Insight and Evaluation Manager

Job summary

The team

The Applied Data & Insight (ADI) team is a group of multi-disciplinary experts who work closely together to provide bespoke analysis and innovative solutions based on a deep understanding of data, insights and behaviours to improve and evaluate government campaigns and communications. We work highly collaboratively with other teams within GCS and build proactive partnerships with other organisations to deliver impactful and innovative products and services at pace.

The Applied, Data and Insight team consists of specialists from analytical disciplines working together to innovate and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government communications. Our analytical expertise range from behavioural science, market/audience research skills and evaluation, to data, analytics and data science.

The team is collectively responsible for delivering: 

• Polling, actionable insight and analysis into public attitudes on priority issues, to inform communications for Ministers, special advisers, No10 and government Directors of Communication.
• Identifying and analysing publicly available external surveys on priority themes to ensure all non-government analysis is shared and acted upon, reducing the need for paid research.
• Qualitative research on priority themes, undertaking bespoke research projects for key stakeholders on policy and communication issues.
• Insights, optimisation and evaluation of major marketing campaigns run from the Cabinet Office, working closely with strategy and campaign colleagues.
• Providing expert advice on departmental business cases to improve their quality and effectiveness, including areas for innovation, join up and cost reduction.
• Rapid testing and delivery of innovation projects (eg AI chatbots, end to end customer data sharing, enhanced Customer Relationship Management) to harness new technology and improve effectiveness and efficiency of government campaigns.
• Working with major tech platforms, universities and the government’s media buying supplier to improve standards, drive down costs, drive uptake of new innovations and increase efficiencies.

Job description

We are looking for an individual who can demonstrate strong analytical and market/audience research skills, alongside the ability to manage competing demands in a fast-paced environment. This role is open to both existing civil servants and external candidates. It is the equivalent of a Senior Research Executive or Research Manager in the market research industry, and would be suitable for someone in that role already or an equivalent of a Research Executive seeking the next step in their career.

Working within the Applied Data and Insight team in GCS you will play a key role in informing communications strategy and evaluation across government, and driving innovation throughout GCS. You will prepare summaries and recommendations to ensure that comms and campaigns benefit from findings of research, insight and evaluation. You will analyse findings and work with teams across government to identify effective ways to use insight and evaluation to improve performance and value for money.

You will support the delivery of a variety of research and advisory projects linked to the GCS Strategy for 2022-2025. Within this work, you will have the opportunity to take ownership and support on a number of products, projects, programmes, and relationships, working in multidisciplinary teams. 

Key elements of the role are:

• Coordinating delivery of high quality insight products and services, building an evidence base to help government communicators develop effective and efficient communications
• Utilising a range of evaluation methodologies and techniques or suggesting their use as appropriate
• Identifying opportunities for further analysis of existing data sources to provide deeper insight to improve government communications
• Further building expertise in insight and evaluation techniques to help shape communications

Responsibilities & Duties

• Owning and/or supporting the delivery of key products and services, such as weekly polling summaries, monthly audience insights reports, and insights packs on priority themes and audiences
• Undertaking regular horizon scanning activity, maintaining the team’s forward look of official external surveys and published research.
• Supporting the team’s role in data and insight sharing and best practice across government, such as working with cross-government campaigns teams to provide insight and evaluation guidance for GCS priority campaigns; actively supporting and improving insight sharing across government; and developing relationships of trust with key stakeholders.
• Executing qualitative and quantitative research, including communications evaluation: scoping, designing and commissioning research via contracted research agencies on behalf of Cabinet Office; supporting other government organisations in their research projects/programmes, helping internal clients identify research and evaluation objectives, supporting efforts to maximise the reach of research findings across government. This may, as appropriate, include delegating to junior team members.
• Initial reviewing and understanding of evaluation plans and KPIs submitted by cross-government campaigns teams as part of the Cabinet Office controls processes.
• Commercial and financial management of contracts with Cabinet Office contracted research agencies, and supporting procurement/re-procurement of agencies when required.

More broadly, as part of the wider Applied Insight and Data team you will be expected to:

• Work collaboratively with team members across different disciplines and diverse backgrounds from within GCS and other government organisations 
• Bring creative, innovative thinking and problem solving skills into the team, including suggestions on how these may be applied to our work
• Develop knowledge of government communications and how insight and research fits into the bigger picture

Person specification

Experience/Ability

• Experience making actionable recommendations from data sources and research in order to solve business problems, ideally these would relate to communications in some way 
• Previous experience working within teams to deliver high profile and complex research, insight and evaluation projects, with delegation of tasks and strands to other team members
• Effectively prioritising workload across multiple projects to deliver high quality outputs
• Experience managing research projects and suppliers to ensure high quality deliverables to agreed timelines
• Experience developing research materials and tools (i.e. questionnaires, discussion guides, reports) in order to meet needs set out in a brief or business problem and / or monitor performance against comms KPIs
• previous experience working with and influencing senior team members and clients
• Able to play a role in maintaining a positive and inclusive culture within the team, some initial experience of line management desirable but not essential

Technical

• Should have strong technical research and evaluation skills, with experience of working across a range of qualitative and/or quantitative research techniques, gained either in a research agency and/or a research commissioning role.
• Other relevant qualifications/accreditations e.g. Market Research Society, Government Social Research are desirable but not essential.

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

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

• Market and/or 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 which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and average employer contributions of 27%.
• 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 Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Application process
Please provide us with the following using the online form. 

• Statement of suitability - 500 words
• CV
• Behaviours answers (as outlined in the application form)
• Technical Skills

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Seeing the Big Picture. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

Interview

At interview stage we will be assessing the following criteria:

• Behaviours (as outlined in the advert)
• Strengths
• Technical Skills

At the interview stage a short exercise will be requested in advance and this will be assessed as part of the interview. The details of this will be given once the applicants successful for interview have been chosen from the sift.

Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – To be confirmed
Expected interview date/s – To be confirmed
Interview location - Virtual using Google Meet

Further Information

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. 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 /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.

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.

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years UK residency in the past 10 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 note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

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.

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

Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

See our vetting charter.

People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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.

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.

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.

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 :Neil Wholey
• Email :neil.wholey@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.