Appointment of
JUNIOR RESEARCH OFFICER
Information for Applicants
October 2012
JUNIOR RESEARCH OFFICER
CONTENTS
The following information is enclosed:
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About the Sport and Recreation Alliance
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Job Description & Person Specification for Junior Research Officer
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Application and Selection Process
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Equal Opportunities Policy
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Outline Terms and Conditions
Junior Research Officer – 9 Month Contract from January 2013
Salary in the range of £18,000 - £22,000 pro rata (depending on experience)
The Role
The Sport and Recreation Alliance is conducting its biennial survey of sports clubs in the UK.
This year the survey will be run and managed in house for the first time, creating an exciting
opportunity to improve its focus and scope. To support this, the Alliance is seeking to recruit
an enthusiastic and experienced Junior Research Officer to join our existing Research and
Evidence Officer within the Policy Team.
Alongside supporting on this exciting project there will be opportunities to work on other
member focused surveys – these could be anything from monitoring and evaluation of
projects to member satisfaction surveys or member profiling, and helping to meet the day to
day research needs of the organisation.
The Person
With some practical and/or theoretical expertise you will have the ability to develop
questionnaires, handle large datasets with confidence, communicate the data in exciting and
relevant ways to internal and external stakeholders and be able to find, access and analyse
existing data sources relevant to the Alliance. You will have excellent attention to detail, an
analytical mind and a passion for research as well as plenty of drive and ambition.
For details of the position, please visit the Sport and Recreation Alliance website on
www.sportandrecreation.org.uk, email swressell@sportandrecreation.org.uk, or write
to Sue Wressell, Human Resources, Sport and Recreation Alliance, 4th Floor Burwood
House, 14-16 Caxton Street, LONDON SW1P 0QT. To discuss the position, please
telephone Syann Cox on 020 7976 3922. Closing date for applications is 12 noon Friday
2 November 2012. Interviews will be held week commencing 19 November 2012. The
Sport and Recreation Alliance is actively seeking to recruit a diverse workforce and will
guarantee an interview to applicants with a disability who meet the recruitment criteria.
About the Sport and Recreation Alliance
What is the Sport and Recreation Alliance?
Almost every organised sport and recreation in the UK has its own governing or
representative body – organisations like the Football Association, UK Athletics and the
Ramblers Association. These bodies exist to organise, to set rules and to encourage more
people into their sport or activity.
The Sport and Recreation Alliance, formerly known as the CCPR, is the national alliance of
these governing and representative organisations. Our membership encompasses activities
from football to folk dance and from rugby to rounders. In fact, there is barely a recognised
sport or activity in the country which is not affiliated to the Sport and Recreation Alliance. In
total, we boast 320 members drawn from right across the spectrum of the sector.
The Sport and Recreation Alliance’s Vision is to be recognised as the definitive
independent voice for sport and recreation in the UK and to develop a framework to enable
our members to achieve sustained success.
The Sport and Recreation Alliance’s mission is to promote, protect and provide for
sport and recreation:
Promote
Anyone who enjoys sport realises that activity is not just good in itself, but that it also has
enormous potential to deliver a whole range of other benefits. From helping people lead
healthier lifestyles, through reducing crime, helping people learn new skills, sport can be a
potent force for good in the lives of participants. One of the primary purposes of the Sport
and Recreation Alliance is to help more people understand the role that sport and recreation
can play in society and the advantages it can bring.
Protect
As a sector which is run largely on a voluntary basis – often from board level to club coach –
it is easy to upset sport and recreation’s delicate equilibrium. Limiting factors like funds and
the time of volunteers mean that even the smallest of changes to the sporting landscape can
have serious implications for the community club infrastructure. An important part of the
Sport and Recreation Alliance’s role is to protect sport from adverse and unnecessary
change by monitoring political and regulatory developments and campaigning against
unwelcome developments.
Provide
At the Sport and Recreation Alliance we want our members to be as effective as they can
be. After all, the better equipped governing bodies are to run sport and recreation, the better
the opportunities for everyone. That is why we provide a range of services to national
governing bodies. From media monitoring, through the provision of meeting spaces, to
managing joint posts on their behalf, the Sport and Recreation Alliance gives members the
services they need in a way that makes sense to them.
Expertise through experience
Established in 1935 as the main sport administration body in the UK, CCPR also owned and
maintained most of the major sporting facilities in the country, including famous sites like
Crystal Palace, Lilleshall, Bisham Abbey, Plas y Brenin and Holme Pierrepont.
In 1972, CCPR handed over these valuable sporting assets to the newly established sports
councils and, in return, CCPR became contractually funded through the Sports Council to
enable it to provide an independent voice for sport and recreation. It is in this way,
supplemented by income from subscriptions and commercial activities, that the CCPR, which
changed its name to the Sport and Recreation Alliance in December 2010, funds its work on
behalf of the sector today.
Whilst the Sport and Recreation Alliance today is very different to the organisation that
emerged more than 70 years ago, its core objectives remain the same – to ensure that sport
and recreation continue to be a central component of everyday life up and down the country.
The way we work
The work of the Sport and Recreation Alliance is driven by members, all of whom belong to
one of our six Divisions:
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Games and Sports
Interested Organisations
Major Spectator Sports
Movement and Dance
Outdoor Pursuits
Water Recreation
The Divisions provide a forum for members to come together, to share their concerns, and to
direct and prioritise the Alliance’s everyday work. The Sport and Recreation Alliance has
always enjoyed strong engagement from its members and it is their contribution through the
work of the Divisions which ensures that the Alliance’s activity remains focused, relevant and
topical.
JOB TITLE
Junior Research Officer - 9 month contract from January 2013
SALARY RANGE
£18,000 - £22,000 per annum pro rata (depending on experience)
ROLE SUMMARY
The Sport and Recreation Alliance is conducting its biennial survey of sports clubs in the UK.
This year the survey will be run and managed in house for the first time, creating an exciting
opportunity to improve its focus and scope. To support this, the Alliance is seeking to recruit
an enthusiastic and experienced Junior Research Officer to join our existing Research and
Evidence Officer within the Policy Team.
The Sports Club Survey aims to gain a picture of the health of our sports clubs and provides
the policy team with essential data and evidence for discussions with ministers, MPs and
stakeholders. The data and findings are also extremely valuable to our members, providing
them with sport specific data and allowing for comparisons across sports.
Alongside supporting on this exciting project there will be opportunities to work on other
member focused surveys – these could be anything from monitoring and evaluation of
projects to member satisfaction surveys or member profiling, and helping to meet the day to
day research needs of the organisation.
Research and evidence informs all the work we do at the Alliance; we crunch data to shape
our positions on policy proposals and campaigns and maintain an evidence bank of relevant
research so that we’re armed with facts and figures to share with our members, speak to the
press, talk to MPs and include in consultation responses. The Junior Research Officer will
help to increase the impact of the Alliance’s research and contribute to further building our
reputation for excellent research within the sport and recreation sector.
MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Junior Research Officer will work within the Alliance’s Policy Team under the direct
management of the Research and Evidence Officer. They will:
1. Assist in developing relevant, focused and easy to complete questionnaires
2. Script and test online surveys including data checks after piloting
3. Monitor response rates and communicate internally and externally to help ensure target
response rates are met
4. Communicate confidently and professionally with members to inform and engage them
with research topics and live surveys
5. Assist in conducting statistical analysis on large scale datasets and coding open
questions for data analysis
6. Assist in the production of reports tailored to the needs of individual members
7. Contribute to maintaining an up to date evidence bank of relevant research across the
sector
8. Support the Research and Evidence Officer in seeking opportunities to conduct
additional research for members
9. Provide research support to other functions within the organisation (e.g. communications,
member services) as and when required
10. Undertake any other duties as reasonably required
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential Skills, Knowledge and Experience
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Experience or working or studying in social sciences, social policy, economics or
statistics
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Statistical knowledge and experience of analysing quantitative data
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Strong analytical skills with the ability to synthesise relevant information to a high
standard and in a meaningful way for a range of audiences
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Thorough approach to research with excellent attention to detail
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Proficient in Microsoft Office 2010 including Excel and PowerPoint
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Excellent writing skills for both reports and presentations
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Good interpersonal skills with both internal and external audiences
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The ability to work autonomously, manage time well, prioritise tasks and use initiative
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Sociable team player with enthusiasm, a willingness to learn and drive to develop the
role
Desirable Attributes
It would be an advantage for the Junior Research Officer to demonstrate:
 Experience of conducting large scale online surveys
 Experience of analysing qualitative data
 Experience of monitoring and evaluating projects/programmes
 Recent experience of research specific software such as web-based survey technology,
Snap or SPSS
 Knowledge or practical experience of sports policy and the structure of national
governing bodies of sport and recreation and sports clubs
 An active interest or participation in sport and recreation
JUNIOR RESEARCH OFFICER
Application and Selection Process
Application
Applications are to be made on the application form provided and returned by 12 noon on
Friday 2 November 2012 marked “Private and Confidential” to:
Sue Wressell
Human Resources
Sport and Recreation Alliance
4th Floor, Burwood House
14-16 Caxton Street
LONDON
SW1H 0QT
Or alternatively, please email your application to swressell@sportandrecreation.org.uk.
A Curriculum Vitae should NOT be included and will not be accepted in place of a completed
application form.
Applications will be acknowledged by email and candidates invited to participate in the
selection process will be contacted following the closing date.
Selection
Applicants will be notified as soon as possible after the closing date if they have been
selected to attend an interview. Interviews for the post will be held during the week
beginning 19 November 2012.
Equal Opportunities Policy
The Sport and Recreation Alliance is committed to the principle of equal opportunities in
employment.
Accordingly, policies for recruitment, selection, training, development and promotion are
designed to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on
the grounds of race, colour, age, class, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief,
disability, trade union membership or non-membership, sex, sexual orientation or marital
status, or being a part-time or fixed term worker. The objective of this policy is to ensure that
individuals are selected, promoted and otherwise treated solely on the basis of their relevant
aptitudes, skills and abilities.
Management has the primary responsibility for the successful implementation of the policy
by:
 Not discriminating in the course of employment against fellow employees or job applicants
 Not inducing or attempting to induce others to practice unlawful discrimination
 Bringing to the attention of employees that they will be subject to disciplinary action for
failure to adhere to the policy.
Individual employees have the responsibility to ensure that they assist the Sport and
Recreation Alliance in achieving these objectives by:
 Not discriminating in the course of employment against fellow employees, customers,
suppliers or any person with whom they come into contact during the course of their
duties
 Not inducing or attempting to induce others to practice unlawful discrimination
 Reporting any discriminatory action to their Manager/ Personnel Department.
The successful operation of this policy necessitates a contribution from each employee and
all employees have an obligation to report any act of discrimination known to them.
Outline Terms and Conditions
Probation
The post is subject to two month’s probation.
Salary Range
Salary will be agreed within the scale indicated on the advertisement.
Location
The post will be located at the Sport and Recreation Alliance Westminster offices (near St.
James’s and Green Park) but you may periodically be required to attend meetings at
locations throughout the UK.
Health
The successful candidate must be able to carry out the full range of duties of the post.
Hours of Work
Contractual hours are 41 hours per week, which includes one hour, unpaid, lunch break
each day. Normal duties may require evening and/or weekend work. In addition, you may be
asked on occasions to work in excess of normal hours in order to meet the operational
requirements of the Sport and Recreation Alliance. Such excess time is not paid as
overtime but is subject to time off in lieu with the prior agreement of the Chief Executive.
Annual and Public Holidays
The annual holiday year runs from 1 April to 31 March in any year. Full-time staff are
entitled to 25 days leave in their first year of employment, all Bank/Public Holidays plus 3.5
privilege days.
Short term contracts are entitled to 25 days pro rata and
bank/public/privilege days where they take place during the contract.
Pension
The Sport and Recreation Alliance currently offers a choice from two pensions for new
members of staff.
Travel
The Sport and Recreation Alliance offers season ticket loans for those traveling to work by
public transport and participates in the Cycle-to-Work Scheme. A staff shower room is also
available for ‘active’ travellers.