Research & Development Manager

About Us: 

Enable is a charity dedicated to improving people's wellbeing and strengthening local communities. We work with councils, charities and other local organisations to deliver health, leisure, community services and events that enrich people’s lives and strengthen our local community.  

At Enable, we value our employees and our culture, focusing on embracing diversity and fostering an inclusive, flexible and fun environment for employees to perform at their best. On top of a competitive salary and flexible working environment, employees will also receive:  

Benefits: 

• 30 days of annual leave (plus 8 bank holidays), 3 additional free days off at Christmas
• Life Insurance
• Reward Schemes (RewardHub Membership, wellbeing budgets and cycle to work)
• A variety of social and wellbeing activities each month
• Mental Health & Wellbeing Perks (Monthly talks, Wellbeing Hour, etc)
• Free Gym Membership
• Free breakfasts/snacks

Role Title:  Research & Development Manager 

Reports to:Head of Growth & Branding 

Based: Battersea Park

Salary:  £40,000 - £50,000 

Contract: Permanent, Full Time

Work Arrangement:  40 hours per week, Hybrid Work Environment

DBS: Basic 

Role Overview:

Reporting to the Head of Growth & Branding, the Research & Development Manager will be responsible for leading Research and Development function at Enable. 

Working closely with colleagues in the Growth Team and managing the R&D Officer, this person will manage conduct research, summarise findings and make recommendations in line with Enable’s strategic plan. 

The Growth Team is a newly created team at Enable. They will be responsible for accelerating growth and development throughout our services and bringing Enable’s Strategic Plan to life! As a member of the Growth Team, you will have the unique opportunity to shape the future of our company, working collaboratively across departments to identify new opportunities, develop solutions, and implement strategic initiatives. This team is creative, innovative and always hungry for more.

Main Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Use quantitative and qualitative research methods to develop and support research across Enable’s many product and service offerings
• Work collaboratively with Business Development colleagues to understand Enable’s business model, current projects and potential growth areas
• Review and summarize data and research findings and make recommendations to Enable teams and services 
• Analyse current and prospective bids and grants, gathering supporting evidence and presenting findings to the Leadership Team 
• Work closely with the Business Development colleagues and other well-connected Enable colleagues to identify and engage with stakeholders who can support aspects of the R&D process (for example, community organisations, universities, think tanks). 
• Lead the development of an R&D Strategy and R&D Action Plan to guide Enable’s and the R&D Team’s approach to R&D. 
• Conduct and lead feasibility assessments of initial R&D ideas (sourced from Business Development, broader Enable colleagues, and/or community) to determine feasibility of an idea to progress to the proceeding R&D stages (i.e. research, design, development) 
• Lead data gathering and design-thinking workshops with internal and external stakeholders (i.e. potential consumers) to feed into the research, design and development of new products or services and/or the expansion of current products or services. 
• Test prototypes or early-stage versions of product/service with potential consumers and stakeholders and iteratively refine based on feedback and testing. 
• Lead analysis of qualitative and quantitative data collected through research, design and development stages (including monitoring and evaluation, and consumer testing feedback) and summarise into recommendations presented to Leadership Team / Growth Team to assist with the implementation of proposed R&D projects. 
• Collaborate with Marketing and Communications to develop communication and marketing products (i.e. emails, flyers, consent forms, presentations) to support R&D activities. 
• Collaborating with services to ensure social impact other tangible outcomes are being measured 
• Budget and forecast new research plans and developments.
• Line management and leadership of the Research and Development Officer, including performance and workload management, skills analysis and identifying and supporting opportunities for professional development. 
• Represent R&D as a legitimate and integral function in internal and external engagements. 
• Develop monitoring and evaluation frameworks for prototypes and the launched product and/or service, and lead quality assurance.
• Any other relevant duties that the Head of Growth & Branding may see fit

Skills and Experience: 

• 3-5 years of experience in a Research and Development role and  Experience designing and leading research studies through mixed-methods (quantitative and qualitative) with diverse community groups
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills (internal and external) through a range of engagement pathways (i.e. roundtables, meetings, emails) and platforms (virtual, in-person)
• Strong Project Management skills for research studies and interventions (including resource identification, workflow management, and budgeting)
• Experience developing strategies and action plans to guide work processes.
• Strong analytical skills, attention to detail and efficient time and workload management.
• Experience managing research projects or programmes within timeframes and budgets
• Excellent communication, spoken and written skills 
• Experience developing monitoring and evaluation frameworks to measure performance. 
• Proficient written and oral communication skills, including evidence of writing for a range of audiences and translating technical information into comprehensive and accessible communication materials and products.
• Managerial and leadership experience, including managing and leading teams in the development of quality products and/or services
• Degree- or Masters-level qualification in research, with strong academic background. 

This is an exciting opportunity to be a part of a company that positively impacts the community around them! If you are someone that is motivated by a desire to enrich the lives of others and make a genuine difference, then please Apply Now and follow the prompts. 

Enable is strongly committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity and encourage applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. To find out more on our approach to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, please visit our website.