At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead impactful projects for government and social organisations, turning data into actionable insights.
- Company: Join Yonder, a dynamic insight and transformation company with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, 28 days holiday, flexible working, and a supportive environment.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with opportunities for professional growth and team leadership.
- Why this job: Make a real-world impact through public sector research and innovative decision-making.
- Qualifications: 5-6 years in strategic research, strong storytelling skills, and experience in public sector procurement.
Yonder is the Insight and Transformation Company. Our purpose is to deliver confidence to clients in decisions that matter, through unifying the breadth of our capabilities across the business. This includes our insight practice: as our clients continue to face challenging operating contexts, constrained budgets and constant technological change, our mission is to provide complete decision intelligence for absolute conviction. We support our clients throughout the decision-making process by a combination of high-quality data, elite data science and high value insight, and our use of cutting-edge technology to enhance and empower our human traits.
We are looking for an experienced and commercially minded Associate Director (AD) to work with us in our Public and Social Insights Unit working across a range of government departments, councils, charities, regulators, and industry bodies. If you are an Associate Director or equivalent with an established track record of delivering public and social research then we would like to hear from you.
Your skills & experience
- You have been delivering for clients in a strategic, analytical, or research capacity for at least 5-6 years, focusing on helping them understand their audiences and their operating environment, and helping them make better decisions – particularly relating to public policy, regulation, and communications.
- You bring strong experience in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
- You have a broad range of interests, are passionate about public sector research and ensuring your work has a real-world impact on people and society.
- You demonstrate outstanding storytelling, written and verbal skills, can be trusted to manage projects independently, and have excellent attention to detail.
- You have experience of leading client relationships and are confident in a client-facing role.
- You have a solid track record of successful new business development from existing and new clients.
- You have strong experience of public sector procurement and rules, experience writing public sector tenders, and a clear understanding of how to propose and deliver social value.
- You can creatively apply a range of data and intelligence to public sector challenges and use your initiative to grow, develop and learn.
- You have experience of managing less experienced team members.
The role
You will lead the day-to-day management of projects with government departments, councils, charities, regulators, and industry bodies, thinking creatively to determine the best approach for addressing client challenges. You will analyse qualitative and quantitative data as well as other sources of market intelligence to help advise our clients at a strategic level. These projects may utilise public opinion, stakeholder opinion, digital intelligence data, demographic analysis, or other forms of data. You will be responsible for producing intelligent and actionable insights through storytelling and data visualisation with a strong understanding of communications strategy. Strong understanding of campaign evaluation is required and experience delivering consultations and evaluation work is desirable.
You will use a range of research and consulting techniques to find answers to our clients’ questions or solve their problems, such as ‘how can I understand and respond to wider political / social / commercial trends?’, ‘how can I best achieve a policy objective?’, ‘how can I prevent a specific audience from experiencing harm?’, ‘how can I deliver effective public communications strategy?’ or ‘how can I better engage with my key stakeholders?’. It is essential that you are able to take the lead in managing projects, taking responsibility for delivering client work to the highest standard. You will lead in designing and conducting these projects, thinking creatively to determine the best approach for addressing client challenges and then managing colleagues and suppliers (where relevant) to produce final reports, presentations and recommendations for the client. You will likely be managing less experienced team members, and will be required to oversee and manage their work, giving feedback that helps them improve. You will also have some interest in developing thought leadership to support engagement with public sector clients.
What Yonder can offer you
Yonder has a real buzz as we continue to grow. We reward people who help to drive that growth, and the company supports and encourages new ideas which will add value. We offer a competitive salary, 28 days holiday (plus your birthday day off!), a 5% employer pension contribution, life assurance and other benefits like volunteering leave, flexible working and 4pm finishes on Fridays etc. As we operate a hybrid working model, there will be an expectation to work from our London office two days a week.
Our Values and behaviours
- We Focus: Engage / Express with clarity / Take a view / Be pragmatic
- We Go Further: Challenge the thinking / Be brave (backed by evidence) / Work at the edge / Celebrate imagination
- We Pursue Brilliance: Discover what matters / Be a yardstick / Show professional integrity / Bring the energy
- We’re In It Together: Connect with authenticity / Be open / Lift yourself by lifting others / Muck in
Associate Director (Public and Social Insights Unit) in London employer: Yonder
At Yonder, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer that values creativity and collaboration in our Shoreditch office. Our vibrant work culture encourages innovation, with ample opportunities for professional growth through regular training allowances and engaging team-building activities. With a competitive salary, stock options, and a focus on employee well-being, including private healthcare and generous parental leave, we ensure that our team members feel valued and motivated to contribute to our mission of transforming the financial experience for our members.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Associate Director (Public and Social Insights Unit) in London
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Yonder.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Yonder!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Yonder, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Yonder or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Associate Director (Public and Social Insights Unit) in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Yonder:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Yonder! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Yonder
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
