Senior Evaluation Adviser

Job summary

Senior Evaluation Advisors play critical roles in the work of the Evaluation Task Force. The role offers an unparalleled opportunity to drive a step change in evaluation, improving decision-making and outcomes for the public. Senior Evaluation Advisors are typically responsible for working across a number of government departments, and leading on one or more cross-government ETF initiatives.

Job description

The main activities of the ETF are:

• Rapid scrutiny of evaluation plans attached to business cases submitted to HM Treasury spending teams. Or, if no plans exist, advising spending teams on what evaluation is feasible and proportionate.
• Advising and supporting departments on the design and delivery of evaluations for priority policies and programmes. This includes identifying opportunities to embed experimentation into policy design and delivery (e.g., testing multiple variations of a programme at the same time to understand which version is most cost effective).
• Tracking the delivery of evaluations and their emerging results in priority policy areas, and ensuring they are fed back into decisions made by departments and spending teams.
• Cross cutting activities to support the delivery of our strategy. Activities include working to: build evaluation capacity and capability across the civil service (e.g., the Evaluation Academy); improve access to evidence (e.g., What Works Network, Evaluation Registry); undertake work to ensure evidence and evaluation continues to improve public sector reforms across priority areas such as VAWG and local government.

Main Responsibilities - Senior Evaluation Adviser (G7)

• Providing rapid advice to HM Treasury spending teams and departments on the most rigorous and proportionate approach to evaluating the impact of specific policies and programmes.
• Build and maintain good working relationship with HMT on evaluation accountability, including: establishing a strategy to monitor evaluation focused settlement conditions, Green Book compliance; and ensure evaluation evidence continues to underpin spending decisions.
• Direct line management and/or work management of SEOs and HEOs in the team.
• Reviewing and tracking evaluation arrangements of programmes in priority areas and intervening to address problems.
• Developing approaches to embed robust evaluation in infrastructure and major projects across government.
• Raising evaluation capabilities across HM Government through supporting development and delivery of the Evaluation Academy and ETF training with policy professionals.

Person specification

Essential criteria

As a G7 you will be able to competently demonstrate the following:

• In-depth expertise and applied experience of a number of commonly used evaluation methods. Understanding of experimental and quasi-experimental methods or best practice in rapid evaluation is particularly desirable.
• 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 articulate the value of evaluating policies and programmes to a broad range of stakeholders.
• Experience of using evaluation evidence to influence the development/ delivery of policy and/or practice.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of designing and delivering evaluations in complex policy areas
• Experience of undertaking research and evaluation in sensitive topic areas (e.g., Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)).

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

Candidates must be a member of the Government Social Research (GSR) profession or have the required qualifications to become a member of the profession. ​If not already a badged member of GSR, then the successful candidate will be expected to align with the profession. Please check you are eligible before applying.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• 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 £57,204, Cabinet Office contributes £16,571 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, a 750-word statement of suitability and 250 word Behaviour and Technical Statements. 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.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the lead Behaviour, Communicating and Influencing.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Assessment for these positions will also include a technical exercise and interview for shortlisted candidates. More information will be made available to shortlisted candidates.

Behaviours

• Communicating and Influencing - lead
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership.

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).

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – week commencing 1st June

Expected interview date/s – week commencing 15th June

Interview location - 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 adjustments

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.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact fay.sadro@cabinetoffice.gov.uk or miriam.light@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

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 an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Further information

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

A reserve list may 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

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.

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

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

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

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.

Feedback

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 : Miriam Light
• Email : miriam.light@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

Senior Evaluation Adviser (ETF) Opens in new window (pdf, 131kB)Cabinet Office Employee Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 302kB)Cabinet Office Terms and Conditions - External 2025-02-20 Opens in new window (docx, 83kB)