Research, Evaluation and Learning Manager

Delivered in partnership with HDRC Ealing.

About EHCVS

Ealing and Hounslow CVS (EHCVS) is the voluntary and community sector infrastructure organisation for the London Boroughs of Ealing and Hounslow. For over 40 years, we have worked with communities across Ealing, helping local groups to start, grow and thrive. We have a membership of over 2,000 voluntary sector organisations across the two boroughs. We are an accredited Volunteer Centre, hold the Investing in Volunteers quality standard and are a London Living Wage employer. We provide funding and development support, training, networks and forums for the sector, and represent the voluntary and community sector at strategic partnership level.

About HDRC Ealing

This role is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) through the Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) Ealing. HDRCs are partnerships between councils, community organisations, universities and residents that use research and evidence to improve health and reduce inequalities. There are 30 HDRCs across the UK, including four in London. HDRC Ealing (Evidence and Learning for Health) recognises that valuable knowledge comes from many different places. We work with residents, communities and professionals to understand what matters locally and use practical research and evaluation approaches that fit the needs of each project.

Purpose of the role

The Research, Evaluation and Learning Manager will help voluntary and community organisations in Ealing improve how they measure and show their impact. The role will help VCSE organisations confidently collect, understand and use evidence to show the difference they make, influence decisions and improve outcomes for communities. Stronger evidence will also help groups write more successful funding bids and bring more money into Ealing’s voluntary and community sector. The role will also help them strengthen their community research practice to drive better evidence on resident need and strengths, for the organisation and for the system in Ealing.

Role overview

The postholder will build research and evaluation skills into the everyday work of VCSE organisations, with a focus on the “building blocks of health” – the things that keep people well, such as a decent home, a good job, education and being connected to others. Ealing is home to hundreds of voluntary and community organisations. This role will give focused one-to-one support to organisations, helping them understand what they need to measure, evaluate and learn, and building their skills to do it themselves. By strengthening these skills, organisations will be better placed to develop sustainable, evidence-based work that supports prevention, shows impact, influences decision-making and secures future funding.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Supporting organisations
• Identify VCSE organisations that would benefit from evaluation support, primarily through EHCVS’s existing funding and development support, and in partnership with HDRC Ealing VCSE partners (GOSAD and Southall Community Alliance), other infrastructure organisations and funders – avoiding duplication of advice groups already receive.
• Engage VCSE organisations and provide training, advice and tailored one-to-one support to strengthen their research and evaluation skills, working to the number of organisations and sessions agreed in the annual workplan.
• Support organisations to: collect and use good-quality evidence; build research and evaluation into their day-to-day work; use evidence well in funding applications and reports to funders.
• Help organisations measure, understand and explain the impact of their work on local communities, including developing simple MEL frameworks and Theories of Change.
• Develop accessible, practical ways for organisations to build learning into how they work.
• Identify opportunities for projects to use community-led and participatory research approaches.
• Support them to showcase their community research, including at knowledge exchange events.
• Champion evaluative thinking in organisations’ culture, planning and decision-making.

Fundraising and funding

• Support groups to write stronger, evidence-based funding bids.
• Help develop partnership and joint bids between VCSE organisations with strong evidence.

Partnership and data

• Support collaborative working across sectors, including partnership approaches to data sharing and the use of shared evidence – including through the Ealing LSP Data, Inequalities and Connected Communities Working Group.
• Contribute to EHCVS networks, forums and member events, sharing learning across the sector.

Monitoring and general

• Monitor and report on progress to EHCVS and to HDRC Ealing as required.
• Comply with data protection (UK GDPR) and EHCVS’s data and confidentiality policies.
• Follow EHCVS’s safeguarding policy and procedures.
• Comply with EHCVS’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Health and Safety policies.
• Undertake any other duties appropriate to the post, as reasonably required by the Chief Executive.

Measuring success

Targets will be agreed in an annual workplan with the Chief Executive and HDRC Ealing, with a baseline set at the start of the post. These are likely to include: number of organisations supported; number of training sessions delivered; number of MEL frameworks and Theories of Change developed with organisations; number of community research outputs generated by these organisations; feedback from VCSE organisations and partners on how the support has helped them; follow-up with supported groups at 6 and 12 months on their use of evidence and funding outcomes.

Key relationships

• Internal: EHCVS Chief Executive, staff team and trustees.
• External and partners: HDRC Ealing team, including the Evaluation Specialist, and the wider collaboration. HDRC Ealing VCSE partners, including GOSAD and Southall Community Alliance. VCSE organisations and community groups across Ealing. Local funders and grant-making organisations. Ealing Council, health partners and other community stakeholders.