Research Manager - Quantitative Survey Hub - Evaluation Practice

Job Details

Research Manager (Quantitative Research – Survey Hub) 

Evaluation Practice

London, Westminster

Full/part-time

Permanent

Verian is one of the leading social research, evaluation, and advisory agencies in the UK. We have over 150  researchers and evaluators, and an office in the heart of Westminster.  Our specialist teams create the evidence required for some of the biggest decisions in the country. We advise clients on public policy design, ground-breaking behaviour change programmes, and provide national statistics and longitudinal data.  

Policy and programme evaluation is one of the fastest expanding areas in social research today. There is an increasing focus within the UK government on more and better evaluation. As one of the top two providers of evaluations to the UK government, Verian has a wide portfolio of evaluation studies covering areas such as crime (e.g drugs, anti-social behaviour, and violence against women and girls), education (e.g. with pupils, parents and adult learners), housing (e.g. reform of the private rented sector, investment in affordable housing) energy, environment and climate change (e.g. increasing homes’ energy efficiency and exploring  access to nature and impact on well-being).

We work on high profile projects that lead to meaningful social change. We are looking for a Research Manager, with strong quantitative survey experience, ideally gained within a social research agency.  We are looking for someone who likes to ask questions, who can find the story in the data, and who wants to make a difference through their work. 

The role 

The diversity of our projects will give you a chance to develop professionally and personally. You will be supported to follow your interests and to continue developing your social research and evaluation expertise through formal and informal learning, contributing to a culture of learning and excellence. 

We promote an atmosphere of collaboration, where cooperation, flexibility, and mobility are encouraged. As well as your experienced evaluation colleagues, you will have the chance to work with a range of other teams, including our methods specialists (covering techniques such as RCTs, quasi-experimental approaches, participatory qualitative research and deliberative approaches, and face to face, post-to-web and telephone surveys), our behavioural practice, and data solutions experts.   

You will be working on high quality, mixed-methods evaluations, running high profile quantitative surveys for a range of Government departments, to deliver robust and impactful outputs to clients. This will involve project planning and research design, quality delivery and profitability management, as well as management of more junior researchers, supporting their work and development. You will have the chance to build your networks, through work with specialist partners from academia and other research organisations. 

You will be:

• Managing and delivering strands of high-quality mid to large-scale surveys for the evaluation practice.
• Integrating quantitative surveys with a range of evaluation concepts and techniques, including (for example) developing and/or critically reviewing programme theories of change and applying quantitative impact evaluation approaches.
• Developing research tools and supporting materials.
• Liaising with clients to provide progress updates on your areas of project responsibility. 
• Interpreting and synthesising evidence to tell the story of your research and deliver sound actionable policy recommendations.
• Actively engaging with project budgets, to ensure working to time and costs.
• Contributing to business development and proposal development.
• Developing your own individual skills and supporting team members to learn and grow.

We need:

• Strong experience in designing and managing primary research quantitative surveys, (online, face to face, telephone, push2web) from inception, through to design, fieldwork, analysis and reporting.
• Capability to work independently and confidently leading on complex and flag-ship contracts and projects.
• Understanding of (or desire to learn) evaluation concepts and techniques such as reviewing and/or critically reviewing programme theories of change and quantitative impact evaluation methods (experimental and quasi-experimental)
• Highly organised, with a track record in delivering projects to quality, timetable and within budget.
• Strong writing skills and PowerPoint design capabilities.

• Strong delivery/verbal presentation to clients.
• Capability to support on business development activities, such as writing proposals and expressions of interest.
• Ability to think strategically and take on responsibilities for team tasks and drive initiatives.
• Great teammate, successfully developing individual and team capability.
• Experience in working with data in R or SPSS desirable but not essential
• Interest and/or experience in at least one of the following policy areas is desirable but not essential: housing, net zero, education, crime/justice, and transport.

Long Description

What we offer

You will be surrounded by passionate colleagues in an open and engaging environment, where people feel included, accepted, and are allowed to thrive in a space where wellbeing is prioritised. 

We believe in work-life balance, and we are committed to flexible working, remote working and operate a hybrid working model.  

We encourage applications from all sections of society and do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, marital status or any other legally protected characteristics. 

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.  

To learn more and apply, visit our careers page