Job Description

Description

Our impact evaluation portfolio is growing, and we are looking for an exceptional and experienced Research Director to join us. The successful candidate will lead new business generation and the delivery of our randomised controlled trials and quasi-experimental evaluations, working with colleagues from across the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and external partners. We deliver impactful, large-scale evaluations that are used to inform national policies. Policy areas are varied, including education, crime and justice, transport, and health. Our clients include UK government departments, charities and What Works Centres. This is an exciting time to be joining NatCen's Centre for Evaluation and helping to shape our future. You can find out more about us on our website.

Key Responsibilities

Specific Duties & Responsibilities:

Designing high quality experimental and quasi-experimental impact evaluations



Leading on proposals for impact evaluations and winning new business


Leading delivery of complex impact evaluations, working closely with colleagues from across NatCen



Implementing and supporting statistical analysis of large datasets and interpreting the results within a policy evaluation context


Managing multiple projects to ensure delivery is on time and delivered to the highest standards


Building good client relationships and collaborations with partner organisations


Development and mentoring junior staff and providing quality assurance for their work



Contributing to teaching research methods internally and/or externally, including delivering short

courses in quantitative methods and other evaluation methodologies

Promoting the Centre for Evaluation's work externally, for instance at conferences


Undertaking continuing personal development to enhance research skills, keeping up to date with recent developments in statistical evaluation methodologies and relevant policy areas


Maintaining and promoting high ethical and information security standards



Performing any other reasonable duties that NatCen may require that are consistent with the broad




nature of the job.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Essential

An undergraduate degree degree in a relevant subject, such as social science, economics, or statistics.


Experience of counterfactual impact evaluation design and analysis, including randomised control trials and/or quasi-experimental designs such as difference-in-differences, matched statistical designs, propensity score weighting, and regression discontinuity design.


Experience of directing quantitative evaluation projects.


Experience of writing high quality bids for research contracts and grants.


Experience of conducting analysis using Stata or R.


Experience of managing clients and stakeholders, working at a senior level.


Ability to communicate clearly, in different styles and for different audiences.


Experience of leading and managing teams and developing the skills of junior colleagues.


Excellent project management skills and the ability to manage project budgets.

Desirable

A postgraduate degree involving quantitative analysis or equivalent experience


Experience with value for money analysis


Experience with designing and administering large-scale quantitative surveys


Experience analysing administrative and large survey datasets in fields such as health and wellbeing, education, employment, or crime and justice


Familiarity with a wider range of evaluation methods such as process evaluations and theory-based evaluation

NatCen Requirements:

Maintain high ethical standards


Demonstrate knowledge and awareness of all responsibilities in relation to maintaining confidentiality with both written and oral communication


Actively conform to the legislative and procedural requirements in relation to the collection, management, storage and destruction of data



Follow the requirements of our Operating Standards, and also to meet the requirements of all our ISO standards


Other duties which may be required from time to time



This job description may be changed from time to time at the discretion of management

About the National Centre for Social Research

At The National Centre for Social Research we believe that social research has the power to make life better. By really understanding the complexity of people's lives and what they think about the issues that affect them, we give the public a powerful and influential role in shaping services that can make a difference to everyone. And as an independent, not-for-profit organisation we're able to focus our time and energy on meeting our clients' needs and delivering social research that works for society.