Job summary
Are you dynamic, innovative, and forward thinking? Building on recent success, Solent's Academy of Research & Improvement Evaluation Centre is expanding and we are looking for an Evaluation Specialist to take a lead role. You will be working with internal and external partners in health, social and community sectors to lead and co-ordinate large, multi-organisational rapid, pragmatic and improvement focussed evaluations. You will work along-side partners to design, collect and analyse both quantitative and qualitative data and generate evidence that is accessible, responsive, and applied. This post will include exploration of new and creative methods, and partnership working with peer researchers.
The Evaluation Centre has a new and forward-thinking team, who provide evaluation delivery, consultancy, and activism, trying new methods and ways of doing things to ensure that evidence is usable and accessible.
We are looking for innovative, vibrant, and adaptive people who thrive in pushing boundaries. You will be comfortable working with different communities and organisations, and have strong interpersonal skills. Full training in rapid evaluation methods and techniques will be given but previous experience using interviews, thematic analysis and descriptive statistics of survey data is preferable.
We offer flexible working and a range of professional development opportunities. This is a fixed term contract for the first year, but if successful will be extended.
Main duties of the job
- Work alongside partners/ clients to co-design their evaluations, acting as an expert advisor
- Generate full project proposals that consider partner needs, working within the limits of rigorous methodology and cost envelopes.
- Ensure an inclusive approach to evaluation, assuring appropriate populations are involved
- Work alongside service users, patients, and the public at all stages of the evaluation process
- Complete and adhere to full ethical, governance and safeguarding remits of the roles
- Co-ordinate and complete data collection activities, including interviews, ethnographic visits and survey methods, working with others in the team to ensure we have the best skills to meet the partners needs.
- Complete data analysis
- Produce well-written and accessible reports that focus on applied evidence that can be used in practice.
- Provide full project support across the duration of multiple evaluations to partners ensuring a high and excellent level of service.
- Actively seek new partners through regional and national stakeholder activities.
- Provide training to peer interviewers, from a range of backgrounds and support a research/ evaluation and improvement culture across our services and with those that we work with and look after.
- Seek out grant and funding opportunities working with wider team to support applications.
About us
Make a difference with us
If you are looking for somewhere you can make a real difference and are passionate about keeping people safe, well and out of hospital, a career with us may be just what you're looking for. At Solent NHS Trust, we strive to make a difference to the health and wellbeing of our communities.
We are proud to be an organisation which is focused on our people and we welcome people who share our values to come and work with us.
To deliver great care that is safe, simple and easy to access
To be a caring, flexible and supportive place to work
To deliver the best value for money
Our shared values support the development of a strong working culture. They breathe life into our organisation -- guiding and inspiring all of our actions and decisions. They enable us to be better at what we do and create a great place for our staff to work, whilst ensuring we provide the highest quality of care to our patients.
In creating our values, we spent time listening to our employees and members. Based on what people told us, we created our HEART values to reflect the deep belief that we are caring organisation at the centre of our community: Honesty, Everyone counts, Accountable, Respectful, Teamwork.
We are an accredited Real Living Wage employer.
We encourage and support our staff to be vaccinated as this remains the best line of defence against Covid-19.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Purpose:
- As a senior member of the Academy team, the evaluation specialist has full project responsibility working and co-ordinating to meet project deadlines delivering projects with the highest level of customer service.
- As part of the Evaluation Hub team, they work alongside wider specialists in the field including communication and design, peer interviewers and patient/public contributors.
- In addition to evaluation delivery, evaluation specialists have key roles in consultancy and promotion functions, working as part of the hub team to build capacity within our partners and test new and innovative methods and ways of working.
- The role requires excellent interpersonal and communication skills including working alongside patients, service users and community groups, as well as clinical and academic partners.
- The role requires a commitment to making evaluation more accessible and inclusive, via the use of innovative methods, and easy to read dissemination methods.
The role will be part of a broader evaluation team with a growing reputation for excellence in this field.
About the team:
The Academy of Research and Improvement vision is to lead and facilitate improvement through innovation, learning and evidence-based practice. Whether it is from feedback, from events or from ideas, we will use and share this learning to make things better for people, for staff, for patients, for families, for colleagues. Our vision and way of working is in partnership with all those that touch our services. We have our own our patient and public involvement network, Side-by-Side. The Evaluation Centre sits within the Academy providing external consultancy for rapid evaluation and appraisal. For more information, please visit our website: academy.solent.nhs.uk
Key responsibilities
- Provide full partner support and excellent level of service to all internal and external partners
- Work alongside partners/ clients to co-design their evaluations projects, acting as an expert advisor
- Generate a full project proposal that considers the partners wants, needs and preferences working within the limits of rigorous methodology and cost envelopes.
- Co-ordinate a full timetable with the partners to ensure feasible data collection, data analysis and report deadlines.
- Ensure an inclusive approach to evaluation, assuring appropriate populations are involved
- Work alongside service users, patients, and the public at all stages of the evaluation process
- Complete and adhere to full ethical, governance and safeguarding remits of the roles, reporting as required.
- Co-ordinate and complete data collection activities, including interviews, ethnographic visits and survey methods, working with others in the team to ensure we have the best skills to meet the partners needs.
- Complete data analysis with the support of the team using thematic methods.
- Produce well-written and accessible reports that focus on applied evidence that can be used in practice.
- Work with our design and communication team to approve suitable report and dissemination design that meet the partners need.
- Provide full project support across the duration of multiple evaluations to partners ensuring a high and excellent level of service.
- Provide specialist advice for all enquiries and actively promote good partner relationships.
- Actively seek new partners through regional and national stakeholder activities.
- Write and support others in writing, reports and summaries of evaluation activity, to include papers for publication in Academic Journals and more creative media.
- Provide training to peer interviewers, from a range of backgrounds and support a research/ evaluation and improvement culture across our services and with those that we work with and look after.
- Actively participate in local, regional, and national evaluation networks, events, and meetings.
- Facilitate systems level partnership working with patients, people and communities for evaluation and improvement activities ensuring equality and diversity are promoted.
- Demonstrate resilience and integrity when dealing with sensitive situations encountered as part of the evaluation process, managing conflict, and competing priorities to ensure delivery of project aims and any agreed improvements.
- To manage own workload while consistently prioritising work by negotiating workload deadlines with multiple stakeholders.
- Maintain accurate records of project involvement and support the dissemination of learning through project write ups, presentations and sharing events.
- To actively seek out grant and funding opportunities working with wider team to support applications.
ICT
- To be able to use ICT software efficiently and effectively for this role.
- To produce a range of material for media (website, intranet, social media, public facing documents).
- To develop and maintain experience in the use of evaluation software for data recording and analysis in quantitative and qualitative methods (e.g., statistics, interviews, surveys).
Management & Leadership
- Collaborate with external partners to develop across organisation sharing of advanced evaluation skills to support local and regional skill development.
- To lead on full project delivery of evaluation including supporting any team members involved and line management duties where appropriate.
- Lead by example and display a leadership style that embodies the Trust values framework, inspiring and empowering staff, developing, and nurturing development at all levels.
- Lead the development and implementation of creative and innovative ways to evaluate existing new and proposed services and present data to different stakeholders in a way that is understandable and generates interest in, and understanding of, the value of evaluation.
- Promote knowledge and skills in project, team and change management and leadership to influence a culture of continuous improvement across our organisation.
- Build and maintain working relationships with academic partners to support opportunities for reciprocal support, training, and development opportunities for Academy wide activities.
- Seek out opportunities and represent the Trust at local, regional, and national events and meetings relating to Academy evaluation activities where appropriate.
- Ensure evaluations are representative of the populations we work with accessible and equitable, across all trust localities
- Ensure evaluations minimise burden and risk to patients and staff follow high ethical standards and maintain good data governance. Lead by example and display a leadership style that embodies the Trust values framework, inspiring and empowering staff, developing, and nurturing development at all levels.
General Information
- We support flexible working, and this is a hybrid role which can combine home base and office working.
- The role holder will be expected to work from our offices at times, and attend team events
- The role holder will need to be able to travel around Hampshire & the Isle of Wight on occasion to meet with stakeholders, community groups and to facilitate in person data collection.
- Whilst being a car owner and driver isn't essential, it would be difficult to do this job without access to your own transport. Expenses are paid
- This is a fixed term contract in the first instance - we hope that the role will be successful, and the income from evaluations will allow for the post to be extended beyond the first year.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Purpose:
- As a senior member of the Academy team, the evaluation specialist has full project responsibility working and co-ordinating to meet project deadlines delivering projects with the highest level of customer service.
- As part of the Evaluation Hub team, they work alongside wider specialists in the field including communication and design, peer interviewers and patient/public contributors.
- In addition to evaluation delivery, evaluation specialists have key roles in consultancy and promotion functions, working as part of the hub team to build capacity within our partners and test new and innovative methods and ways of working.
- The role requires excellent interpersonal and communication skills including working alongside patients, service users and community groups, as well as clinical and academic partners.
- The role requires a commitment to making evaluation more accessible and inclusive, via the use of innovative methods, and easy to read dissemination methods.
The role will be part of a broader evaluation team with a growing reputation for excellence in this field.
About the team:
The Academy of Research and Improvement vision is to lead and facilitate improvement through innovation, learning and evidence-based practice. Whether it is from feedback, from events or from ideas, we will use and share this learning to make things better for people, for staff, for patients, for families, for colleagues. Our vision and way of working is in partnership with all those that touch our services. We have our own our patient and public involvement network, Side-by-Side. The Evaluation Centre sits within the Academy providing external consultancy for rapid evaluation and appraisal. For more information, please visit our website: academy.solent.nhs.uk
Key responsibilities
- Provide full partner support and excellent level of service to all internal and external partners
- Work alongside partners/ clients to co-design their evaluations projects, acting as an expert advisor
- Generate a full project proposal that considers the partners wants, needs and preferences working within the limits of rigorous methodology and cost envelopes.
- Co-ordinate a full timetable with the partners to ensure feasible data collection, data analysis and report deadlines.
- Ensure an inclusive approach to evaluation, assuring appropriate populations are involved
- Work alongside service users, patients, and the public at all stages of the evaluation process
- Complete and adhere to full ethical, governance and safeguarding remits of the roles, reporting as required.
- Co-ordinate and complete data collection activities, including interviews, ethnographic visits and survey methods, working with others in the team to ensure we have the best skills to meet the partners needs.
- Complete data analysis with the support of the team using thematic methods.
- Produce well-written and accessible reports that focus on applied evidence that can be used in practice.
- Work with our design and communication team to approve suitable report and dissemination design that meet the partners need.
- Provide full project support across the duration of multiple evaluations to partners ensuring a high and excellent level of service.
- Provide specialist advice for all enquiries and actively promote good partner relationships.
- Actively seek new partners through regional and national stakeholder activities.
- Write and support others in writing, reports and summaries of evaluation activity, to include papers for publication in Academic Journals and more creative media.
- Provide training to peer interviewers, from a range of backgrounds and support a research/ evaluation and improvement culture across our services and with those that we work with and look after.
- Actively participate in local, regional, and national evaluation networks, events, and meetings.
- Facilitate systems level partnership working with patients, people and communities for evaluation and improvement activities ensuring equality and diversity are promoted.
- Demonstrate resilience and integrity when dealing with sensitive situations encountered as part of the evaluation process, managing conflict, and competing priorities to ensure delivery of project aims and any agreed improvements.
- To manage own workload while consistently prioritising work by negotiating workload deadlines with multiple stakeholders.
- Maintain accurate records of project involvement and support the dissemination of learning through project write ups, presentations and sharing events.
- To actively seek out grant and funding opportunities working with wider team to support applications.
ICT
- To be able to use ICT software efficiently and effectively for this role.
- To produce a range of material for media (website, intranet, social media, public facing documents).
- To develop and maintain experience in the use of evaluation software for data recording and analysis in quantitative and qualitative methods (e.g., statistics, interviews, surveys).
Management & Leadership
- Collaborate with external partners to develop across organisation sharing of advanced evaluation skills to support local and regional skill development.
- To lead on full project delivery of evaluation including supporting any team members involved and line management duties where appropriate.
- Lead by example and display a leadership style that embodies the Trust values framework, inspiring and empowering staff, developing, and nurturing development at all levels.
- Lead the development and implementation of creative and innovative ways to evaluate existing new and proposed services and present data to different stakeholders in a way that is understandable and generates interest in, and understanding of, the value of evaluation.
- Promote knowledge and skills in project, team and change management and leadership to influence a culture of continuous improvement across our organisation.
- Build and maintain working relationships with academic partners to support opportunities for reciprocal support, training, and development opportunities for Academy wide activities.
- Seek out opportunities and represent the Trust at local, regional, and national events and meetings relating to Academy evaluation activities where appropriate.
- Ensure evaluations are representative of the populations we work with accessible and equitable, across all trust localities
- Ensure evaluations minimise burden and risk to patients and staff follow high ethical standards and maintain good data governance. Lead by example and display a leadership style that embodies the Trust values framework, inspiring and empowering staff, developing, and nurturing development at all levels.
General Information
- We support flexible working, and this is a hybrid role which can combine home base and office working.
- The role holder will be expected to work from our offices at times, and attend team events
- The role holder will need to be able to travel around Hampshire & the Isle of Wight on occasion to meet with stakeholders, community groups and to facilitate in person data collection.
- Whilst being a car owner and driver isn't essential, it would be difficult to do this job without access to your own transport. Expenses are paid
- This is a fixed term contract in the first instance - we hope that the role will be successful, and the income from evaluations will allow for the post to be extended beyond the first year.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Postgraduate qualification relevant to evaluation methodology
Desirable
- Advanced training in leadership and project management
Experience
Essential
- Practical experience of running and facilitating projects related to evaluation and improvement
- Record of achievement of delivering objectives and finding innovative solutions to problemsExperience of working in partnership with patients and communities to identify and deliver evaluations and/or improvement projectsExperience of disseminating information, and presenting to varieties of audiencesExperience of organising project summaries and resource collections e.g. for websites, blogs and social media
Desirable
- Practical experience and evidence of supporting and facilitating improvements processes in a health, social or community environmentExperience of grant and funding application writing.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Skills in administration and project managementAble to present effectively and confidently to a wide variety of audiences in an engaging mannerHighly developed motivational, influencing, coaching, and negotiating skillsExcellent communication skills; able to communicate highly complex information to a variety of stakeholdersHigher level skills for delivering evaluation, knowledge of evaluation methodology, tools, and resourcesBe able to demonstrate and understanding of the principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion and how they apply to staff and patients in a healthcare setting. Able to demonstrate personal commitment to challenging discrimination and promoting equalities, at an appropriate level for the post.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Postgraduate qualification relevant to evaluation methodology
Desirable
- Advanced training in leadership and project management
Experience
Essential
- Practical experience of running and facilitating projects related to evaluation and improvement
- Record of achievement of delivering objectives and finding innovative solutions to problemsExperience of working in partnership with patients and communities to identify and deliver evaluations and/or improvement projectsExperience of disseminating information, and presenting to varieties of audiencesExperience of organising project summaries and resource collections e.g. for websites, blogs and social media
Desirable
- Practical experience and evidence of supporting and facilitating improvements processes in a health, social or community environmentExperience of grant and funding application writing.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Skills in administration and project managementAble to present effectively and confidently to a wide variety of audiences in an engaging mannerHighly developed motivational, influencing, coaching, and negotiating skillsExcellent communication skills; able to communicate highly complex information to a variety of stakeholdersHigher level skills for delivering evaluation, knowledge of evaluation methodology, tools, and resourcesBe able to demonstrate and understanding of the principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion and how they apply to staff and patients in a healthcare setting. Able to demonstrate personal commitment to challenging discrimination and promoting equalities, at an appropriate level for the post.
