Senior Practice and Research Development Officer (Adults)

CHM-1; Highweek; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 41,000; Part time

Job summary

A children's charity in the UK is seeking a Senior Practice and Research Development Officer for a fixed-term role. This part-time position (0.8 FTE) involves leading a team, designing resources, and facilitating workshops within the adult social care sector. Ideal candidates will have substantial experience in the field and strong facilitation, leadership, and communication skills. The role offers hybrid working options and a range of employee benefits including generous annual leave and a pension scheme.

Benefits

30 Days Annual Leave

Winter Holiday Closure & Break

Generous Pension Scheme

Cycle to work scheme

Flexible Working

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Substantial experience in adult social care or related sectors.
• Experience designing and delivering resources and workshops.
• Ability to translate complex evidence into accessible learning.

Responsibilities

• Lead a small team to develop high-quality learning resources.
• Chair and facilitate sector-wide discussions and workshops.
• Quality assure learning programme materials and resources.

Skills

Facilitation skills

Leadership

Communication

Collaboration

Understanding of research and policy

Job description

Senior Practice and Research Development Officer (Adults)

Salary £32,684 per annum, actual for 0.8 FTE (£40,855 per annum FTE)

Contract: Fixed term for 18 months, with the potential to extend

Hours: Part‑Time 28 hours per week (0.8 FTE)

Location: Hybrid working from Devon TQ12 or Sheffield S1 Office. Home based within UK for the right candidate.

The Vacancy

For over 60 years this children's charity has been building a better childhood for all.

They have supported evidence-informed practice in adult social care for twenty years and for almost thirty years in the children and families’ sector. They are now seeking a Senior Practice and Research Development Officer to join their adult’s team.

This senior role is ideal for someone with excellent facilitation skills and substantial experience in adult social care or related sectors. While the position requires engagement with and understanding of research it is not a primary research role.

The successful candidate will have experience designing and delivering resources, workshops, webinars, and events for a range of audiences, including senior leaders. The role requires a strong understanding of research, policy, ethical and legal frameworks relevant to practice and the ability to translate complex evidence into accessible learning. Strong leadership, communication, and collaboration skills are essential.

The post holder will lead a small team of committed Research and Development Officers developing and delivering high‑quality learning resources in various formats.

The role involves

• having substantial experience in adult social care or related sectors
• presenting, chairing, and facilitating a range of sector-wide discussions, workshops, webinars and other learning events
• supporting the team to develop their facilitation skills
• scoping, commissioning, writing and editing event materials and written resources, and supporting the team with this
• quality assuring learning programme materials and written resources

About The Employer

The employer is part of a wider charity. For over 60 years, the charity has been building a better childhood for all.

The employer works with organisations across adults’ and children’s social care, health, criminal justice, and higher education, supporting evidence‑informed approaches to improve policy, services, and outcomes for people of all ages. By bringing together research evidence, practice wisdom, and lived experience, they collaborate with professionals and experts to develop tailored resources, learning opportunities, and specialist support that meet the needs of their partners.

About the charity

For more than 60 years, the charity has championed the rights and amplified the voice of children and young people in the UK. They interrogate policy and uncover evidence, blending in lived and learnt experience to shape future legislation and develop more effective ways of supporting children and families.

Bringing people and organisations together is fundamental to how the organisation improves the systems that babies, children, young people and their families rely on to thrive. They push boundaries, even looking beyond childhood itself to consider transitions into adulthood and the impact of childhood issues on an entire lifespan. They are united for better childhoods and brighter futures.

The Benefits

• 30 Days Annual Leave
• Winter Holiday Closure & Break
• Generous Pension Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Flexible Working
• Employee Assistance Programme

Applications close at 08 : 00am on Wednesday 14th January 2026.

Successful applicants will be notified by Thursday 22nd January 2026 and invited to interview. Assessment and interviews to be conducted on Tuesday 27th January 2026.

Please note that the employer reserves the right to close this vacancy early should they receive a high volume of applications. They encourage interested candidates to submit their applications as soon as possible.

Interested?

This employer is actively seeking to broaden the diversity of its staff group and they warmly welcome applications from candidates underrepresented in the charity sector, including those from Black and Global Majority communities, disabled people, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with lived experience of the issues this organisation works on.

No agencies please.