Job Description
Job Title:
Senior Project Officer, Research & Monitoring Unit
Reference:
SUS1141
Salary:
Grade G: £23,396 - £26,578 per annum
(depending on relevant skills and experience)
Hours:
37.5 hours per week
Fixed Term:
Permanent
Base:
Cross House, Westgate Road, Newcastle, NE1 4XX
or 2 Cathedral Square, College Green, Bristol, BS1 5DD
Job Purpose:
To ensure that the Research & Monitoring Unit can continue to supply the
best possible evidence available to support the widest possible range of
Sustrans interests.
Place in Organisation Structure:
The postholder will report to the Project Manager, Research & Monitoring
Unit.
Key Relationships:
Internal:
Project Manager, Research & Monitoring Unit
Assistant Director, Research & Monitoring Unit
Director, Research & Monitoring Unit
Members of the Research & Monitoring Unit team
Project delivery teams (Bristol and across the UK)
Policy team (Bristol)
Communication, Media and Press teams (Bristol)
Regional and Nations staff
Other Sustrans core functions (Finance, HR, IT)
External:
Local and national project partners, including local
authorities, health service providers and other charities
Academic and practitioner critical friends
Monitoring and Evaluation consultants and data
collection agencies
Key Responsibilities:
1.
To deliver, and supervise delivery, of all aspects of monitoring
and evaluation activities on a portfolio of projects.
2.
To line manage a small project team in the Unit supervising the
work of individual team members and supporting individual
development.
3.
To be responsible for project budgets associated with the work
portfolio.
4.
To provide support to the Unit Director, Assistant Director and
Project Managers on strategic matters.
5.
Work to the Unit Director, Assistant Director and Project
Managers on the delivery of large or strategic projects
6.
To represent the Research & Monitoring Unit internally on
monitoring, evaluation and research matters.
7.
To represent Sustrans and the Research & Monitoring Unit
externally in accordance to the organisations advocacy policy,
and to represent Sustrans to external parties concerned with
monitoring, evaluation and research.
8.
To negotiate, and support the negotiation, of project
opportunities with funders and partners.
9.
To undertake an overview role on a number of key research,
evaluation and monitoring themes within the Unit.
Detailed Duties:
To provide assistance to the Director, Assistant Director and Project Manager,
Research & Monitoring Unit, on strategic matters including planning, project
finance, internal liaison and external communication.
To manage a team in all aspects of monitoring and evaluation related to a
portfolio of projects delivered across the UK including both behaviour change
activities and infrastructure schemes with view to the points below:
1.
2.
To supervise and line manage two or more Project Officers and/or
Project Assistants within the Unit, including skills development –
leading on recruitment as and when needed; liaise with the Bristol
based HR team
To manage and oversee the budget and resources for the projects; to
ensure that capacity within the team (Unit) is adequate to achieve
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
delivery on these projects, including liaison with the Bristol based
finance team
To liaise with external partners and manage external contracts as and
when needed, including project negotiations, set-up, delivery updates
and successful project closure with external funding bodies
To undertake and to support colleagues in bidding, tendering and
negotiations related to new project opportunities
To set up monitoring and evaluation (alongside) projects in line with
the Sustrans’ project management procedures
To ensure monitoring and evaluation methods including data collection
are fit for purpose and rigorous
To work with Project Managers to ensure that all data analysis
conducted within the Unit is rigorous, accurate and timely
To ensure the team understands, compiles and summaries appropriate
academic and other secondary evidence as required
To lead the team to ensure accurate and adequate reporting of all
relevant project and organisational findings
To ensure (with support from Project Managers) that the evidence for
Sustrans work is communicated to best effect internally and externally,
if necessary producing additional publications
To provide support to the Unit and to other internal colleagues (e.g.
project teams, Policy, Communications, Press, Business Development) in
the development of strategic capability with reference to evidence from
Sustrans’ work and related policy and practice areas
To share best practice and learning with colleagues within the Unit
To support project delivery innovation, development and changes
together with local and national project teams
To supervise the workload of a number of Project Officers and Project
Assistants within the Unit for specific projects as and when needed
To work closely with the other Senior Project Officers and Project
Manager on common themes and projects
To undertake other such duties appropriate to the grade and the post
and capabilities of the post holder as may on occasions be directed by
the Director, Assistant Director and/or Project Managers
To support and comply with the organisation's Policy for the
management of Data Protection.
To support and comply with the organisation's Policy for the
management of Health and Safety.
To work in accordance with the arrangements described in the
organisation's health and safety management system including any
project or department specific requirements.
Working Conditions:
The Research & Monitoring Unit is based in offices in Newcastle which also
houses other regional staff. Occasional overnight stays away from home will
be necessary.
Special Note:
This job description does not form part of the contract of employment, but
indicates how that contract should be performed. The job description may be
subject to amendment in the light of experience and in consultation with the
jobholder.
Compiled by:
Date:
Project Manager, Research & Monitoring Unit
February 2014
Edition: 2
Senior Project Officer, Research & Monitoring Unit (SUS1141)
Personal specification:
Criteria
Essential
Qualifications,
Either to degree level in a relevant subject Or previous
education and
experience in a related field
training
Experience
Scoping and designing monitoring, evaluation and
research projects
Scoping and designing monitoring, evaluation and
research project budgets
A track record of managing and delivering monitoring,
evaluation and/or research project to deadline and within
budget
A track record of successful working with internal and/or
external clients in delivery of monitoring, evaluation and
research projects
Extensive experience or qualification in applied qualitative
and quantitative research methods
Experience in line management of paid staff
Experience in supervising the work load and developing
the skill of a small team
Skills and
Strong analytical skills in quantitative and qualitative data
abilities
collation and analysis
Excellent numerical skills
Excellent communications skills (general, written, verbal)
Excellent report writing skills
Able to present complex technical information to nontechnical audiences
Able to plan a monitoring, evaluation and research projects
including constructing logic frameworks, selecting
methodology and determining resource
Ability to produce accurate reports (with regards to
language, numerical and referred/cited content/evidence)
Ability to work in and with a team
Ability to motivate and develop others
Ability to work under pressure and with limited supervision
(self-starter)
Ability to plan and prioritise own workload
Ability to plan and prioritise of a small team
Ability to assess ones own work outputs critically
Proven strategic capabilities; able to think creatively and
solve problems
Knowledge
Understanding of a wide range of qualitative and
quantitative research methods, especially surveys
Understanding of data protection and other issues arising
with regards to data collection
Excellent working knowledge of MS Office
Other
A positive attitude and enthusiastic approach
Flexibility to adapt in a rapidly evolving environment
Thoroughness, perseverance and perspicacity
Committed to the ideals of Sustrans
Criteria
Desirable
Qualifications,
education and
training
Training and/or qualification (formally or through extensive
experience) to undertake advances statistical calculations
using statistical computer software; Excel equivalent to
Level 3, R or similar advanced experience (beyond
University Master level courses); and/or training and/or
qualification in qualitative data capture, analysis and
reporting
A track record of securing funding for new initiatives
Working in local transport or physical activity monitoring
and evaluation
A background in research about travel/traffic, active travel
and/or physical activity
Understanding of and interest in different transport mode
capture mechanism
An interest in and excellent understanding of
contemporary transport issues
An understanding of the benefits of active travel on health
and the associated economic benefits
An understanding of local transport planning
An understanding of non-motorised traffic monitoring
tools and methods
An interest in cycling and walking
Experience
Knowledge
Other