quantitative) -Essential

Quantitative skills: experience of using key national research and administrative data sets to generate insights into the labour market -Desirable 

Clear and direct written communication style - Essential

Knowledge

Knowledge of, and commitment to, L&W’s charitable aims and purpose.- Essential

Demonstrable knowledge of employment and/or skills policy in the UK - Essential

Demonstrable knowledge in the specific areas of Better Work and/or progression -Desirable 

Learning and Work Institute works across the UK. Our work in Wales is led by a Cardiff based team, but all staff are required to follow the guidance set out in our Welsh language scheme when working in Wales.