Department for Education
Senior Evaluation Advisor
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Job Summary
We encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates.
At DfE, we are proud of the commitment we make to diversity and inclusion and of the progress we have made. We have active & vibrant staff networks, special leave policies and workplace adjustments put in place for those who need them. We are continuing to build a diverse DfE, in an inclusive environment which nurtures and realises potential in all, at all levels.
Hosted by the DfE, the Evaluation Services Unit (ESU) is a cross-government unit launched in 2024 to make it quicker, easier and more affordable for the Civil Service to conduct high-quality policy evaluations. We operate like an in-house consultancy, working at pace to deliver evaluation projects across all policy areas, including health, policing, and government reform.
As a Senior Evaluation Advisor, you will play a key role in shaping this new service, delivering high-quality evaluation projects on some of the most important policy issues facing the country, while working closely with the Cabinet Office and other partners to maximise the impact of this exciting new initiative. This is a unique opportunity to apply your expertise where it matters most, helping government make better decisions and improving outcomes for citizens.
Job Description
Working with the Head of the Evaluation Services Unit, your primary role will be to deliver high-quality evaluation projects for customers across government. Responding to demand and tailoring your approach as needed, you will design and deliver impact, process and Value for Money evaluations that shape policy decisions.
You will also be responsible for helping to identify and agree new projects. You will proactively build networks across government, promote the team and pitch for work, helping to develop a community of satisfied customers that pays us enough to cover our costs.
This is a fantastic opportunity to shape a new cross-government evaluation service, helping to build it from the ground up. Candidates must have detailed knowledge of evaluation methods and their application to complex policy questions, they must be able to deliver a high-quality service to our customers, and they must have the creativity and resilience to operate effectively in an environment that is more like a business start-up than a government department.
Key Responsibilities Include:
- Designing & delivering policy evaluations: you will lead the design and delivery of high-quality policy evaluations across a wide range of areas. You will ensure the evaluations you design are practical, proportionate and robust. You will report findings in a clear and accessible way.
- Delivering a quality service - you must be able to deliver a high-quality service to our customers, interpreting their needs accurately, responding creatively, communicating effectively and adapting as required.
- Managing teams & projects: you will take responsibility for a portfolio of work, covering multiple projects simultaneously and managing colleagues as needed to deliver at pace.
- Generating new business: you will proactively promote the ESU’s services, and pitch for work, generating a pipeline of high impact projects to further develop a community of satisfied customers.
- Improving services: you will work collaboratively with colleagues to refine existing services and develop new approaches that improve the quality of the ESU’s offer.
Person Specification
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Essential Criteria:
- Designing and delivering policy evaluations: you will have significant experience of leading on the design and delivery of high-quality policy evaluations, using both quantitative and qualitative methods.
- Managing a quality service: you must be experienced in managing customers on complex evaluation projects, clarifying their needs and communicating with them effectively throughout.
- Managing people and teams: you will have experience of line managing a small team, task managing a wider group, and collaborating effectively with peers and seniors.
- Generating new business: you must be comfortable networking with stakeholders, promoting the work of the team, finding new opportunities and converting these into paid projects.
Technical Skill:
- Evaluation expertise: The successful candidate will have substantial experience applying a range of evaluation techniques to policy programmes and interventions. In particular, you must have a strong track record in designing and delivering counterfactual impact evaluations, alongside experience using qualitative research methods. You will be confident in planning and executing high-quality policy evaluations from end to end. Proficiency in R, Stata, or an equivalent statistical software package is expected, or you must be willing to learn.
Memberships
Professional analytical badging: Candidates must already be part of, or be eligible and willing to join the Government Social Research (GSR) profession or the Government Economic Service (GES). Details on eligibility and how to become a member are here:
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Evaluation expertise
Alongside your salary of £60,222, Department for Education contributes £17,446 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.
As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.
You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.
We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.
Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.
Part-time hours available, from a minimum of 0.8 FTE.
As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.
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Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.
Stage 1 - Written Application
To apply for this role, you will be required to provide a CV, Statement of Suitability, and one Technical Statement.
Your CV should include details of your employment history, and the skills and experience gained in those roles. Your Statement of Suitability (max 1000 words) should demonstrate how your experience meets the essential criteria listed above. You will be required to provide a 250-word example demonstrating how you demonstrate the Technical Skills listed above.
Stage 2 - Sift
We will use your CV and statement to assess your suitability for the role against the essential criteria listed in the person specification section above.
We will assess your 250-word technical statement against the Technical Skill listed above.
To confirm, the maximum word count for the personal statement is 1000. Please adhere to this limit as anything over 1000 words will not be taken into account.
In the event of a large number of applications, we will sift on Technical Skill and the first essential criterion ‘Designing and delivering policy evaluations’ only.
More guidance on personal statements can be found here – completing your application.
Stage 3 - Technical Presentation
Candidates successful at sift will be invited to a Technical Presentation assessment. This will assess the Technical Skill listed above.
Candidates will be provided with a brief and given 60 minutes to prepare a short presentation (5-10 minutes), followed by up to 10 minutes of questioning.
Please ensure the exercise reflects your own thinking. AI tools may be used to enhance presentation or clarity, but they must not be used to generate the substantive content.
Stage 4 - Interview
Candidates successful at the Technical Presentation will be invited to interview. The interview will last approximately 1 hour.
At interview you will be asked questions to assess your Experience in line with the essential criteria listed above. You will also be asked a scenario-based question to test the Technical Skill listed above.
Information Session
If you would like to know more about the role, we'll be running an information session for interested candidates on 14th October 10:00-11:00 via Microsoft Teams. Drop an email to debbie.blair@evaluationservices.gov.uk to learn more.
Other Information
Interviews may be via Microsoft teams or face to face; the vacancy manager will confirm prior to the Interview.
In your application, please don’t include personal information that identifies you.
This means we can recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not
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