Project Evaluation Officer in Belfast

Catalyst is seeking a Project Evaluation Officer to support the delivery and impact of our Open Innovation Team’s work. In this role, you will work closely with project teams to track progress, assess outcomes, and generate insights that help shape programme development and continuous improvement. You will play a key role in collecting and analysing data, preparing clear and timely reports, supporting impact measurement and storytelling, and ensuring that learning is shared across teams and stakeholders.

Your analytical mindset and attention to detail will help ensure our programmes remain evidence-based, effective, and aligned with Catalyst’s mission to make innovation accessible and impactful for businesses of all sizes and sectors. You will also contribute to strengthening monitoring and evaluation systems, supporting knowledge sharing, and helping communicate the wider impact of our programmes to funders, partners and stakeholders.

This is a PEACEPLUS funded project. As Project Evaluation Officer, you will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the impact of two significant CR&D projects, NWCAM2 and ONEHEALTH.

The NWCAM2 project revolutionises the Health and Life Sciences sector by empowering SMEs to adopt advanced, sustainable manufacturing processes and technologies. Addressing the region's shared challenges, it bridges gaps in R&D adoption, technological capacity, and cross-border collaboration. By focusing on additive and digital manufacturing and next-generation materials, NWCAM2 fosters innovation and accelerates the transition to net-zero operations. Its dual approach combines both three-year deep dive R&I projects and shorter one-year SME-focused implementations, leveraging expertise across Northern Ireland and Ireland to drive sustainability, reduce carbon emissions, and enhance SME competitiveness.

The ONEHEALTH project pioneers a transformative approach of integrating human, animal, and environmental health to address critical public health and agrifood challenges. Through strategic cross-border collaboration across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, ONEHEALTH leverages AI and data integration to drive innovation, improve health outcomes, and fuel economic growth.

Partnering with the Momentum One Zero City Deal Innovation Centre, the initiative unites SMEs, research institutions, and health and agrifood systems to overcome limited collaboration and scalability issues. Its dual-strand approach combines deep AI research with a fast-paced, engineer-led, accelerator programme, delivering ground-breaking solutions and positioning the region as a global leader in ‘One Health’ innovation.

We are a non-profit organisation that supports science and technology innovation in Northern Ireland with buildings and hubs in Belfast and Derry/Londonderry where companies can use our flexible workspaces to operate from. We use the profits generated from our property portfolio to deliver entrepreneurial support programmes, facilitate funding, inform policy and accelerate technology-based research and development, by linking with academia and government.

A certified Great Place to Work® and recognised as one of the top 100 Workplaces in the UK for 2024, receiving awards for Best Place to Work, Best Workplace for Development, Best Workplace for Employee Wellbeing, and Best Place to Work for Women, Catalyst is one of Northern Ireland’s most exciting employers.

With a strong vision of Opportunity for all from world-leading innovation, this is a workplace brimming with ambition to create social, cultural, and economic advantage. We are a force for good, bold in our approach with integrity at our core and passion in everything we do.

Diversity and inclusion aren’t boxes to tick on a CSR list. At Catalyst, they are part of our DNA, lived, breathed, seen, and heard across our community, projects, and co-working spaces. We not only want to foster and empower a culture of innovation, but also an environment where people can be their true, authentic self and thrive, and we are proud to be recognised by the Diversity Charter for achieving silver status, with ambitions to progress to Gold.

As an equal opportunity employer, we recruit based solely on the individual’s ability to perform the role, and that’s allowed us to create an inclusive workplace which celebrates the diversity of our teams and community.

Key Information:

• Full time, posts funded until 30th September 2029
• Attractive benefits package – including flexible working options
• Competitive salary between £34000 - 38000 depending on qualifications and experience.
• Options to be based in either Belfast or Derry-Londonderry

Employee Perks:

• Competitive Benefits Package including Private medical insurance for you and your dependents
• Generous pension contribution
• Generous life assurance policy
• Enhanced parental leave packages
• Free open access to company organised events
• Free parking on-campus

We are looking for a skilled Project Evaluation Officer to design and implement frameworks that track the impact of our innovation programmes. You will collect and analyse data, produce clear reports, translate findings into actionable insights, and provide insights to inform programme improvements and strategic decision-making. The ideal candidate will have experience in evaluating large-scale projects, strong analytical skills using tools like Excel, and the ability to communicate findings to both internal and external stakeholders. A proactive, organised approach, strong written communication skills, and experience with donor reporting or PEACEPLUS programmes are highly desirable.

Main Goals:

• Design and implement monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks that support project objectives and enable effective impact measurement, learning, and continuous improvement
• Ensure data-driven insights guide programme delivery, continuous improvement and policy recommendations.
• Work closely with Project Managers, project teams and partners to ensure funding requirements, reporting obligations and compliance milestones are met accurately and on time.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of project activities through timely reporting, stakeholder engagement, knowledge sharing, and the effective communication of project impact, outcomes and learning.

Core Responsibilities:

Monitoring and Reporting:

• Develop systems for collecting, analysing, and interpreting qualitative and quantitative data.
• Review and continuously improve monitoring, reporting and data collection processes to ensure they remain effective, proportionate and aligned across projects where appropriate.
• Monitor progress against project goals and provide regular updates to senior management and stakeholders.
• Prepare comprehensive M&E reports that highlight key findings, challenges, and recommendations.
• Develop and maintain reporting tools, timelines and processes to support project delivery, compliance requirements and effective decision-making.

Evaluation Activities:

• Lead the development of tools and methodologies for measuring project outcomes and impact.
• Oversee internal evaluation activities and ensure findings are integrated into programme adjustments and continuous improvement activities.
• Collaborate with external evaluators to ensure alignment with project objectives.
• Support the development of impact frameworks, indicators and narratives that demonstrate project outcomes and longer-term impact.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Present M&E findings to project teams, advisory committees, and external partners.
• Act as a point of contact for donor organisations and regulatory bodies regarding project evaluation and reporting requirements.
• Work collaboratively with project teams, partners and internal stakeholders to embed evaluation, learning and impact measurement across project activities.
• Support the coordination of reporting, evidence collection and compliance activities with project teams and partners.

Learning and Dissemination:

• Document and share lessons learned through workshops, reports, publications and learning briefs.
• Support knowledge-sharing initiatives to enhance capacity within the project team and partner organisations.
• Translate evaluation findings into accessible insights, case studies and impact stories for a range of audiences, including funders, partners and stakeholders.
• Contribute to the development of knowledge management approaches that support evidence gathering, organisational learning and the sharing of good practice across projects.
• Identify opportunities for cross-project learning and support the sharing of insights, approaches and good practice across Catalyst programmes and partner organisations.

Daily Tasks:

• Collect, process, and validate data from programme activities.
• Facilitate team meetings and discussions with project teams and partners to review progress, sharing learning and refine approaches. Draft and deliver reports for internal use, funder requirements and external dissemination.
• Coordinate reporting timelines, evidence collection and compliance activities across project teams and partners.
• Maintain compliance with donor reporting requirements and support audit and evidence-gathering processes.
• Produce learning briefs, case studies and other materials that communicate project outcomes, impact and learning.
• Provide technical support and guidance for teams implementing data collection and monitoring tools.
• Maintain organised records and evidence to support project reporting, evaluation and knowledge-sharing activities.

Essential Criteria:

• At least 2 years proven experience in monitoring and evaluating large-scale projects.
• Proficiency in using Excel.
• Excellent communication, presentation and report-writing skills.
• Strong ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Experience developing, implementing or improving monitoring, reporting or evaluation processes.
• Ability to translate data and evaluation findings into clear insights and recommendations for internal teams and a range of audiences.

Desirable Skills:

• Sector specific knowledge.
• Familiarity with evaluation standards or previous PEACEPLUS experience.
• Experience working with diverse stakeholders, including government and civil society.
• Experience developing impact reports, case studies or other evidence-based communications materials.
• Experience working within multi-partner or cross-border projects.

Core Competencies:

• Analytical thinking with attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity.
• A collaborative approach to team engagement.
• Strong organisational and planning skills.
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly to different audiences.
• Proactive approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement.
• Ability to build relationships and work effectively across multiple teams and stakeholders.

Special Requirements:

• Proof of right to work in the UK.
• On occasions to work evenings and weekends.
• Full current driving licence or access to transport.

Criteria may be enhanced to aid shortlisting. Exceptional candidates who do not meet the criteria may be considered for the role provided they have the necessary skills and experience.