Scotty's Little Soldiers - Head of Impact and Research in Newtown

Role Overview

To ensure that Scotty's understands and demonstrates the impact of its work – through high-quality research, meaningful measurement, and clear reporting. You will lead the development of internal and external research projects, manage beneficiary insight gathering, and oversee the systems and frameworks we use to evaluate and share our effectiveness. This role is central to helping us improve what we do and explain why it matters and ensuring that lived experience remains at the heart of everything we do.

Research & Insight

• Lead internal research projects using beneficiary data, surveys, and feedback loops.
• Scope and manage external research partnerships with academic institutions or sector bodies.
• Design and deliver surveys to beneficiaries and the wider bereaved military community.
• Produce evidence to support service development, strategic decisions, influence national policy, and funding bids.
• Lead our existing advisory group (for children and young people) and establish new groups as required (e.g. for adult services).
• Ensure that lived experience remains at the heart of the charity's focus on understanding the need.
• Ensure that Scotty's have access to the most up-to-date research within the bereavement, military, Children & Young People and Family Support sectors.

Communication of Impact

• Create clear, accessible insight reports and data summaries for internal and external use.
• Lead the delivery of the annual Impact Report (content, structure, coordination with teams).
• Develop quarterly insight packs for funders and stakeholders, with engaging visuals and stories.
• Work with the Outreach Squad to ensure impact is integrated into campaigns and storytelling.

Learning & Collaboration

• Act as the internal 'voice of insight' – bringing beneficiary perspective and data into key conversations.
• Contribute to team training on evaluation, feedback collection, and outcomes thinking.
• Participate in cross-functional planning, especially with the Service Delivery and Outreach Squads.

Policy (Light Touch)

• Track key developments in bereavement, the Armed Forces, and children, young people and families policy.
• Produce brief summaries or 'position snapshots' where relevant to Scotty's mission.
• Build relationships with other research and impact professionals in the sector.

30-Day Goals

• Build a deep understanding of Scotty's mission, our audience, the services we provide, and strategic direction.
• Develop a deep understanding of our current Success Measures, Impact measurements and Theory of Change.
• Review research and data produced by the charity and related external research previously published.
• Understand the data structure and reporting capabilities of Salesforce (CRM).
• Understand existing commitments (e.g. funder report, impact reports etc).
• Take ownership of our 2026 Community-wide survey (project will be handed over upon start).

60-Day Goals

• Audit current data quality and gaps across the F-Team Programmes.
• Work with the Families Team to develop the first adult lived experience advisory group.
• Reach out to relevant impact and research groups to introduce yourself, particularly those attached to the military or bereavement charitable sectors.
• Identify 1–2 relevant conferences or forums for Scotty's to present at.
• Build ideas, working with the Head of Service, that can help teams improve current Success Measures and Impact measurements.

90-Day Goals

• Held at least 1 adult lived experience advisory group session.
• Created and shared the first quarterly Impact Review for internal use.
• Fully taken accountability for impact reporting and research projects within the charity and able to demonstrate a clear plan of action for the rest of the year.
• Proposed an outline for the Annual Family Feedback Survey in September.
• Start to coordinate the 2026 Impact Report.

Must-Have Qualifications

• Proven experience in research and impact evaluation, ideally in the charity or public sector.
• Strong skills in data collection, survey design, and analysis.
• Excellent written communication and reporting skills.
• Able to translate data into real-world insight.
• Experience of CRM databases and producing reports from them.
• Knowledge and experience of the principles of involving those with lived experience, including co-design and co-production.

Nice-to-have:

• Experience working with or around the Armed Forces community.
• Understanding of trauma-informed or bereavement support practices.
• Experience producing Impact Reports or funding insight packs.
• Familiarity with Salesforce or CRM data tools.
• Some knowledge of public policy or third-sector trends.

Additional Requirements

• The role may require occasional evening or weekend work.
• Enhanced DBS check required.
• Travel will be required to events and team training days.