Research & Evidence Officer (Part-time)

About the team

The Policy team is a small, collaborative and collegiate team looking to expand. We have a unique set-up, sitting separately to but working closely alongside the Communications team as part of the wider Public Affairs team. We influence key decision makers through direct engagement with senior officials, commissioning and sharing research and insight and supporting coalitions which include our portfolio charities to take their voice to decision makers to secure policy and funding commitments. The team also works across the organisation, presenting insight to inform our investment decisions and making a compelling case to generate new financial commitments for our work.

About this role

The Research and Evidence Officer is a new and exciting role at Impetus, an organisation at the forefront of youth policy. Impetus is evidence led and impact focused and we take this approach to our policy and public affairs activity. The successful candidate will provide the robust data and insights needed to help us build a better understanding of young people’s experiences across education and employment, support colleagues by providing accurate data, analysis and insight that informs policy development and communication designed to improve their outcomes, and support the team to create compelling cases for change tailored to a range of audiences. They will be line managed by the Head of Education Policy but work across both employment and education policy domains.

We are a busy team doing interesting and exciting work. Day‑to‑day you might be extracting insights from government published data, providing evidence for a policy briefing, drafting a report for a policy audience, or working with colleagues from across the team to communicate research findings in impactful ways, following agreed templates, processes and quality standards, and seeking clarification where needed.

We are looking for someone with a commitment to supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to get the support they need for a fulfilling life, whatever that means to them. You will have good knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods, have the skills required to analyse a range of data sets, including confidence applying quantitative research methods to conduct primary and secondary analysis of large and complex datasets, and the ability to present research findings clearly.

This is an exciting time to join a rapidly growing organisation. We work on tackling the barriers that hold back young people from disadvantaged backgrounds including reducing the numbers losing learning through absence and exclusion, improving GCSE attainment in English and maths and ensuring youth employment provision reaches those furthest away from work. Your contribution to this work will have a tangible impact on these and other areas.

We are keen to see a demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), and interested to hear how you have led or supported any initiatives or projects relating to this.

We welcome applications from underrepresented groups, particularly those who were eligible for free school meals as children.

Key responsibilities

• Monitor monthly data releases and new research published across our areas of interest and record relevant information accurately following agreed templates and systems.
• Use quantitative and qualitative research skills to support and contribute to the delivery of a range of research projects and reviews, conduct data analysis, and generate robust evidence across relevant policy areas and portfolio partner activity.
• Translate complex data accurately into accessible reports, briefings, summaries, papers, presentations, and other content ensuring accuracy, clarity and adherence to organisational templates and approval processes.
• Use research findings to provide accurate evidence and summaries that support colleagues in developing policy positions, evaluating proposals, and proposing evidence‑based solutions.
• Prepare accurate briefing materials and background notes to support senior colleagues on relevant policy areas ahead of meetings and events (speaking events, roundtables, and senior‑level stakeholder meetings).
• Collaborate with the Communications team to develop content for external priority audiences to maintain and grow the profile of policy work, by preparing draft summaries, data points and visuals in line with agreed templates and style guides.
• Support the policy team in gathering, organising, summarising and using evidence from portfolio partners.
• Support internal team processes by monitoring an allocated set of information sources, providing content for internal and external newsletters, ensuring information management systems are kept up to date and accurate (e.g. briefing packs, team calendar).
• Contributing to a collaborative and inclusive team culture.
• Support the Heads of Policy to build and maintain relationships with researchers, academics, and the education sector by writing briefings, maintaining a contact database, and representing Impetus’ interests at events.
• Collaborate with peers to meet deadlines and deliver results, ask for clarification when needed, share information promptly, and work cooperatively to meet deadlines.

Person specification

Essential

• A strong commitment to improving outcomes for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and an understanding of the barriers they face across education and employment.
• Good knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods, and how these can be applied to policy and practice.
• Ability to support the development of research tools including surveys, interview guides, and tailored data collection plans.
• Experience of analysing data and evidence (quantitative and qualitative), including working with large or complex datasets ensuring accuracy and following agreed guidance.
• Experience using statistical or data analysis tools (e.g. Excel, R, Stata, SPSS, or similar).
• Ability to interpret research findings and translate complex data into clear, accessible outputs to improve clarity for non‑technical audiences (e.g. briefings, reports, presentations).
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to draft clear, accurate, and well‑structured content for policy or public audiences which are in line with agreed templates and processes.
• Ability to gather and summarise evidence that supports colleagues in developing policy positions and decision‑making.
• Good organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and work across different projects simultaneously. Able to follow established processes, manage own tasks, and maintain accurate records.
• A commitment to working collaboratively with colleagues from diverse backgrounds, and to contribute positively to a team‑based working culture.
• A commitment to Impetus’ mission.
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Desirable

• Experience working in a policy, university or research environment, think tank, charity, or public sector environment.
• An interest in education and/or employment policy and the use of evidence to drive systemic change and a willingness to build understanding.
• Knowledge of the UK government and policy‑making process, including the roles of departments, Parliament, and external stakeholders, and how research and evidence contribute to policy development and decision‑making.

About Impetus

At Impetus, our focus is on helping young people achieve positive education and employment outcomes to increase their chance of leading fulfilling and successful lives, irrespective of their background. We tackle the three most difficult challenges that affect a young person’s ability to succeed in life in Britain today:

• Lost learning through absence, suspensions, exclusions from school.
• Stagnation in education attainment outcomes, which means many are missing out on key qualifications like GCSE English and maths.
• The large numbers of young people out of education, training and employment.

We use our deep expertise and high calibre networks to give the best non‑profits working in these sectors the essential ingredients to have a real and lasting impact on the young people they serve. Through a powerful combination of long‑term funding, direct capacity building support from our experienced team and our pro bono partners, alongside research and policy influencing to drive lasting systems change, we work towards a society where all young people can thrive in school, pass their exams and unlock the doors to sustained employment, for a fulfilling life. We are resolutely focused on outcomes and impact, driven by quality evidence. You would be joining a team that is passionate, rigorous, determined, creative and warm. We care deeply for our colleagues, our portfolio partners and the young people we serve.

Impetus is a registered charity and our charity number is 1152262.

Our Values

In 2022 the Impetus staff agreed the following set of Values to act as our guiding principles as an organisation and help us to remain focused on achieving our mission to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

• We are brave and curious.
• We bring high trust, high challenge.
• We are evidence led and results driven for young people.
• We thrive through diversity.
• We always seek collaboration.

Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

We believe that a diverse workforce leads to an organisation that is more open, creative and gets better results. We want our team at Impetus to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve. We also want our team to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop. We want to reach a diverse pool of candidates. We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need to in order to be successful. We recognise the importance of a good work/life balance. We do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including working from home, working part‑time job shares and other arrangements. Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore. Impetus is an equal opportunity employer and is determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. We value diversity and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

Our employee benefits

Impetus appreciates the invaluable contribution made by all employees and wishes to encourage and reward loyalty, motivation and experience. We therefore offer a range of benefits and policies which aim to assist employees during various stages of their lives and careers. For more information on these, please download the job information pack from our website.

How to apply

Please click on "Apply for this job" button. You will need to complete the online form (including the equal opportunities monitoring form) and upload a comprehensive CV and supporting statement. The supporting statement should be no more than two sides of A4 and should address the criteria in the person specification. You should also include the contact details of two referees, one of whom must be your current or most recent employer. Referees will only be approached with your express permission. As part of our commitment to flexible working we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at interview stage. The deadline for applications is Monday 9th March 2026, 11:59pm. Interviews 1st Interviews will take place on w/c 16th March 2026. 2nd Interviews will take place on w/c 23rd March 2026. You will also be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK.

Personal Data

Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area.