Essex County Council (ECC) are delighted to be advertising the AEF Impact Lead on behalf of Active Essex.

To apply for this vacancy, please click HERE.

Active Essex Foundation Impact Lead

Salary range: £36,000 to £42,000 dependent on experience

Hours: Full Time 37.5 hours a week

Fixed term contract: 18 months to March 2028 (extension subject to funding)

Directly responsible to: Impact Manager

Location: Anywhere worker – You will work from the Chelmsford office approx. one / two days a week and across our operational area on other days, depending on business need.

Active Essex Foundation is a successful and growing charity dedicated to creating the conditions for young people and communities across Essex to thrive. Our work focuses on three core areas: improving young people’s mental health, reducing vulnerabilities to youth crime and exploitation, and strengthening communities through trusted relationships and positive engagement. We collaborate with a network of over 100 community organisations and local partners to design and deliver programmes that use physical activity, mentoring and community support as tools to build resilience, improve wellbeing and reduce inequalities. Everything we do is shaped by the real experiences of the people we serve, ensuring our interventions are meaningful, accessible and rooted in what communities tell us they need.

We are pleased to offer an exciting opportunity to join team as Impact Lead covering Active Essex Foundation. You will have autonomy and will need to help guide the team, shape priorities, and will be working closely with Foundation colleagues delivery partners, funders and communities, the postholder will lead on the collection, analysis and communication of evidence to demonstrate impact, improve delivery and inform future investment decisions. This role will work closely with the Impact Manager and Sport for Development Officer.

The role will support a range of programmes including:

• Sport and Life Skills
• Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing
• Youth Crime Prevention
• Community Development and Strengthening Communities
• Other Foundation-funded programmes and initiatives

The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring that learning and evidence are translated into action, helping Active Essex Foundation maximise its impact and continuously improve its programmes. You will be a self-starter with strong motivation to drive the work.

The AEF Impact Lead will operate within a matrix management structure. Professional line management, technical supervision and quality assurance will be provided by the Impact Manager and Intelligence Manager within the Insight & Evaluation Team. Operational direction and programme priorities will be provided by the AEF Operations & Development Manager and the 3 AEF Project Managers ensuring the role is fully embedded within Foundation activity. The post holder will require relationship building and negotiation skills to work with AEF team to scope the priorities and the work required whilst maintaining consistent research and evaluation standards across Active Essex.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

Research, Insight and Evaluation

• Lead on the design and undertake qualitative and quantitative research activities across Active Essex Foundation programmes.
• Develop programmatic Theory of Change
• Gather and interpret intelligence, stakeholder feedback and evidence relating to programme delivery and impact.
• Lead and support evaluation activity across AEF-funded programmes and initiatives.
• Develop data collection tools, frameworks and methodologies to support impact measurement.
• Translate findings into practical recommendations that support service improvement and strategic decision-making.
• Support the development of evidence-led approaches across Active Essex Foundation.

Partnership working

• Build strong relationships with workstream leads, community organisations, local partners and funders.
• Work collaboratively with delivery organisations to improve monitoring, evaluation and reporting processes.
• Work with the LTO Development Officer to support partners to understand and use evaluation findings to improve delivery and outcomes.

Analysis and Reporting

• Analyse monitoring, survey and programme data to identify trends and themes.
• Translate data and insight into impact to demonstration effectiveness.
• Produce impact reports, evaluation summaries, learning reports and evidence products linked to the above.
• Communicate evidence effectively to a range of audiences via reports, presentations and/or data and impact summaries.
• Support quarterly reporting across areas.
• Develop case studies and impact stories that demonstrate the difference programmes are making.
• Ensure reporting requirements for funders, trustees and strategic partners are met.
• Support programme teams to collect meaningful outcome and impact data.
• Produce insight that informs future programme development and investment decisions.
• Identify gaps in provision, emerging needs and opportunities for future funding activity.
• Represent AEF at partner meetings and conferences showcasing the work and impact.

Continuous Improvement

• Promote a culture of learning, reflection and evidence-based practice across the Foundation.
• Identify opportunities to improve evaluation approaches and impact measurement processes.
• Support knowledge sharing and learning across programmes and partnerships.
• Contribute to the wider development of Active Essex’s Insight-to-Action approach.

Other Responsibilities:

• Take responsibility for personal professional development.
• Work closely with the other colleagues to improve data related processes and procedures.
• Attend Active Essex Foundation Trustee meetings as directed by Trustees.
• Attend Active Essex Foundation Events and meetings as required.
• Attend Active Essex team meetings as required.

General Duties:

• To adhere to existing working practices, methods, procedures, undertake relevant training and
• development activities and to respond positively to new and alternative systems.
• It will be necessary to work with information technology and associated systems in accordance with
• Active Essex Foundation policies.
• To co-operate with the Active Essex Foundation in complying with relevant health and safety
• legislation, policies, and procedures in the performance of the duties of the post.
• To carry out the duties and responsibilities of the post in compliance with the Active Essex
• Foundation equity and safeguarding policies.
• To maintain confidentiality and observe data protection and associated guidelines where
• To carry out any other reasonable duties and responsibilities within the overall function,
• commensurate with the grading and level of responsibilities of the post.

Knowledge Skills and Experience

• Degree or equivalent experience in research, evaluation, analytics or a related discipline.
• Experience delivering research, evaluation or insight projects.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work as a team
• Understanding of qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Experience in contract management.
• Strong data literacy
• Excellent report writing and presentation skills.
• Ability to build relationships across complex partnership environments.
• Experience within public health, physical activity, community development, local government or
• voluntary sector settings (desirable).
• Strong organisation and project management skills.

Applying for the role

Please email your completed application form to admin@activeessexfoundation.org using the title ‘AEF Impact Lead’ in the subject line. If you have any questions relating to this post, please contact: Amelia Slemmings Amelia.Slemmings@ActiveEssex.org

The closing date for applications is 23:59 27th September 2026.

Shortlisting will take place on week commencing 28th September 2026. The interview will be scheduled for week commencing 5th October 2026.

If you know you will be unavailable on the dates above, please state this on your application form. Interviews will take place face to face in Chelmsford. If for any reason this does not suit or you would need any additional requirements, please also state this on your application form.

The Active Essex Foundation is fully committed to the principles of equality of opportunity and is responsible for ensuring that no job application, employee, volunteer or member receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, gender, disability, race, ethnic origin, nationality, colour, parental or marital status, pregnancy, religious belief, class or social background, sexual preference or political belief. The Active Essex Foundation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

Essex County Council (ECC) are delighted to be advertising the AEF Impact Lead on behalf of Active Essex.

To apply for this vacancy, please click HERE.