Strategic Lead for Evaluation and Learning.

 About the role

The Strategic Lead will play an important role in developing our approach to evaluation and learning. You will be pivotal in ensuring the organisation and its key partners builds an understanding of the impact of two significant national programmes of work and supports the development of a learning culture across the Active Partnership network.

We are looking to recruit an experienced and talented evaluation and learning specialist who will oversee the evaluation of two key programmes: the Multi-Sport Activity and Facilities Fund programme and Sport Welfare Officers Network and support the national team to progress on its internal evaluation and learning strategy.

 The Strategic Lead for Evaluation and Learning will join us at an exciting time. We are currently implementing national programmes that aim to remove barriers to make it easier for everyone to enjoy an active life. Improving how we ‘Evidence Change’ is one of four ambitions set out in our organisation strategy and we are now leading the development of evaluation approaches for programmes supporting safeguarding and welfare across sport and access to multi-use facilities.

 About the Multisport and Welfare programmes

 The Sport Welfare Officer Network is a new national network of Sport Welfare Officers across England, to support National Governing Bodies (NGBs) and local clubs to promote good practice and safe sport for children, young people and adults in response to The Whyte Review. The officers will help support clubs move from welfare compliance to develop effective welfare and inclusive cultures.

 The Multi-Sport Activity and Facilities Fund programme is a programme of five key workstreams to supplement the investment in new and improved football and multi-sport facilities, to help maximise the benefit of this investment and encourage greater use by local people. This includes, for example, revenue funding to enable local clubs and groups to run activities within the new and improved facilities.

 We are currently in the process of commissioning evaluation and learning providers to evaluate these two national programmes.

 About you

 This new role is suited to an organised individual who thrives in a strategic and people-focused environment. Someone who can take ownership of the day-to-day management of evaluation and learning providers, can prioritise workloads, is personable and enjoys building relationships.

 Roles and responsibilities

Relationship and project management

• To oversee the quality of the work undertaken by the external evaluation and learning providers for the Multi-sport and Welfare programmes, in line with internal standards, values and ways of working. 

• To hold the relationship with the external evaluation and learning providers for the Multi-sport and Welfare programmes  and respond to any queries from across the network.  

• To build and maintain relationships with the Multi-sport and Welfare teams and ensure the evaluation and learning approach aligns with programme objectives and developments.  

• To build and maintain positive relationships with key external partners e.g. Sport England colleagues and other key partners, regarding the evaluation and learning activity, to ensure the focus remains relevant.

• To ensure that feedback loops are appropriate, and lessons are communicated internally and externally (e.g. Active Partnerships, Sport England, the Football Foundation and National Governing Bodies)in a timely and meaningful way. 

• To support the Relationship Director in progressing the organisation internal measurement, evaluation and learning approach (e.g. strategy development, internal learning processes), particularly, feeding in learning and insights from the two evaluation and learning programmes.

 Evidence and sharing

• To help ensure that evaluation and learning support provided to local Active Partnerships is proportionate, fit-for-purpose and well received and doesn’t duplicate other support provision.

• To prepare for and provide regular updates on evaluation progress and learning to relevant groups, for example, programme oversight groups, in collaboration with relevant team members.

• To work closely with the communications team to ensure that evidence is generated and presented in a way that aligns to the organisation communications and influencing strategy.

• To oversee and collaborate on the process of developing detailed measurement, evaluation and learning plans for programmes at the start of each new financial year with external providers.

 Knowledge, skills and experience

Knowledge and experience

• An understanding of whole systems and place-based approaches to tackling inequalities and relevant evaluation and learning methodologies.

• Experience in building and maintaining collaborative relationships with a wide range of stakeholders

• Experience in managing contracts for evaluation and learning programmes and working collaboratively with evaluation and learning providers  

 Skills

• Designing, conducting and reporting on programme evaluation to different audiences

• Interpreting evaluation outputs and extracting and sharing evidence and lessons in a meaningful and impactful way

• Drawing on evidence to facilitate conversations and present insight-led recommendations for organisational and programme level improvements

• Working in an inclusive and equitable way.

Other information

• Full-time fixed-term contract to March 2027

• 30 days holiday (plus bank holidays)

• Home based with travel required on average 4 times per month (at the expense of employer)

• 6% employer pension contribution when you contribute 2%

• Flexible working hours

• Health cover (after qualifying period)

• Closing Date - 12th July 2024

Interviews for this role will be held on Wednesday 24th July for stage 1 (Online) and those invited to stage 2 will be Wednesday 31st July (in-person) for which travel expenses will be reimbursed.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to support you in the application process please contact L.Best-Fryer@activepartnerships.org