Senior Research Specialist/Research Specialist, Centre for Evidence

[What the role is]

We are recruiting a Research Specialist / Senior Research Specialist (Evaluation), Centre for Evidence to work on evaluation- and implementation science-related initiatives in Singapore’s social service sector. The individual will be responsible for managing evaluation for social service programmes that includes guiding social service agencies in data collection, data analysis and supporting them in interpreting their evaluation findings for reporting to funders.

[What you will be working on]

We are a close-knit, high-performing, and multi-disciplinary research division in the Singapore Public Service. Our work includes longitudinal/panel and birth cohort studies, environmental scanning and sense making, evaluation at the sector, fund, and programme level, and economic evaluation. We operate in various areas ranging from family and child welfare, offending and rehabilitation, population studies, social service provision, quality of life, and future and current state analysis.

We are recruiting a Research Specialist / Senior Research Specialist (Evaluation) to work on evaluation- and implementation science-related initiatives in Singapore’s social service sector. The individual will be responsible for managing evaluation for social service programmes that includes guiding social service agencies in data collection, data analysis and supporting them in interpreting their evaluation findings for reporting to funders.

Key Responsibilities:

Evaluation Framework and Policy:

• Contribute to the further development NCSS’ evaluation framework. Coordinate and align the framework with other evaluation frameworks in the sector.

• Conduct reviews of evidence on programmes (e.g., mental health, caregiver support) in the social service sector.

• Engage and onboard social purpose entities onto NCSS’ evaluation framework.

• Contribute to the development and implementation of sector-, fund-, and programme-level evaluation and implementation science projects based on evidence and analysis.

• Conduct detailed data analysis to evaluate programme effectiveness, improve operational processes, and make recommendations on funding allocation.

• Support in the development of logic models and theories of change for NCSS initiatives.

• Support in the management of programmes onboarded to the SEF, especially programmes funded by President’s Challenge.

• Data preprocessing for analysis

KPIs (Not Exhaustive):

• Smooth onboarding of social purpose entities on evaluation and NCSS’ framework

• Guide social purpose entities in data collection in an advisory role

• Evaluation reports for programmes onboarded to NCSS’ framework

• Engage social purpose entities to share evaluation findings and provide advisory on implementation

• Strategic plan for evaluation in the sector that includes, but not limited to:

• Standards for evidence in the sector

• Roadmap for consultancy to social purpose entities

• Roadmap for capability building among social purpose entities

[What we are looking for]

Personal Competencies:

• Team player

• Good communicator

• Open-minded, flexible and creative

• Proactive, self-driven

• Analytical and critical

Skills & Knowledge: 

• Expertise in programme evaluation.

• Quantitative and qualitative research methods.

• Proficient in the use of one or more analytic software (e.g., SPSS, R, Stata).

• Demonstrable experience in tailoring written communication to a diverse range of stakeholders in English.

• Strong project management and organisational skills. These include:

• Work planning and time management,

• Multi-tasking and working under time pressure from multiple stakeholders,

• Communication skills,

• Working both independently and as a member of a team.

Experience in the social service sector and/or policy work is a plus.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.