Work with us

Role description

We know that being employed is important for our wellbeing and that the quality of that work matters too. We also know that the future of work may look very different to the conventional jobs and working practices of today. There is a growing evidence base around what it is that enhances our wellbeing at work, and growing interest from employers, employees and policy makers on what can be done to make our working lives better. The impact of employers and businesses on wellbeing also goes beyond the employee experience, with organisations having an impact on multiple dimensions of wellbeing through their operations, supply chains, products and services. This role will lead this topic area at the What Works Centre for Wellbeing.

The Senior Analyst for Wellbeing and Work is an exciting role within the evidence team of the What Works Centre for Wellbeing. They will be responsible for the centre’s portfolio of programmes and projects relating to employee wellbeing, wellbeing over our working lives (including higher education students) and the role of business more broadly. They will provide insight and leadership on the evidence base, as well as how this is translated to have relevance for policy makers and practitioners in the UK. 

The Analyst will also work on specific centre projects which have a work and business focus, including for example taking forward the What Works Centre for Wellbeing’s workplace survey, providing content knowledge and analytical expertise which will be used to develop high quality outputs in this area. This will include working closely with the Communications team and Work and Wellbeing lead, to ensure the centre’s outputs and offer for the business and employer audiences are appropriate and impactful. They will also have strong quantitative skills, to lead on centre wide analysis of national data, to profile recent trends across different thematic areas of wellbeing.

The Senior Analyst will work directly with academic teams conducting new research with the centre, which will help identify what works to improve the quality of work in the UK and associated wellbeing outcomes, in the context of the changing labour market and future of businesses. The analyst will ensure these programmes are consistent with the centre’s approach to wellbeing and research standards, as well as providing relevant and useful insights for policy and practice. They will have good oversight over other relevant research in this area and establish an appropriate research network for the centre to stay on top of the latest findings.

Main responsibilities

Quantitative analysis of wellbeing data  

• Analysis of trends and recent data releases, including ONS personal wellbeing data, APS occupational data, Civil Service People Survey, Graduate Outcomes data updates, other work specific data sources and micro level firm or evaluation data.
• Advising on and developing resources to build capability and capacity of the field to do workplace wellbeing analysis, evaluation and cost effectiveness analysis for example further developing methodology, online guidance and tools.

Academic partnership development & evidence translation 

• Build relationships with academic partners and work with them to deliver high quality evidence.
• Working with a wide range of partners to fill evidence gaps and commission further evidence reviews, analysis and evaluations. 
• Oversee and inform the research process, including the engagement of centre stakeholders through the Centre’s consultation QA process e.g. Bupa & University of Essex data analytics.
• Lead the translation of evidence into accessible outputs for specific audiences, including employers and businesses.
• Presenting evidence and data to a wide range of audiences.

Product development and delivery

Workplace Questionnaire and Evaluation support 

• Advice and analysis of organisational and sector surveys and data including management and development of our workplace wellbeing questionnaires and data bank.
• Lead the development and communication of the centre’s wellbeing at work survey tools and guidance e.g. digitisation of the questionnaire.
• Lead a number of different research and thought leadership projects working with different organisations’ data, or answering specific research questions for different sectors. 

Children & Young People’s Wellbeing Metrics database 

• Finalising and developing the children and young people’s wellbeing metrics database.

People management and teamwork 

• Work with the Implementation and Communications team to explore other opportunities for the centre’s evidence to have impact, particularly for employers & the business sector.
• Management of research assistants doing projects with the Centre and professional oversight of research secondment projects on Time Use, Body Image and NHS wellbeing guardians.

Represent the centre externally

• Provide intellectual leadership on work and wellbeing in an advisory capacity, including being involved in steering groups for government departments and other stakeholders.
• Act as an ambassador for wellbeing and the use of wellbeing evidence in policy and practitioner environments discussing the role, value and future of work and working lives. This will include through delivering presentations and writing public facing blogs.

Essential Criteria

Analytical skills with strong intellectual capability and the ability to develop insights and provide evidence based findings  including: 

• Bachelor’s degree in social science, economics, statistics or relevant field, or equivalent experience. 
• At least 5 years direct professional experience in a relevant field of research or analysis, with increasing responsibility, including experience of line management and programme management.
• Proven experience in quantitative research methods and approaches, including the use of micro level survey data, as well as macro economic and labour market data.
• Working experience and/or knowledge of wellbeing data in the workplace and/or private sector.

Communication and Stakeholder engagement 

• Ability to succinctly communicate academic evidence and engage a professional audience through clear writing and presentations. This includes developing key messages, using appropriate styles, methods and timing including digital channels. 
• Experience of the approaches required to translate evidence into tangible public-policy outcomes and practical change.

Collaboration, Project & Programme Management 

• Able to work collaboratively and establish relationships with a wide range of stakeholders and partners to deliver outcomes;
• Excellent management and organizational skills, accuracy and attention to detail.

Desirable criteria

• Masters degree or PhD in relevant subject
• Knowledge of the academic, and practical application of work and wellbeing research and data; Publications and/or practitioner experience in work and wellbeing
• An appreciation of the public service, political and business context relevant to work and wellbeing
• Business development and consultancy 

Working arrangements

We will consider flexible working arrangements and the post can either be London based or involve remote working as part of a virtual team. The postholder must be willing to travel to London regularly at least once a week. Secondments and flexible work arrangements are encouraged.  Applicants are asked to indicate their preferred pattern of working.  

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United Kingdom without company sponsorship now or in the future.

To apply

Please send a CV and covering letter to jobs@whatworkswellbeing.org by the 23rd January 2022 with interviews happening in the weeks that follow.

To find out more about the role please contact magdalena.soffia@whatworkswellbeing.org

About us

The What Works Centre for Wellbeing is an independent collaborative organisation set up in 2015 to understand what governments, business, communities and individuals can do to improve wellbeing.

Our vision is of a future where the wellbeing of people and communities improves year on year and wellbeing inequalities are reduced.

Our mission is to develop and share robust, accessible and useful evidence that governments, businesses, communities and people can use to improve wellbeing across the UK.

Our approach is independent, evidence based, collaborative, practical, open and iterative.