Research & Evaluation Officer – SESLIP Projects

Role Responsibility

Are you an experienced researcher with a passion for improving outcomes for children and young people? Do you have the skills and knowledge to design and deliver mixed-method research projects using a range of quantitative and qualitative methodologies? Do you want to work on two exciting and innovative projects for the South East Sector Led Improvement Programme (SESLIP)?

If so, we have an opportunity for you to join our Analytics team as a Research & Evaluation Officer for SESLIP projects. This is a fixed-term, part-time position (0.6 FTE) for one year, with a possible extension for another year subject to funding.

SESLIP is a membership group of all single/upper-tier local authorities in the Southeast that aims to improve outcomes for children and young people in care across the region. Kent County Council (KCC) has received funding from SESLIP to carry out two pieces of research:

• To understand the experiences, challenges and barriers Black and Global Majority social workers face, with a focus on recruitment and retention, with the aim of developing a self-assessment tool for local authorities (Las).
• To understand the blockers in developing consistent, high-quality management oversight of children’s social work cases across SESLIP LAs. It is anticipated that the research will be used by the network to co-produce supervision templates.

As the Research & Evaluation Officer for the two SESLIP projects, you will be responsible for devising and executing the two research projects outlined above. You will work collaboratively with colleagues across KCC, specifically Kent Analytics and the CYPE directorate, and with partner organisations to provide the evidence base that SESLIP need to drive improvement in these two key areas and evaluate the impact of changes introduced as a result of the programme.

When completing your application form, in the Reasons for Applying section, please tell us how you meet the criteria in the Job Description & Person Specification – and support this with specific examples. 

Kent County Council is committed to a hybrid working model with a flexible working offer.

As an employee of Kent County Council, you will receive training suitable to the role and to support your development, along with excellent benefits, including membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme, and 29 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays and a concessionary day at Christmas (pro rata).

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements.

This post is subject to a Basic Disclosure Application to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Interviews are provisionally planned for Monday 19^th of August

Provisional Start Date: September 2024

Contact Details

For an informal discussion please contact Sam Birkin (Research & Analyst Manager): Sam.Birkin@kent.gov.uk

About the Company

Work that works for you and us - let’s talk flexibility!

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county’s working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, faiths and those with caring responsibilities, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note – if you are interested, please apply as soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.