Senior Evaluation Analyst
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Apply before 11:55 pm on Wednesday 25th September 2024
Details
Reference number
Salary
Job grade
Contract type
Business area
Type of role
Working pattern
Number of jobs available
Contents
Location
About the job
Job summary
We are seeking an enthusiastic and passionate Senior Research Officer to lead on evaluation work within the Resources and Waste Directorate’s Strategic Evidence and Analysis Team.
Resources and waste policy goes to the heart of how society interacts with goods and services, from material extraction, industrial production, through to how it managed and processed as waste. This Directorate sets out policy for how we will preserve material resources by minimising waste, promoting resource efficiency, and moving towards a circular economy.
As part of its portfolio, this Directorate is leading on the delivery of the Collection and Packaging Reforms (CPR) - four waste reform schemes with the aim of improving packaging recyclability and driving recycling rates – that form part of the Government’s Major Project Portfolio.
This role is key in ensuring Defra can understand whether policies being delivered have been successful in achieving the objectives and commitments across the Resources and Waste Portfolio.
Job description
As part of this role, the Senior Evaluation Officer will be responsible for leading on high profile process, theory-based impact and economic evaluations working closely with contractors and policy colleagues to deliver actionable insights.
Key responsibilities will include management of evaluation projects, developing evaluation plans and Theories of Change, actively engaging policy and delivery colleagues in evaluation to inform decision making, and communicating key insights to influence policy design. This is critical for supporting the Directorate to be better equipped to make decisions on policy design, delivery, and overall approach.
This role offers the opportunity to work across other social research projects within the Directorate, to work alongside a strong community of evaluators and social researchers across Defra Group, and access training to develop their skills and career.
Responsibilities:
- Manage externally commissioned evaluation and research projects ensuring they deliver robust, impactful findings and achieve value for money. This includes the management of external contractors.
- Lead engagement with the policy team and other analysts to support their evidence needs and maximise the impact of the evaluation.
- Promote and disseminate evaluation findings to relevant policy and delivery teams and more widely within the Department and across government departments to ensure key learning feeds into ongoing and new policy development and products have maximum impact.
- Take an active role in Defra's evaluation community, sharing and disseminating good practice to other evaluators.
- Advise on research and evaluation design more broadly within policy areas using learning to feed into ongoing and future projects.
- Work closely with social research, evidence, and policy colleagues on broader analytical work.
Key deliverables that the role is responsible for include:
- Evaluation frameworks and programmes of work for new evaluation activity.
- Theories of change for emerging policy areas.
- Indicator frameworks for emerging policy areas and updating established indicator frameworks, in order to support the monitoring of change across Directorate outcomes.
- Delivery of a series of process evaluations for planned policies across the Directorate.
- Impact evaluation analysis for planned policies across the Directorate.
- Economic value-for-money analysis at the policy level for planned policies across the Directorate.
- Ad-hoc evaluation outputs planned and designed in collaboration with policy and delivery colleagues.
Person specification
The essential criteria for this role includes:
- Excellent analytical skills covering evidence synthesis, qualitative and quantitative research methods, data collection and analysis and interpreting survey data.
- A thorough knowledge of research methodology, including quantitative, qualitative and evaluation methods with at least two years of applied experience.
- Have knowledge of a range of process, impact and economic evaluation methods including theory based and realist approaches, and an interest in working with new methodologies to meet challenges.
- Experience of managing research projects, preferably of significant scale, ensuring relevant legal, ethical, procurement, and quality assurance practice is followed.
- Experience of leading a complex portfolio of work and if working flexibly to adapt as priorities change, even at short notice.
- Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal skills, with experience of disseminating complex research findings to a range of customers.
- Ability to work effectively with a range of policy colleagues and analysts at different levels in the organisation, in other governmental departments and external agencies.
- Ability to accurately evaluate competing data sources and identify salient points and trends to draw sound, logical inferences.
Memberships
You have a 2:2 or above in your undergraduate degree in a relevant social research subject (criteria for relevant subjects are outlined below); or a 2:2 in any subject with a postgraduate degree in a relevant social research subject.
The qualifying social research degree must contain substantial social research methods training (comprising around one third of modules taken on the course) including quantitative research methods and at least three of the following:
- systematic/literature reviews;
- qualitative methods;
- interpretation of data and presentation of results;
- study design, hypothesis testing;
- application of ethics to research.
You must satisfy both the Civil Service Nationality and Right to work in the UK requirements as we do not offer sponsorship.
Further detail of the criteria and access routes to the GSR body can be found at: Government Social Research Membership and Eligibility Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Managing a Quality Service
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- GSR: Technical Skills GSR: Using & Promoting Social Research
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 average employer contribution of 27%.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Application Process
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:
- A CV detailing your career history
- A Personal Statement (max. 1000 words) demonstrating how you meet the requirements of the role based on the essential criteria.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Sift
The sift panel will use the information in your CV and Personal Statement assessment to assess your experience and knowledge.
Sifting is likely to occur w/c 16th September 2024.
Interview
If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on behaviours, technical skills and experience.
A presentation may be required at interview. Presentation criteria will be confirmed to successful candidates upon invite to interview.
Interview dates to be confirmed.
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.
Location
As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).
Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.
Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.
The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.
Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.
The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.
Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.
Salary
New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.
The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.
This post offers a pensionable, consolidated Specialist Lead Allowance of £3000 per annum (pro rata as appropriate).
Visa Sponsorship Statement
Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Merit Lists
Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be appointed in merit order for each location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.
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 defrarecruitment.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 an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Accessibility
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Criminal Record Check
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.
NSV
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting.
Higher Security Clearance
This post may require CTC should the successful candidate be based in London.
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.
All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.
Internal Fraud Database Check
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.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to Defra 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
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
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 : defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
- Email : defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
Government Recruitment Services via email: defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Click https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/ to visit Civil Service Commission.
