Evaluation Lead (Grade 6)

Job summary

The Evaluation Task Force (ETF) aims to improve people’s lives by ensuring evidence on the effectiveness of policies and programmes sits at the heart of spending decisions. Its purpose is to improve the way government programmes are evaluated in order to inform decisions on whether they should be continued, expanded, modified or stopped.

The ETF is seeking to apply the methods of evaluation and experimentation that are common in medicine to the £1 trillion that HM Government spends each year on public services. We would never consider rolling out a vaccine that had not been rigorously tested yet we continuously roll out policies in education, social welfare, and other key areas of public spending without truly understanding if the policy works or having the right systems in place to measure their effectiveness. The ETF is trying to change that. Ensuring decisions are based on rigorous evidence should improve public service outcomes and also lead to direct cost savings.

The ETF is a central unit reporting to Cabinet Office and HM Treasury Ministers and works closely with senior analysts in government departments and officials in HM Treasury spending teams.

Job description

The Evaluation Task Force (ETF) is a joint Cabinet Office and HM Treasury unit providing specialist support to ensure evidence and evaluation sits at the heart of spending decisions.

The main activities of the ETF are: (1) embedding evaluation into decision-making processes, (2) promoting the importance of evaluation, and (3) supporting the delivery of priority evaluations across government.

Evaluation Leads have a critical role in the senior leadership of the ETF. More information about the ETF is available on our website.

Key responsibilities of an Evaluation Lead include:

• Partnership working with public sector reform teams including the Office for the Impact Economy and the Cabinet Office Test, Learn and Grow programme: supporting Cabinet Office teams and local partners working on public service challenges across the country, to develop and implement high quality evaluation plans and capture live learning from their policy challenges.
• Leading the ETF’s evaluation advice to local, regional and national stakeholderson the design and delivery of robust, proportionate evaluation: managing senior relationships and providing expert evaluation advice for priority programmes.
• Leading the ETF’s engagement with HM Treasury spending teams across a portfolio of departments and missions: providing expert advice on evidence and evaluation content for business cases, Treasury Approvals Processes, and ensuring departments comply with evaluation settlement conditions.
• Leading strategic cross-cutting priorities for the ETF to ensure that evaluation is considered and integrated into the government’s most important activities. The role’s portfolio will be agreed with the successful candidate - but may include supporting new strategic priorities to support use of test and learn approaches, evaluation of complex programmes and local evaluation.
• Representing the ETF in senior meetings with Ministers, senior officials and external partners to champion the importance of high quality evaluation in policy making.
• Senior Leadership of the ETF, working with the Head of the ETF and other Evaluation Leads to set the direction for the team and ensure the ETF’s continuing success.
• Line management for Senior Evaluation Advisers with countersigning responsibility for SEO/HEO roles and a team of research fellows.

Person specification

Skills and experience required

• Specialist evaluation skills with technical knowledge on how to apply rigorous Magenta Book evaluation methods to a wide range of government policy areas; and considerable applied experience of using these approaches in practice.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to communicate technical information on evaluations to non-specialists in ways that are easily understood.
• An ability to engage and influence at a senior level to articulate the value of evaluating policies and programmes to a broad range of stakeholders.
• Managing a busy portfolio of priorities to ensure progress with both responsive short-term demands and long-term priorities.
• Providing leadership to the ETF and the wider evaluation community across government.

Specialist skills

• The ETF is the centre of excellence on evaluation in government.
• The role therefore requires specialist evaluation expertise with considerable applied experience of using these approaches in practice.
• The role holder must be a badged member of the Government Social Research, Government Economics Service or Government Statistical Service profession, or demonstrate capability to pass relevant badging requirements.

Behaviours

• Communicating and Influencing - lead
• Technical
• Making effective decisions
• Seeing the big picture
• Leadership

Additional information:

Cabinet Office policy is that a minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. For some roles, due to their nature and the business need, this may be up to 100%. Requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Memberships

Applicants must have either GSR, GES or GSS membership.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Knowledge of impact evaluation methods

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £69,308, Cabinet Office contributes £20,078 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and employer contributions of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.

Things you need to know

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 Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Application process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and 750 word personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please ensure you refer to the main responsibilities and skills required when completing your statement of suitability.

Assessment for these positions will also include a technical exercise and interview for shortlisted candidates.

More information will be made available to shortlisted candidates.

The role is available full or part-time.

We may also offer ‘near-miss’ opportunities – meaning at the end of the recruitment process you may be offered a similar role at a lower grade (for example, if you are applying on promotion).

Successful candidates not already badged will be required to complete the badging process following appointment.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – week commencing 27th April

Expected interview date/s – week commencing 11th May

Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'contact point for applicants' section.

Further Information

Please note that this role requires CTC clearance, which would normally need 3 years’ UK residency in the past 3 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Cabinet Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : levin.wheller@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
• Email : levin.wheller@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then in the first instance you should contact Government Recruitment Service by email at : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk. For further information on the Recruitment Principles and bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk.

Attachments

Cabinet Office Employee Offer (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 302kB)Cabinet Office Terms and Conditions - External 2025-02-20 Opens in new window (docx, 83kB)