Evaluation and Impact October 2016 Information for Applicants If you would like a large text version of this document, please contact us. OPM Group 252B Gray s Inn Road 0845 055 3900 London www.opm.co.uk WC1X 8XG www.dialoguebydesign.co.uk United Kingdom info@opm.co.uk
Contents About the OPM Group... 1 Job description... 2 Purpose... 2 Main responsibilities... 2 Salary... 4 Person Specification... 4 Selection Process... 7 Terms and Conditions... 7 The OPM Group Charter... 8 ii
About the OPM Group OPM Group is an independent employee-owned research and consultancy organisation which supports and champions the delivery of social impact. We re made up of two divisions: OPM and Dialogue by Design. We work with public, private and third sector organisations to deliver research and insight, evaluation and impact analysis, and stakeholder/public engagement. Dialogue by Design is our specialist consultation planning and analysis service. As employees we own our business and everything that we do as a business is to improve social outcomes. Our ambition is to be: The market leader in understanding and measuring social impact through research and evaluation, giving the third sector and others the evidence to show the good they do. The leading provider of digital consultation services. An organisation that s known for going beyond insight and engagement to help organisations understand how to deliver social impact in a changing world. An exemplar employee owned business that helps others get the best out of their people as we do ours. To help us do that we re looking for experienced evaluation practitioners to join our growing team. It s varied work, from large-scale complex evaluations of integrated care programmes to evaluations of third sector grant programmes tacking key issues affecting local communities. You ll need to be highly skilled and knowledgeable about evaluation approaches and techniques, but with the flexibility to work across a range of disciplines. Experience with undertaking economic assessment and / or knowledge of health and social care datasets would be a bonus, as these are growth areas for us. We re a small company so expect to pitch in to our engagement, consultation and research work when needed. As a senior consultant you ll be managing your own projects from day one, so you ll need experience as a manager with budget, team and quality responsibility. We might be dedicated to social impact but we do it in a commercial world, so you ll also need the skills and confidence to sell our services convincingly. Our senior consultants design, win and run their own projects, so as you develop you ll have the opportunity to shape your practice in line with the market and your interests. Last but not least, we have an enviable reputation for robust and insightful work, so your dedication to high quality delivery should match ours. You ll have the opportunity to develop your career with guidance from experienced practitioners, working alongside colleagues with exceptional skills and the same dedication to social impact. We re proud of our culture: we take shared responsibility for the success of the Group, and we celebrate that success together too. Page 1 of 8
If you think that this role would suit you please fill out an application, making sure you tell us about your project management and evaluation experience, as well as what you could bring to our business. If you d like to discuss the role further, please contact Anna Beckett on 020 7239 7817I Equality and diversity OPM Group has made a commitment to promoting equality and diversity in all our work. We have a full programme of activities to support continuous improvement, including regular briefings for all members, training for managers and practice exchange sessions. Job description Purpose We are looking for a to join our Evaluation and Impact team. This role involves managing complex or sensitive projects and supporting and overseeing the work of Consultants. The post holder will play a key role in the delivery of high quality, profitable projects and in developing OPM Group s reputation with clients and partners. They will work closely with Principals and Consultants. Main responsibilities Please note this job description is intended as a general guide and is not exhaustive. It may be reviewed according to future requirement and business needs. Delivery Leading and managing the design and implementation of evaluation projects. This will include: methodology design, including complex, multi-method formative and summative evaluations, and project planning budget management and accountability for project profit and loss project performance and delivering projects to OPM Group s quality standards. Project direction and provision of support to project managers on small and medium sized projects. Managing client, and project partner, relationships on a day to day basis on all aspects of project delivery, to ensure there are good communications, problems are identified and resolved quickly and a long-term client relationship is established. Providing support or management to projects and as requested in other OPM Group s key functional areas (research, engagement, consultation). Leading on/producing high quality reports on complex issues to agreed standards. Page 2 of 8
Taking responsibility for analysis of and reporting on qualitative and quantitative data, including economic assessments 1. Understanding the value of and using appropriate IT packages in relevant aspects of project work, including specialist research and consultation and infographics software. Understanding the wider public sector policy landscape within which our evaluation work is commissioned Meeting personal targets, project deadlines and expected quality standards. Business Development Winning new business including gaining and responding to invitations to tender, negotiating untendered projects, developing opportunities through relationship building, and proposal writing. Participating and where appropriate leading in pitches for new business. Raising OPM Group s profile by participating in other business development and marketing activities including events and seminars, blogging, producing journal articles etc. Leadership and management Line management responsibility for a group of consultants/analysts providing ongoing mentoring, development and performance support as required. Contributing to short and long-term business and capacity planning. Actively contributing to professional skills development at a team level. Living out OPM Group s values. Personal and Development Actively developing personal professional skills which may include another area of expertise in one of OPM Group s core functions or sectors of activity. Other Undertaking any other appropriate duties as required. Understanding and actively supporting our policies on Equality and Diversity Actively promoting charter behaviour internally and externally with clients. 1 Training will be provided if necessary Page 3 of 8
Salary 40,000 per annum to 46,000 per annum Person Specification Essential Desirable Training and Good relevant under-graduate degree Relevant higher degree Education or equivalent qualification. or other relevant postgraduate qualification. Experience Demonstrable experience of designing, managing and delivering multi-method evaluations Experience of managing staff (on projects and / or as a line manager). Good experience in complex analysis Recognised expertise and report writing in an applied (through educational setting. qualifications or work Demonstrable experience of successful project management, including managing budgets, client relationships and teams. Experience of work winning, tendering and proposal writing. experience) in one or more of the following areas: health, social care, education, early years, children and young people, complex families, voluntary and community sector, arts and heritage. Evidence of commercial skills: business development; work winning; contract management. Experience of undertaking, managing or directing economic assessments Previous consultancy experience. Work with charities and VCSOs. Familiarity with Page 4 of 8
databases. Experience of managing projects involving vulnerable or seldom heard stakeholders, and / or focused on evaluating the impact of public services. Skills and Excellent oral and written NVivo, SNAP, SPSS knowledge communication skills, including report and other software or writing. technology-based Ability to tailor communications appropriately to the audience. processes supporting evaluation activities. Confident and effective public speaker capable of delivering high quality presentations to senior audiences. Able to produce high quality reports using visual techniques and infographics. Credibility with senior managers and Strategic thinker. clinicians. Experience of handling Confident, resilient and able to deliver high quality outputs and analysing large datasets. Rigorous project management skills. Creative problem solver. Strong analytical skills. Good IT skills. Good quantitative analysis and numeracy skills. Good understanding of the policy issues in one or more of OPM Group s key sectors. Excellent organisational skills. Very good knowledge and experience of using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) Behavioural Able to act on own initiative. Self- Ability to develop skills motivated and good at managing time staff/experience with and workload in a fast-paced project team and line commercial consultancy environment. management. Very strong customer focus; Page 5 of 8
excellent customer service and client awareness. Able to work well with diverse client and community groups, including groups of senior managers and vulnerable people. Able to work collaboratively with colleagues. Enthusiasm for learning. Exceptional attention to detail. Ability to work to deadlines and under pressure and willingness to do what needs doing when timescales are tight. Able to juggle and deliver multiple projects against competing deadlines. Able to cope with a high degree of ambiguity. Flexible willing to work on different types of projects and across different sectors. Good understanding of what is fit for purpose. Able to see the client perspective. Special circumstances Willingness to travel. Willingness to work occasional unsociable hours, including early mornings, evenings and weekends. General A commitment to OPM Group ownership and governance model. A commitment to the values of OPM Group and to observing the OPM charter. Ability to behave in a manner consistent with principles of fairness and equality, supporting the implementation of our Equality and Page 6 of 8
Diversity policies. Selection Process You will need to complete an application form and return it to recruit@opm.co.uk. Please note that CVs will not be accepted. If your application is taken forward, you will be invited to attend an interview and to complete some assessment tasks. If you are successful in your application, we will conduct verbal and/or written reference checks with your approval. We will need to see your original birth certificate and/or passport as well as your educational certificates. We will also request your completion of an occupational health questionnaire. When the enquiries are completed satisfactorily, OPM Group will make a formal offer of appointment Our provisional recruitment schedule is: Deadline for applications Monday 14 November 2016 Interviews Monday 28 November 2016 Skills testing of disabled applicants Applicants who satisfy the minimum standards of the role may be asked to take a number of ability tests before being progressed to the next stage of the recruitment process. These include online numerical and verbal reasoning assessments supplied by a psychometric test provider. If an ability test has a feature that, in the opinion of the applicant, places a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage to other candidates, the OPM Group agrees to take such steps as is reasonable to mitigate the disadvantage. Should an applicant be able to demonstrate their ability for the role as laid out in the job description (able to meet the minimum standards of the role as outlined in the necessary column in the person specification), by any alternative method, this will be given due consideration by the OPM Group. The OPM Group agrees that should disabled applicants meet the minimum requirements of the job and are able to demonstrate their competency through ability tests or any other comparable method; they will be given an automatic right to interview. Terms and Conditions A full copy of the terms and conditions of employment at OPM Group is distributed upon appointment. Employees are entitled to 30 days leave per year plus statutory bank holidays. You will have the opportunity to contribute to a pension scheme. Page 7 of 8
Location You will work at 252B Gray s Inn Road, WC1X 8XG (near King s Cross and St Pancras stations). The OPM Group Charter Working with you to improve social results The OPM Group is committed to improving the quality of life for all communities by working with clients and the public to help them achieve the social results they desire. As a member of the OPM Group: I am committed to delivering high quality work and to helping to achieve social results. I am committed to my own development to sustain and increase my contribution to the OPM Group, and expect others to provide appropriate support and opportunities. I will behave with integrity, honesty and courtesy at all times, and expect the same from others. I will contribute to providing a productive and supportive working environment, and will ask for and offer support when it is needed, and expect others to do the same. I will be fair and open in my expectations of others, and expect the same from them. I will take responsibility for reflecting and demonstrating the values of the OPM Group outside the organisation. All members of the OPM Group are expected to uphold the charter in the organisation, and be active in ensuring its principles and values underpin all our behaviours, work and the continued success of the organisation. Page 8 of 8