Are you looking to make an impact on some of the most challenging issues our society faces in a post-pandemic world? Do you want to work in an environment where you have the opportunity to contribute to solving major societal questions that shape the future of how we design work?

Timewise is a multi award winning social enterprise and the UK's leading expert and thought leader on workplace flexibility. We provide a range of research, consultancy and training services and programmes to build more inclusive workplaces that work for employers, individuals, the wider economy and society. And we run Timewise Jobs, the leading website for quality part time and flexible jobs.

We support businesses in all sectors to make a flexible working a success - from the NHS to Google, and Lloyds Banking Group. We are a trusted advisor to Government, social funders and think tanks alike who come to us for our straight-talking evidence-based approach about what works when changing business practice on flexible working, and our work features regularly in the media.

As Timewise continues to grow, accelerated by the spotlight COVID19 has shone on the business need for flexible working solutions, we are seeking an experienced and dynamic person for an exciting new role. You will help us to shape the work of our Innovation Unit, which focuses on stimulating wider systemic change for those facing specific inequalities in the workplace due to their need to work flexibly.

This is a fantastic opportunity to step into a new role at Timewise and work on innovative projects, research and partnerships with organisations across the public and private sector, policy makers and employers, helping shape the future of this impactful social business.

Purpose of the role

As our Head of Partnerships and Practice you will be responsible for overseeing a range of research, social change programmes and partnerships within our Innovation Unit to build new insight into how to drive scalable action by both employers and policy makers on creating fairer flexible work for all. You will be working closely with our co-founder and Development Director and alongside our team of consultants and associates

Key responsibilities

1. Strategy and service design:

• Contribute to the strategic development, design and growth of the Innovation Unit programme of work to ensure continued development of new programmes and partnerships. Your focus will be on how to stimulate fairer flexible work in places and communities, and through the systems that support wider labour market change.
• Support in the design and development of 2-3 new research projects each year to build further insight into the evolving state of flexible working, the business and societal benefits for flexibility, and to evidence the impact of Timewise's interventions

2. Partnership building and income generation:

• Work alongside the Development Director to secure new and recurrent partners and funding for the Innovation Unit programme of work through charitable trusts and foundations, national, regional and local government and corporate partnerships. Your specific focus will be on growing our place and systems work with an annual income generation target.

• Maintain and develop strategic partnerships to help Timewise to drive wider social change, and influence both policy and business practice by expanding partnerships with regional government networks, industry and trade bodies.

3. Project and People Management:

• Oversee the delivery of several projects each year from design stage through to completion, to include design of evaluation approaches and undertaking report writing to share findings working closely with the Programme Director
• Ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget, working with both internal teams including finance and marketing, and with relevant partners and stakeholders
• Support, manage and oversee colleagues, consultants and associates on specific projects, with the potential in future of direct line management responsibilities as Timewise grows. In the immediate term a need for excellent horizontal people management skills and to manage 'up' to the Director proactively.

4. Communications:

• Develop a range of materials to communicate projects to a range of audiences, working closely with the marketing and communications team. This could include blogs, sector specific articles, audio visual projects and social media.

• Undertake speaker engagements, and contribute to development and topics for Timewise events and roundtables
• Share on a frequent basis learnings and insights about policy, partnerships, programmes and practice with the wider Timewise team

About You

We are seeking a dynamic person who shares our passion for social change and driving workplace innovation. You will want to make a difference to how we design work in the UK and will have excellent relational and storytelling skills to inspire others to act and work with us. You'll have some experience of service design perhaps honed from working within a think tank, social change organization or public sector body. You will have the ability to take a project from concept to delivery to dissemination. You will also be used to working autonomously and taking full accountability for the work you do. And as we are a relatively small organization with a big reach you will have both a willingness to be 'hands-on' as well as a strategic thinker.

You have:

• A strong track record of delivering on a range of large scale, multi year, multi partner projects, preferably on either driving social change, tackling inequalities or working within the employment and skills system
• A strong track record of developing partnerships and income generation across charitable trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships and with and social and public sector partners
• Experience of programme and service design including approaches to designing research and projects that can influence change in public policy and/or employer practice.
• Experience in explaining new ways of working and gaining buy-in from partners, ideally working within an organisation driving social innovation
• An understanding of the wider policy landscape relevant to Timewise's work including a passion for tackling workplace inequalities
• Personal authority and credibility at a senior level, and ability to build rapport quickly
• Excellent presentational and writing skills, with the ability to convey complex information persuasively including through proposals, research papers, project reports and blogs
• A strong interest in flexible working