Positions are offered at 50% FTE for 12 months. While successful candidates may wish to be directly employed by a lead University, the nature of the roles also makes them ideal for possible secondments from policy, practice or applied research. Posts are typically based in the host organisation (a local service or social care organisation) across the four nations. Post holders will work with these organisations, as detailed below, and with our Facilitator co-leads Karen Watchman and Kathryn Mackay – as well as IMPACT's broader team and other partners. While these are part‑time posts (with preferred working patterns between Mon‑Fri, open to mutual agreement), successful applicants will be expected to attend fortnightly meetings with the broader IMPACT team where possible – these are held on Monday mornings (11:00‑12:00), for one hour.
Topics and Locations
* Direct Payment Implementation in Wales – Welsh Government, Wales
Home‑based with travel across Wales required.
Delegated health care is a key topic in the successful implementation of direct payments in Wales. It is an important factor in realising the full potential of direct payments both in social care and under the new Health & Social Care Act (2025) which will enable direct payments for healthcare for the first time in Wales from 1 April 2026. However, currently only a very small number of social care direct payment teams in Wales allow delegated health care tasks within their direct payment packages. The IMPACT Facilitator will lead a small change project with the Welsh Government to enable us to seek broader perspectives, and hear the voices and experience, of individuals in receipt of adult social care including those who already have lived experience of receiving direct payments.
* Supporting older carers and their families in Powys – Credu, Wales
Hybrid with an office base at Oasis, Spa Road, Llandrindod Wells, Powys, LD1 5ER. Welshpool is the main area of work.
At Credu, our mission is to empower carers to thrive alongside their caring responsibilities. With over 20 years' experience, we have seen first‑hand that timely, tailored support is vital for carers to maintain their wellbeing and continue in their caring roles. Experience shows us that carer breakdown is often preceded by chronic stress, isolation, and lack of support, especially when carers cannot take breaks or access timely services. We know that when carers feel heard, valued, and have space to work towards their own outcomes, their wellbeing improves. The IMPACT Facilitator will work with Credu on a peer support change project with older carers and their families. By co‑producing this work with carers we aim to reduce demand on crisis services, improve mental health outcomes, and build sustainable, strength‑based care systems. When carers are empowered to shape the support they receive, outcomes are better for individuals, families and the wider community.
IMPACT is the UK centre for implementing evidence in adult social care, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Health Foundation. IMPACT draws on knowledge from different types of research, the lived experience of people who draw on care and support and carers, and the practice knowledge of social care staff. IMPACT Facilitators work in a specific local organisation or system to help get evidence of what works used in practice to make a difference to services and to people's lives. To do this they co‑design an evidence‑informed change project, work with diverse stakeholders to implement the project in practice and share learning with others.
Main duties / Responsibilities
* Based in a host organisation (see IMPACT website) and with the support of IMPACT's national Facilitator lead and other team members, co‑design/deliver an evidence‑informed change project, and participate as required in IMPACT's internal evaluation.
* Share learning from the project with others and support the embedding of lessons learned in policy and practice across the UK.
* Be a full member of the IMPACT team, taking part in team meetings online, informally contributing skills and experience to other aspects of IMPACT's work as appropriate and helping to distil lessons that can shape IMPACT's future ways of working.
* Ensure that the project gathers and applies evidence from research, practice knowledge and lived experience through extensive engagement with people who draw on care and support, carers, front‑line care workers, and other key stakeholders in order to achieve the aims of the project.
* Work sensitively with issues of power, ensuring the inclusion of people whose voices are seldom heard.
* Champion and operationalise IMPACT's commitment to co‑production, equality, diversity and inclusion.
* Apply and develop knowledge in a way that develops new intellectual understanding in the fields of social care and implementation, through a process of learning by doing.
* Disseminate lessons learned and findings to a diverse audience in creative and impactful ways.
* Share lessons around what helps and hinders the implementation of evidence‑informed approaches in front‑line practice with IMPACT colleagues and other audiences, contributing to the future evidence base.
Qualifications
* A first degree of a good standard relevant to this area of practice or equivalent professional qualification or sufficient experience to demonstrate connected knowledge and skills.
* An understanding of public policy, public services, front‑line practice and/or the realities of people's lives – including of factors that enable or prevent change in such settings.
* Experience of applied research and/or the implementation of innovation/new ways of working within a social care or related area of practice and policy.
* A strong commitment to the principles of co‑production and to embedding these in all aspects of their work.
* Excellent presentation skills, both verbal and written, with an ability to communicate effectively, in‑person and online, with a range of different social care stakeholders including people and communities, practitioners, managers, academics and policy makers.
* High level of personal organisational skills and self‑motivation to work independently as well as flexibly and collaboratively with the wider IMPACT team.
* Collaborative and flexible approach to work and excellent inter‑personal skills.
* An awareness of personal strengths and weaknesses and an ability to work reflexively.
* Good skills in building networks with others (possibly including people who draw on care and support, carers, practitioners, managers, policy makers, researchers and others).
Due to the nature of the work undertaken in this role, all successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory DBS clearance prior to appointment. As part of IMPACT's commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion we are particularly keen to receive applications from people from black and minority ethnic communities and will be operating the 'Rooney' rule. We are also keen to receive applications from people who have lived experience of drawing on care and support, are carers or are front‑line practitioners, as well as from people who have experience of working with groups whose voices are seldom heard.
We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working. If travel is agreed to locations other than the normal place of work – typically the host organisation's office – travel will be reimbursed between the place of work and the location. Vacancies may be removed if they are filled by redeployment candidates (at least one person from a black and minority ethnic community background will be shortlisted where they meet the essential criteria for the role).
Facilitator Roles (8 across the UK)
* Part time: 0.5 / 50%
* Fixed‑term contract (12 months, target start date September 2026)
* Salary: £33,020 FTE (minimum) – £46,049 FTE (maximum) for 50% FTE.
* Closing date: Monday 2nd March 2026 (redeployment candidates); Monday 13th April 2026 (external).
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