G7 Lead Psychometrician

Job summary

The STA community is made up of a group of enthusiastic and hardworking individuals from within both the public and private sectors. Our people are specialists in what they do whether its developing tests, project managing the test cycle or working with suppliers. We are a friendly and inclusive team who acknowledge and appreciate everyone’s expertise, knowledge, and experience.

This role represents an exciting opportunity for a highly skilled psychometrician to support the development and delivery of national assessments. The role requires excellent, demonstrable skills in item response theory among other educational measurement analytical techniques.

If you have a desire to work on one of the Department for Education’s key priorities for ensuring all children achieve their potential, and ensure a positive experience for schools, this could be the role for you.

Job description

The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) is the part of the Department for Education responsible for the development and delivery of statutory assessments for pupils up to the age of 14 and for school-based assessment policy.

In addition to policy development and implementation, the STA’s main functions are to:

• Develop high quality and rigorous National Curriculum Assessments (NCAs) in line with Ministerial policy.
• Deliver the assessments (including printing, distribution, marking and data capture).
• Support schools in carrying out the assessments.

The role presents interesting and challenging opportunities to deliver key ministerial priorities. The post-holder will work closely both with internal colleagues across STA and the wider department, and with external partners and suppliers. We are looking for a creative, proactive and motivated individual who is excited by the opportunity to make a positive impact and deliver on a high-profile policy area.

At DfE we have a strong culture of inclusion and diversity and are committed to being an equal opportunities employer. We aim to develop all our staff to enable them to make a full contribution to meeting the Department's objectives, and to fulfil their own potential. We promote and support the use of a range of flexible working patterns to help staff to balance home and work responsibilities and we treat people fairly irrespective of their working arrangements.

This culture is supported and built upon by our 10 staff networks, ranging from the BAME and LGBT networks to the Carers and EU/EEA Nationals networks. We are proud to be recognised by leading diversity organisations as actively promoting diversity in the workplace. We are also on the Stonewall Index and a member of the business disability forum, as well as achieving Level 2 Disability Confident employer in 2017.

We hope to attract a diverse group of candidates. It’s important to us that our organisation is more diverse, so we encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and identities. We’re especially keen to hear from candidates from BAME communities, who are currently under-represented.

The post holder will report to the Head of Assessment Research and Psychometrics.

You will be responsible for leading a team of psychometricians responsible for quantitative analysis for trialling and standards maintenance for statutory large scale national curriculum assessments. Your responsibilities will include:

• Line management and task management of psychometricians.
• Leading and developing technical experts to deliver high quality work and develop their skills.
• Undertaking psychometric and statistical analysis on a range of testing programmes.
• Contributing to the development of tests and other assessments through provision of psychometric expertise.
• Working closely with trialling manager to ensure data from trialling meets analysis needs both from paper-based and digital assessments.
• Ensuring the process for setting and maintaining standards on tests is undertaken in a rigorous way.
• Applying appropriate project management techniques to ensure that all projects are delivered to time, cost and quality.
• Leading on development and coding of tools for psychometric analysis using for example, R, RShiny, SQL and VBA, and the willingness to develop competency with other software as required.
• Contributing to the development of evidence on validity, reliability and fairness of tests.
• Contributing to data governance for the team.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

The successful applicant for the post to have experience of the following essential criteria:

• Strong experience delivering high quality analysis in an operational testing/assessment context. This will include using advanced skills in Excel and experience in IRT software such as flexMIRT and experience in at least one of the following: R, SQL, VBA, Python.
• Experience applying knowledge of assessment theories and psychometric techniques such as classical test theory, item response theory and validity theory.
• Experience using advanced programming skills with a focus on quality of coding and developing integrated tools to support analysis and improve processes.
• Experience leading and supporting technical colleagues in specialist domain knowledge and skills such as equating, standard setting and standards maintenance for evidence-based decision making.
• Experience leading with purpose and direction, organising and supporting others in effective collaboration with other teams and/or stakeholders, to deliver high quality outcomes for a project at pace to tight timescales.

Benefits

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 80% FTE.

As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.

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

Application:

To apply for this role, you will be required to provide a CV and Statement of Suitability.

• Your CV should include details of your employment history, and the skills and experience gained in those roles.

• Your Statement of Suitability (max 750 words) should demonstrate how your experience meets the essential criteria listed above.

The sift will assess Experience using your CV and personal statement.

The sift will be restricted to assessing personal statements only in the event of a large volume of applications.

To confirm, the maximum word count for the statement of suitability is 750. Please adhere to this limit as anything over 750 words will not be taken into account.

More guidance on personal statements can be found here – completing your application.

Interview:

As part of the interview process, candidates will be required to prepare and deliver a 5-minute verbal presentation, no visual aids or handouts required, but notes can be used. The presentation will be assessed against the essential criteria listed below, and the topic shared with shortlisted candidates.

Presentation Criterion:

• Experience leading with purpose and direction, organising and supporting others in effective collaboration with other teams and/or stakeholders, to deliver high quality outcomes for a project at pace to tight timescales.

At interview you will be asked questions to assess your experience in line with the essential criteria listed in the person specification section above. We will assess your experience against all essential criteria.

When looking at your experience, we’re looking for examples of things you have previously achieved or your knowledge in a particular field, which are relevant to the job role.

We’re not looking at how much time you spent in a particular field, but rather how you performed.

Sometimes experience can be transferable from a non-work context. Skills gained through voluntary work or a hobby, such as teamwork or communication, can demonstrate the experience required for the role.

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 background, gender or ethnicity - it's called name blind recruitment (opens in a new window).

Please ensure that you remove from your application, all references to your:

• name/title

• educational institutions

• age

• gender

• email address

• postal address

• phone number

• nationality/immigration status

We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.

The government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, enabling people to learn and progress in a role whilst earning. We want to monitor the number of people who have completed apprenticeships who are now applying to progress further in their career and are asking this question to all candidates, on all vacancies. You will be asked a question as part of the application process about any previous apprenticeships you have completed. Your response to this question will not affect your application and it is not a requirement of the role to have completed a previous apprenticeship.

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

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks.DFE@education.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.

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

Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.

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.

Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs

Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.

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 Department of Education via centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk 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.

Please refer to the attached ‘Reasonable Adjustments Guide 05_2025 – accessible version’ at the bottom of the advert, for further information.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.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.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 : David West
• Email : David.WEST@education.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk

Further information

The Department for Education’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition. You have the right to complain if you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly with the department concerned via CentralRecruitment.Operations@education.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages

Attachments

DfE Terms & Conditions Opens in new window (docx, 23kB)Reasonable Adjustments guide 05_2025 - accessible version Opens in new window (pdf, 723kB)OGD Transfer Supplementary information - accessible version Opens in new window (pdf, 327kB)