Director of Evidence

Homelessness Impact; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Centre for Homelessness Impact is seeking a dynamic Director of Evidence to lead the growth of our evidence work in the UK. You will shape the evidence strategy, oversee evaluations (including randomised trials), synthesize insights, and translate findings into policy and service design opportunities.

You will manage a growing portfolio, partner with researchers and policymakers, and drive innovation while supporting a strong implementation culture in a fast-changing homelessness sector.

Qualifications

• An evidence expert: deep knowledge of research methodologies, evidence synthesis, and evaluation techniques in the social sciences, with homelessness or related fields.
• An experienced commissioner: experience as a commissioner of high-quality evaluations, from briefing to tendering, commissioning, milestone quality assurance, and timely delivery.
• A strategic thinker: identifies key research questions, designs and oversees impactful projects, and translates findings into policy and practice.
• A collaborative leader: effectively leads multi-disciplinary teams, builds partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, and fosters innovation.
• An effective communicator: clearly communicates complex evidence findings to policymakers, practitioners, and the public.

Responsibilities

• Develop and shape the Centre’s evidence strategy and approach to understanding what works in homelessness.
• Design, scope, and oversee evaluations (including RCTs), systematic reviews, and research projects to address user needs.
• Oversee and quality-assure the portfolio of evaluations and research projects, providing timely input to colleagues and partners.
• Balance rigour of evaluation with practical delivery in collaboration with the programmes team.
• Identify opportunities for new research and support funding to expand the portfolio.
• Synthesize findings into actionable insights for research, service, or product design.
• Update evidence tools and resources in partnership with the CHI team and stakeholders.
• Translate evidence standards into plain language guidance and contribute to the methods guide.
• Represent the Centre externally through speaking, writing, and other opportunities to promote evidence-informed practice.
• Support implementation work by engaging stakeholders to improve service design and delivery.
• Foster relationships and act as a trusted advisor to national and local government.
• Grow the network of associates, collaborators, and academic partners.
• Collaborate with the CEO and Directors to maximise value of people and resources.
• Support development of team members and utilise the network of associates and partners.

Job description

A dynamic and visionary Director of Evidence who will lead the growth of our evidence work

Job Description

IN A NUTSHELL

The Centre for Homelessness Impact is in search of a dynamic and visionary Director of Evidence who will lead the growth of our evidence work, playing a critical role in shaping the future of homelessness response in the UK. This person will be instrumental in developing and managing our evidence programme, with a passion for leading project teams, uncovering insights from research, and translating these insights into meaningful opportunities for policy, service design, and innovation. We are looking for someone with an entrepreneurial spirit who is excited to lead the next chapter of the Centre as we embark on our new strategy, inspiring and supporting both internal and external teams, and possessing the technical knowledge and ability to design, commission, and/or deliver rigorous new studies and projects.

WHY IS THIS ROLE IMPORTANT FOR THE CENTRE’S WORK?

At the Centre for Homelessness Impact, we help people harness the power of evidence and data to improve policies and interventions. We are currently in a period of growth and learning, so there’s a huge opportunity for this role to make an impact. A crucial pathway to impact is through ensuring high standards across our portfolio of commissioned and in-house research and evaluation. You will grow and shape the direction of our evidence and evaluation work, guiding project teams to ensure methodological excellence and pushing the boundaries for how we identify insights from research findings. Your skill set is critical to our work because you have the ability to both cultivate relationships with stakeholders and support the development of world-class researchers.

WE’RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO CAN:

• Develop and shape the Centre’s evidence strategy and our unique approach to building and improving the sector’s understanding of what works.
• Design, scope, and oversee robust evaluations (including randomised controlled trials), systematic reviews, and research projects that help us tackle pressing challenges and respond to the needs of our users.
• Oversee and quality-assure our growing portfolio of robust evaluations, systematic reviews, and research projects, offering trusted and timely advice and input to colleagues in the Evidence Team as well as academic partners.
• Work pragmatically with our programmes team to ensure the rigour of evaluation is balanced with the practicality of delivery.
• Identify opportunities for new evaluations and research projects and support efforts to secure funding to expand our portfolio.
• Facilitate synthesis and translate findings, generating insights and opportunities for both research and service or product design.
• Oversee updates of our evidence tools and other resources, in partnership with the wider CHI team, our partners, and stakeholders, being sensitive to users’ needs.
• Translate evidence standards into plain language guidance on what good evidence looks like and continue to develop the Centre’s methods guide in collaboration with our academic partners.
• Represent the Centre externally through speaking engagements, writing, and other opportunities to build the ‘what works’ movement in homelessness and tell the Centre’s stories.
• Play a crucial role supporting our implementation work, engaging with stakeholders to identify and crystallize opportunities to use evidence to improve service design and delivery.
• Foster strong relationships and become a trusted advisor for key stakeholders in national and local government that can help us advance our mission.
• Grow our network of associates, collaborators, and academic partners, identifying opportunities for collaboration, managing their needs both effectively and sensitively.
• Collaborate effectively with the CEO and other Directors to ensure we maximise the positive value of our people and resources.
• Effectively manage members of the team, supporting their development, and using our network of associates and partners.

WHO YOU ARE

• An evidence expert: You possess deep knowledge and understanding of research methodologies, evidence synthesis, and evaluation techniques in the social sciences, particularly related to homelessness or related fields. You have in-depth understanding of impact evaluations, including experimental and quasi-experimental methods, and of rigorous evidence synthesis.
• An experienced commissioner: You have experience as a commissioner of high quality evaluations, from producing a brief; leading a tendering process; working with commissioned organisations; and quality assuring milestones and ensuring timely delivery.
• A strategic thinker: You can identify key research questions, design and oversee impactful research projects, and translate research findings into actionable insights for policy and practice. You can connect evidence to the broader strategic goals of the Centre and the evolving needs of the homelessness sector.
• A collaborative leader: You can effectively lead multi-disciplinary teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, learning, and innovation. You can build strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, including academic partners, policymakers, and practitioners, to ensure evidence is relevant, impactful, and informs evidence-based practice.
• An effective communicator: You can clearly and persuasively communicate complex evidence findings and evidence-based insights to diverse audiences, including policymakers, practitioners, and the public.

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

As the Centre for Homelessness Impact embarks on its next chapter with an even greater focus on prevention and cost-effectiveness, this role is critical. You will lead the way in generating and championing robust evidence to inform decision-making, fuel innovation, and drive systemic change, with a particular emphasis on achieving the 'prevention turn' to address the root causes of homelessness. You will work in close partnership with the CEO and other Directors to ensure that reliable evidence is seamlessly integrated to drive impactful change in homelessness and related fields.

The closing date for this role is 8am on Friday 20 November, with the first round of interviews taking place on 27 November, at our central London office.