Head of Research

Head of Research: Evaluation and Qualitative Methods

London or Leicester (with hybrid working)

About Us

We’re Learning and Work Institute, an independent policy and research organisation focused on lifelong learning and better work.

We’re now looking for a Head of Research: Evaluation and Qualitative Methods to enhance our Research Team on a full-time, permanent basis. Requests for flexible working will be considered with a minimum option of 0.6 FTE, working condensed hours with flexible start and finish times.

Your Rewards

- Salary of £45,650 - £59,080 per annum (pro rata for part-time), dependent on experience and location

- 31 days' holiday increasing to 33 days after 5 years’ service, of which 3 are shutdown days in addition to public holidays (pro rata for part-time)

- Company pension scheme with 8% employer contribution

- Group Life Assurance 3*salary

- Hybrid working (with 40%-60% of your time required in the office)

- Flexible working practices

- Employee Development Scheme

- Retailer Discounts

- Enhanced occupational maternity, adoption, paternity and shared parental pay

- Enhanced occupational sick pay

- Eye care scheme

- Employee Assistance & Wellbeing Programme

- Gold award in Investors in People

This is an exceptional opportunity for a talented research and programme management professional to take their next step with our vital national charity.

Your Role

As the Head of Research: Evaluation and Qualitative Methods, you will be taking on a brand new role directing research projects across all our areas of work, developing research skills within our team and playing a vital role in tender responses.

Specifically, you will provide leadership and expertise to programme and systems-level evaluations and projects. You will utilise innovative or advanced qualitative methods, such as system mapping, co-design methods, ethnographic methods, creative methods and/or theory-based/realist evaluation, to ensure accurate outcomes for our research.

Working with colleagues to develop proactive research proposals, you will seek to build external relationships with funding commissioners and shape projects to deliver meaningful insights that solve the problems practitioners and policymakers face.

About You

To be considered as the Head of Research: Evaluation and Qualitative Methods, you will need:

- Experience of delivering and directing high-quality programme evaluation and policy-relevant research, shaping research plans, working with funders and delivering meaningful insights

- Experience of responding to research and evaluation tenders and writing proposals

- Experience of managing, supporting and developing researchers and research managers

- Advanced qualitative evaluation and research skills, e.g. one or more of theory-based evaluation, ethnographic methods, creative/art-based methods, co-design methods, system-level evaluation

- Effective and efficient relationship management skills

- A clear and direct written communication style

The closing date for this role is the 20th February 2026.

Other organisations may call this role Head of Research Evaluation, Head of Qualitative Research, Senior Research Manager, or Research Fellow.

Webrecruit and the Learning and Work Institute are equal opportunities employers, value diversity, and are strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all.

So, if you want to take your career to the next level as our Head of Research: Evaluation and Qualitative Methods, please apply via the button shown. This vacancy is being advertised by Webrecruit. The services advertised by Webrecruit are those of an Employment Agency.

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