Job Brief for the role of Research Officer (Temporary)

Please send CV, covering letter and Equality and Diversity Monitoring form attached to :

Sheena Pentin -

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Power to Change Trust

Power to Change is an independent charitable trust endowed with £150 million from the Big Lottery Fund to support community businesses across England over the next 7-10 years. Power to Change acts as a community businesses champion through the provision of funding and support on a local level. We also aim to play a broader national leadership and advocacy role to enhance the market for community business and increase awareness of its social and economic benefits.

Our organisation

Power to Change was established in response to a growing recognition of the challenges faced by communities in maintaining vibrant local places with access to shops and services, opportunities for employment and skills development, a strong community fabric and a sense of a positive future. While industrial decline has made this a long-term challenge in a number of communities, the scale and reach of the challenge sharpened in the wake of the financial crisis as a result of the closure of high street retailers and local public services, and cuts to much of the support available for the voluntary and community sector.

Our vision and mission

Our overall vision is to achieve ‘better places through community business’, a vision which we will deliver through pursuing our mission which is to ‘back people to build successful local businesses for the benefit of their communities’. Power to Change has been established as a time-limited ten year Trust, with the aim of significantly accelerating the growth and impact of community business in England, thereby creating a sustainable legacy of robust community businesses will which endure well beyond the Trust’s ten year timeframe.

Our objectives

  • To grow the community business sector such that there are a greater number of high impact, sustainable community businesses at the end of 10 years
  • To demonstrate that community businesses can transform places through positive economic, social and environment impact
  • To influence government, business, consumers and other funders that community business is a powerful force for change such that they increase their investment in community business.

Our Values

  • we encourage and support community businesses to take power and responsibility to achieve lasting change
  • we collaborate to bring talented people and organisations from different backgrounds to deliver the best outcomes for community businesses
  • we are a catalyst for change, building on the best ideas, leveraging new resources and championing new approaches –
  • we focus our activities where they can have the greatest impact and bring greatest benefit to communities who are most marginalised.
  • we learn from strong research underpinned by a deep appreciation of what is important to community businesses -we are transparent and open about our decision-making, sharing what we learn

Our colleagues are expected to:
  • Positively support equality and diversity both within Power to Change and externally
  • Help maintain a safe working environment and take responsibility for own and colleagues' Health and Safety
  • Undertake such other duties to support the team as maybe requested

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all candidates irrespective of race, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or belief, or marital or civil partnership status.
Job Description
Role Title / Research Officer (0.4FTE, fixed term contract for an initial 3 month period)
Location / Bristol
Reports to / Head of Research and Policy
Direct Report / None
Stakeholders / Commissioned researchers delivering our research programme
Academics such as members of our Research Panel
PTC colleagues
Role Purpose / To support the Head of Research with the management of our research programme and to carry out discrete research or analysis activities.
Key Accountabilities / Project and portfolio management:
  • Across our large research programme, support the Head of Research with day-to-day contract and project management of commissioned projects
  • Support the Head of Research with overall portfolio management, such as arranging publication schedules or planning communications activity
  • Ensure project comply with PtC administrative procedures and carry out administrative tasks such as updating contracts management systems
Annual Grantee Survey:
  • Project manage the delivery of our annual grantee survey, a short survey to a group of c.300 organisations
  • Analyse responses and deliver a descriptive analysis of the results

Person Specification
Essential skills and experience /
  • Experience of research, evaluation or data analysis
  • 3+ years postgraduate experience
  • BA qualification
  • Experience of Microsoft Excel
  • Flexible, “can do” attitude

Desired skills and experience /
  • MA in social research desirable
  • An interest in the community or voluntary sector
  • Experience of statistical analysis tools
  • Experience of Salesforce (Customer Relationship Management system)

Remuneration Package
(to be completed only for roles that are to be advertised) /
  • Salary circa £30k pro rata
  • Pension; Employee contribution 4% Company 5%
  • Holidays; 25 days plus 8 Statutory holidays (pro-rata)
  • Hours: 9-5pm or as required to fulfil the role
  • Season ticket loan
  • Childcare vouchers
  • 6 days vocational training or volunteering in a community business (pro-rata)

Author / Ailbhe McNabola
Date / 24/05/17

Job Brief templateV4 July 2016 Page 1 of 3