Amy Woolger Email & Phone Number

Creating & leading the Evaluation, Learning & Insights function – including strategy development; operational planning; creation of policies & processes (such as the organisation’s first competitive tendering process and resources for commissioning of consultants); recruitment & management of a team; budget planning; project development & management; and reporting. Subject Matter Expert and organisational lead for MERL. Working collaboratively with the Senior Management and Senior Leadership Teams to ensure the organisation is high performing & impactful, including through bringing systems thinking to the organisation and influencing the strategic direction to work towards systems change in health & healthcare. Undertaking activity in Strategy & Insight for Design & Development (e.g. creation of the organisational Theory of Change and design of an Outcomes Framework for collective measurement); Mixed-Method Research, Evaluation & Learning Partnerships (both commissioning & managing – including commissioning the organisation’s first participatory research project); Monitoring & Reporting (in relation to grants programmes, including creation of new application and report forms, and leading the first insight gathering activity for the organisation into our multi-million-pound Covid-19 Urgent Response Grants Programme and co-authoring Because the Nation Cares); and Capacity & Capability Building (through design of a Funder Plus Support offer, including the development of a toolkit and Special Interest Groups). Developing our ‘Accelerating Impact Pipeline’ – seeking to align policy, research, evaluation and communications, as we position ourselves as a valuable strategic partner for the NHS and beyond. Co-designing an approach to benchmarking the NHS charity sector, building on our Financial Comparison Survey and Development Grant Self-Assessment Tool, with a view to launching our first ‘State of the Sector’ Report in 2025. Ask for my CV for more.

Supporting the Director to develop the organisation’s first strategy, improve monitoring, explore fundraising opportunities, and improve operations and people processes. Ensuring good governance of the charity.

Building relationships across the organisation to facilitate positive attitudes towards evaluation and evidence-based practice/decision-making. Undertaking mixed-method research (for example, to understand Multiple Disadvantage) and evaluation of systems change programmes, local services, products (for example, the Wellbeing App) and campaigns (for example, Distress Signals) – including facilitating Theory of Change workshops and utilising participatory approaches. Co-designing The Children’s Society’s My Life Wheel (an outcomes tool for sexual exploitation services) with young people and practitioners for national rollout. Survey design and management in Smart Survey and MS Forms. Undertaking literature reviews and desk-based research (for example, an evidence review for Pause to define how it fits into the local emotional wellbeing and mental health care system and supports strategic plans and priorities). Using Excel and Power BI to analyse, explore and present data. Using NVIVO for qualitative data management. Disseminating insight to inform service delivery, strategy, decision making and local/national policy. Utilising expertise to support colleagues across the organisation; for example, in fundraising campaigns and bid development. Chairing cross-directorate working groups to share learning and identify opportunities to collaborate. Commissioning and managing external evaluation consultants – including writing specifications, interviewing, and completion of processes related to procurement. Designing and disseminating resources (such as consent forms) and guidance, in line with internal and external policies and GDPR.

Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Undertaking large-scale research and evaluation projects in the sectors of education, health, welfare and social care for a range of clients, utilising qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including literature reviews and participatory research projects. Delivery on three major (£250k+) evaluation contracts as part of DfE's Social Care Innovation Fund. Organisational specialist in qualitative research with children, young people and families. Undertaking participatory research, including a service-user led Theory of Change for Basis Yorkshire, funded by the Centre for Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse. Designing surveys in Snap and using statistical analysis software, such as Jasp and Stata, to analyse ‘big data’, including Individualised Learner Record (ILR) data, Office for National Statistics (ONS) data, and Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data. Scoping specifications and writing proposals/pitching for competitive tenders. Building positive working relationships with clients and subcontractors. Disseminating findings, including presenting to key senior stakeholders at Westminster Briefing’s Effective Recruitment and Retention Strategies for Children’s Social Workers conference.

Leeds, United Kingdom

Harrogate, United Kingdom

Coordinating projects for key clients across a wide client base, and particularly for clients in the Trade. Undertaking qualitative research, travelling nationally to facilitate interviews, focus groups and central location tests. Managing, analysing and disseminating data exported from computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) software.

Leeds, United Kingdom

Management of a group of 200 volunteers - responsible for recruitment, training, managing holidays, handling grievances. Coordinating hot room, sensory and fragrance testing, whilst adhering to strict standard operating procedures/protocols. Managing and analysing large volumes of test data. Established as Dermatological Testing Expert - commissioning research, developing and maintaining relationship with agency, coordinating testing, and equipped with the skills to advise, influence, guide and support teams. Influencing and managing move from Fizz to Compusense at-hand for sensory testing. Influencing implementation of site-wide agile WiFi through working with cross-category senior stakeholders and external consultants.