Access & Participation Research and Evaluation Officer

Full Time Fixed Term - 12 months

The Widening Participation and Social Mobility Directorate (WPSM) has responsibility for meeting the ambitious targets of the University’s Access and Participation Plan (APP) which aims to improve the access, success and progression of students from underrepresented groups and disadvantaged backgrounds. It is seeking to appoint an exceptional individual to join as the Access and Participation Research and . Evaluation Officer, who will play a fundamental role in contributing to the evaluation of our efforts.

We believe that successful evaluation is the foundation of effective widening participation activity and our approach to evaluation extends far beyond the regulatory expectations of the Office for Students (OfS). We want to reflect the ethos of the University of Southampton, by fostering a culture of research within WP, simultaneously capturing the genuine passion and curiosity of our staff to contribute to real social change. Our expectation is that all staff will take an evidence-based, reflective approach to the development of WP interventions, such that we both learn from and contribute to the interplay between policy, theory and practice within the sector. 

The postholder will contribute to our approach to achieving these strategic aims for evaluation. Working with the Access and Participation Evaluation Manager, they will support the coaching of colleagues within WPSM to plan evaluation of their respective activities, empowering them to develop theories of change for all new and existing initiatives. They will work with colleagues to develop their knowledge of evaluative and research methods, supporting them to identify appropriate and innovative evaluative measurements of success against strategic objectives. Using this information, the postholder will manage the maintenance and development of our evaluative framework, to ensure we are appropriately reporting back progress to the Office for Students. 

The successful candidate will be able to draw upon their experience of evaluation and research to inspire continuous improvement within the directorate, leading by example, to reflect our successes back into the sector. They will have an appetite to present ideas and/or seek publication beyond the university and also encourage that in others. 

Applicats should have experience of evaluation and/or research, having managed complex projects, with an in-depth understanding of different research methods. You will be familiar with the management of large and often complex datasets and have the ability to analyse and present findings to multiple stakeholders. You will be confident in your communication with fellow colleagues, encouraging them to adopt an evidence-based approach to the design of their work, and developing approaches to capturing & demonstrating its impact. You will have excellent organisational skills and be agile in response to calls for evidence of evaluation.

Whilst experience of working within the widening access & participation sector is advantageous, it is not essential. We are ultimately seeking an individual who shares an empathy of our agenda, who brings energy and excitement to advance the work we do, underpinned by their experience of evaluation or research. If you are interested in the role, please contact with Heather Mozley, H.J.Mozley@soton.ac.uk to have an informal conversation before applying.

Application Procedure  

You should submit your completed online application form at https://jobs.soton.ac.uk. The application deadline will be midnight on the closing date stated above. If you need any assistance, please call Anjali Mavi (HR Recruitment Team) on +44 (0) 23 8059 4043 or email recruitment@soton.ac.uk  Please quote reference 2151823HL on all correspondence.

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