Job Description
Job Title:
Project Manager, Research & Monitoring Unit
Reference:
SUS1038
Salary:
Grade H: £27,109 - £31,546 per annum
(dependent on relevant skills and experience)
Hours:
37.5 per week
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 (R&MU) can continue to supply the
best possible evidence available to support a wide range of Sustrans’ interests by
providing a leadership role in monitoring, evaluation and research.
Place in Organisation Structure:
The postholder will report to the Assistant Director, Research & Monitoring Unit.
Key Relationships:
Internal:
Director, Research & Monitoring Unit
Assistant Director, Research & Monitoring Unit
Other members of the Research & Monitoring Unit
Projects and Innovation team, including Business Development
Unit and National Project Co-ordinators
National / Regional colleagues
Policy team
Communications team
Other head office staff
External:
Other evaluation delivery agents, including
consultants, academics, other third sector organisations
Funders
Local authorities and other partners
Key Responsibilities:
1.
Deliver strategically important monitoring, evaluation and research projects
investigating the impact of interventions and activities that seek to support
walking and cycling
2.
To line manage two or more Senior Project Officer (who are each responsible
for a project team) in the Unit supporting the delivery of their portfolios.
3.
Ensure that monitoring, evaluation and research is fit for purpose and
strategically aligned.
4.
Deliver monitoring, evaluation and research that is insightful and impactful
5.
Lead on design, implementation and use of findings from some projects, and
facilitate the same for other projects
6.
Create and pursue opportunities to further advance and enhance organisational
understanding of effective delivery
7.
Engage with a wide network of internal and external audiences to communicate
our work
Detailed Duties:
To provide assistance to the Director and the Assistant Director, Research &
Monitoring Unit, on strategic matters including: planning, project finance, internal
liaison and external communication.
To manage all aspects of planning and delivery for a small number of strategically
important monitoring and evaluation projects.
To manage two or more teams 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.
3.
4.
5.
To project manage evidence gathering, analysis, reporting and communicating
for one or more larger projects
To facilitate the work of teams working on evidence gathering, analysis,
reporting and communicating for a number of smaller projects
To line manage one or more Senior Project Officers, and to support the delivery
of their work programmes
To be responsible for the compilation monitoring and evaluation plans and to
oversee new evaluation project set-ups
To ensure appropriate, sound and effective application of data collection tools
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
To ensure that analysis and interpretation of data relating to a range of projects
is appropriate and effective
To lead and facilitate reporting and effective communication of monitoring,
evaluation and research findings
To support the identification of data gaps, and data opportunities, in support of
achieving strategic goals
To facilitate learning from and between projects and R&MU activities to ensure
best practice.
To hold an overview on data from other (external) sources that can be used for
evaluation purposes, or communicating and influencing activities
To support the management of the Unit with respect to task assignment,
recruitment, finance, strategic planning
To take an active role in supporting bidding, tendering and procurement
activity undertaken by the Unit, and by Sustrans more widely
To support and comply with the organisation's Policies for the management of
Health and Safety and Data Protection.
To work in accordance with the arrangements described in the organisation's
health and safety management system including any project or department
specific requirements.
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
management group or line manager.
Working Conditions:
The post can be based in Bristol at Sustrans’ HQ or in Newcastle in the R&MU offices,
but will link directly to, and report to, R&MU. 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:
Assistant Director, Research & Monitoring Unit
April 2014
Edition: 2
Project Manager, Research & Monitoring Unit (SUS1038)
Person Specification:
Criteria
Essential
Qualifications,
A degree or equivalent in a relevant area, or relevant
vocational qualifications
education and
training
Experience
Significant experience of monitoring and evaluation of
projects relating to sustainable and active travel
Experience of working with logic frameworks and other
evaluation tools
A track record of project management and delivery to
deadline and within budget, including scoping, designing
and effective implementation of project work
Experience of producing innovative design of evidencebased interventions
Experience of managing and administering large, complex
budgets
Experience of line management and team building
Skills and
abilities
Experience of having substantive input into successful
bidding/ tendering exercises
Excellent communications skills, written and verbal
Excellent report writing skills, including the ability to
produce accurate reports (with regards to language,
numerical and referred/cited content/evidence)
Ability to identify and exploit business development
opportunities
Ability to work effectively as part of a team
Ability to work within a busy environment, with limited
supervision (self-starter) and to plan and prioritise own
workload and that of project teams
Ability to re-assess business-as-usual activities to ensure
they are still fit for purpose
Knowledge
Strong technical expertise in monitoring and evaluation
Good existing knowledge of national data sources, and the
ability to find, comprehend and use suitable alternative
data sources
Excellent working knowledge of MS Office
Other
Understanding of data protection issues
A positive attitude and enthusiastic approach with
flexibility to adapt in a rapidly evolving environment
Committed to the promotion of sustainable transport
Criteria
Desirable
Qualifications,
education and
training
Experience
Training and/or qualification in logic mapping or similar
A track record of successful working with a diverse range of
partners, and/or workplace experience of managing client
relations
A track record of securing funding for new initiatives
Skills and
abilities
Experience of running meetings/workshops etc
Strong analytical skills in quantitative and qualitative data
collation and analysis
Knowledge
Sound numerical skills
An understanding of local transport planning
An understanding of non-motorised traffic monitoring
tools and methods
Understanding of and interest in different transport mode
capture mechanisms
People management and development techniques and
approaches
Detailed knowledge of key data sources on active and
sustainable travel