Strategy, Insight and Evaluation Lead
Department of Health and Social Care
Apply before 11:55 pm on Thursday 3rd October 2024
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About the job
Job summary
The Behavioural Programmes Unit (BPU) in the Department of Health and Social Care delivers impactful health behaviour change campaigns. The BPU delivers the Better Health behaviour change programme, covering a range of issues including smoking cessation, mental health, early years and obesity. Our insight-led behaviour change programmes combine campaigns, partnerships, data and technology to encourage people to make healthy changes. Better Health provides the only national NHS wellbeing digital apps, the core wellbeing support to users on NHS.UK and advanced E-CRM programmes to change behaviour.
The Strategy and Planning team leads the business planning process, develops strategies for activity and evaluates activity in order to drive improvement and demonstrate impact.
In DHSC, we are proud of our purpose – to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you’d like to work in, we’d love to hear from you.
Two roles are being advertised, both are for full-time Strategy, Insight and Evaluation Leads.
Job description
Strategy, Insight and Evaluation Leads are the engines of our team and your role will lead on strategy, insight and evaluation. We expect candidates to have a good baseline experience of all three skills, but a stronger track-record in one or two areas is welcomed as long as you have a passion to excel at all three.
You might currently be working in a role in a public, private or not-for-profit organisation or be a strategist/planner working at an agency or commercial company. Whatever your background, you'll have a drive for making a difference and be a strong self-starter who can deliver results.
The roles involve working with evidence, data, research and insight to create marketing strategies that drive behaviour change. They also involve planning and delivering world-class, data driven evaluations that demonstrate the impact of what we do on health outcomes and help us to continually learn and improve.
Your work will build an in-depth insight into people’s lives and use behavioural science to understand how people behave and how to help them live healthier lives. You will also use research and insight to identify the most promising opportunities for behaviour change marketing and digital products to create change. A key focus of the roles includes addressing health inequalities and tackling disparities through our activity.
Leadership, collaboration and consensus-building are all important – you will work with internal and external stakeholders, from academics and behaviour change experts to policy makers and multiple agencies to ensure that evidence, behavioural science and our key audiences are at the heart of what we do.
The Strategy and Planning Team is a small but high-performing and ambitious team. We deliver high quality strategies, insight and evaluation that lead to inspiring campaigns that create behaviour change at scale. The roles will lead on campaigns that sit within our Better Health brand which includes areas such as smoking, early years and mental health (although you may also work on other areas too).
You will lead and manage campaign strategy, insight and evaluation, providing the expertise and vision to be a credible advocate for our programmes internally and externally.
The roles' responsibilities include:
- Developing and disseminating robust and evidence-based marketing strategies for key programmes, audiences and behaviours.
- Having responsibility for and extensive experience of using insight, behavioural science, data, modelling, theories of change and Key Performance Indicators
(KPIs).
- Working with the Head of Strategy, Insight, Evaluation and Data on the annual business planning process, setting out plans for the year ahead and drafting persuasive business cases to secure future budget for activity.
- Providing strategic, evidence-based advice to internal stakeholders on public behaviours and attitudes in relation to health issues across the full range of issues that the BPU works on.
- Developing and promoting a deep understanding of and insight into the audience(s) and behaviours associated with each focus of activity.
- Working with research and evaluation agencies, ensuring each programme is fully and rigorously evaluated and that evaluation drives continuous improvement.
- Supporting others' career development through line management or otherwise.
- Working closely with internal (e.g. policy colleagues, partnerships, digital and campaigns team) and external stakeholders to ensure strategic alignment.
Person specification
Key skills and experience required for the roles
Essential:
- Background in strategy/planning with sound experience of planning and evaluating behaviour change programmes or campaigns.
- Extensive experience in using a wide range of data and research techniques to generate and embed insight in programmes.
- Experience of using negotiation and influencing skills across a range of sectors/stakeholders to ensure programme objectives are delivered.
- Experience working with and interpreting complex data from multiple sources (including survey, qualitative, profiling, media, digital and population data) and distilling it into intuitive insights, compelling narratives and actionable recommendations to improve campaign and digital strategies and tactics.
- Experience of working to tight deadlines and managing uncertainty and complexity to deliver business objectives.
Desirable:
- Demonstrable knowledge of the industry, media and wider communication and marketing landscape.
- An understanding of the public health system, political environment and evidence-based approach to decision making.
- Strategic thinking, engaging, insightful and curious to learn more.
- Creative and innovative thinking to drive new ideas to solve intractable problems.
- An analytical, problem-solving mindset comfortable working with, interpreting and manipulating data.
- Ability to generate and apply insight to change behaviour.
- Ability to work in partnership with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
- A persuasive communicator, both orally and in writing.
Your normal place of work will be your contractual primary workplace, usually either London or Leeds. Within DHSC we offer non-contractual hybrid working. The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time spent in the office, enabling in person interaction and collaboration and enhancing team working, learning, and support.
You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas and some travel may be required across the DHSC estate.
Opportunities for some working from home may be available; other flexible working options may be discussed with the hiring manager in line with individual circumstances and business need.
There are a limited number of DHSC colleagues who have existing agreed homeworking contracts resulting from Our Future Estate Programme 2023-2024. Colleagues covered by these arrangements are eligible to apply for this role whilst continuing their agreed existing home working arrangement. Occasional travel to DHSC offices or other locations may still be required according to business need. Travel and subsistence will be provided in line with the pre-agreed homeworker arrangements.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Changing and Improving
- Communicating and Influencing
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Presentation Candidates will be assessed on their experience in planning, their ability to think strategically and their communications skills.
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Sift date: W/C 08/10/2024
Interview date: TBC
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.
The available interview slots will be released with the sift scores.
Applications will be sifted on CV and Statement of Suitability
Please use your CV to set out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role. These can be found in the ‘key skills and experience required for the role’ section of the advert.
Please use your statement of suitability to (in no more than 750 words) outline how you meet the key skills and experience required for the role as set out in the job advert.
At interview candidates will be assessed on Behaviours, Strengths and Presentation and Experience
Candidates will be asked to give a presentation which will assess on a technical skill:
Candidates will be assessed on their experience in planning, their ability to think strategically and their communications skills. Details of the presentation question will be issued to candidates with the release of the sift scores.
To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers Website here
Please be aware that some travel may be required across the DHSC estate.
Further Information
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to DHSC 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. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
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 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.
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.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
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 dhscrecruitment.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.
This role is being advertised on a permanent basis. If preferable, Loan or Secondment options will also be available for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited NDPBs or any other employer (Secondment). 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.
Terms and Conditions
Candidates should note that DHSC’s Terms and Conditions of employment changed from 1 October 2013. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful.
New Entrants to the Civil Service
New entrants appointed in grades AA to G6 will receive DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions:
- Annual Leave: 25 days on entry rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff
- Privilege Leave: 1 day - for the King’s birthday
- Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
- Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): one month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months’ full pay and five months’ half pay
- Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allow staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
- Probation: 6 month probation period
Existing Civil Service staff transferring from another Government department, on either level transfer or promotion
All staff moving to DHSC will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).
Existing DHSC staff, appointed on promotion
If DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions are already held, the employee will retain those terms and conditions. If DHSC’s pre-modernised terms and conditions are held, the employee will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
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Working for the Civil Service
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Alexander Turk
- Email : Alexander.turk@dhsc.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : dhscrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
