Insight & Evaluation Officer - GCS Applied Data & Insight London, England
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Job summary
Our mission is to deliver exceptional public service communication that makes a difference.
People work in government communications because what we do matters. We explain the objectives and policies of the government of the day. We provide clarity and reassurance to the public at times of crisis. We support businesses to grow. We protect our environment. We help those in need to access support.
The Government Communication Service (GCS) is the professional body for all public service communicators working in government. Our GCS membership incorporates marketing, stakeholder engagement, internal communications, media, digital and social, and operational communications professionals. We collaborate
across government with 25 ministerial departments, 21 non-ministerial departments and more than 300 agencies in addition to other public bodies.
It's an exciting time to be a communications professional in government. The launch of the GCS Strategy 2022-2025 sets our vision to harness the rapid technological changes in communications for the public good; whilst developing our talent with unparalleled opportunities for learning and development. All whilst carrying out interesting, meaningful and purposeful work.
Of course, key to the work of our communications professionals is collaborating across boundaries and taking a genuinely diverse and inclusive approach; communicating with and being representative of our audiences in all four corners of the UK. As an expert from one of the analysis professions, you will be at the forefront of ensuring we can deliver our ambitious strategy.
The team
The Applied Data & Insight team is a group of multi-disciplinary experts who work closely together to provide bespoke analysis capability and innovative solutions based on a deep understanding of audience data, insights
and behaviours to improve and evaluate the effectiveness of government campaigns. This team works in a highly matrix fashion across the Strategy and Expert services function.
Job description
The Applied Data & Insight Team consists of specialists from three disciplines working together to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government communications:
Audience insight (using commissioned and available market research and polling to understand the public’s concerns and confidence in HMG and ensuring Directors of Communications act on the findings) and Evaluation (establishing campaign KPIs for departmental marketing campaigns,
monitoring progress and conducting econometric modelling in order to challenge, improve and hold
campaigns to account)- Data & Analytics : harnessing Communications data sources and new technologies to increase the ability of government to deliver personalised messages to citizens, resulting in less wasteful mass advertising; leading on innovation projects (such as AI chatbots and apps) to develop new solutions to achieve maximum value for money. Implementing specialist techniques (such as multi-variant testing) to quickly test and learn, optimise messaging and improve impact
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Behavioural Science: specialising in the application of behavioural science to policy and
communications campaigns as well as building capability across government.
The team is collectively responsible for delivering the following products and programmes:
- Regular polling, actionable insight and analysis into public attitudes on key PM issues and confidence in government, including key driver analysis to uncover the hidden drivers of public opinions that can help frame communications activity so that it resonates with the public. These products are signed off and approved by senior GCS officials and No10 and circulated to Ministers in the Cabinet Office, special advisers, No10 and government Directors of Communication.
- Identifying and analysing publicly available external (non-HMG) surveys on PM priority themes to ensure all non-government analysis is shared and acted upon, reducing the need for paid research.
- PM priority theme qualitative research; undertaking bespoke research projects commissioned by No10 on policy and communications issues.
- Evaluation of major marketing campaigns government departments are running.
- Providing expert advice on all 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 with GDS, enhanced CRM) designed to harness new technology to reduce taxpayer expenditure on 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.
The remit of the wider Applied Data & Insight team:
- To act as SRO, or to support other SROs, on a number of projects in a matrix team, responsible for delivering a high-quality product, program or relationship that directly improves GCS performance.
- To collaborate fully with team members across different disciplines and diverse backgrounds from within GCS, government departments and the private sector as appropriate.
- To deliver actionable insights and recommendations based on sound data and analysis that directly improves the effectiveness of government policy and campaigns.
- To engage in innovative thinking, bringing creativity, risk-taking and problem-solving skills into the team in every aspect of your role.
- To be a leading expert in your discipline, respecting the skills of others and helping upskill colleagues across government to improve the skills of government communicators and yourself.
- To understand the specific challenges and pressures on government communications and flex your style to successfully influence Ministers and decision-makers at the highest level.
- Contribution to GCS/Government Comms Policy development using specialist your knowledge and skills.
- Working within the ADI team across government and the GCS, your work will inform communications strategy and evaluation.
- You will prepare summaries and initial recommendations to ensure that comms and campaigns benefit from findings of research, insight and evaluation.
- Through work with the [team] and campaigns teams you will glean an understanding of the Governments challenges, helping you to consider and suggest effective ways to address them through applying insight and evaluation plans.
- You will support the delivery of a variety of research and advisory projects linked to the GCS Strategy for 2022-2025, and within that work or support on products, projects, programmes, and linking up with experts from other disciplines.
Key elements of the role is:
- Delivery of high quality insight products, 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.
- Preparing and presenting research data to facilitate engaging dissemination across government.
- Building expertise in insight and evaluation techniques to help shape communications.
- Working in sub-teams to deliver specific elements of products / programmes or delivering these alone Supporting the development of junior colleagues as a mentor and role model.
Person specification
Responsibilities & Duties
The GCS narrative tracker - monthly survey of the UK general public on priority issues, and its outputs.- Public Audience insight report by putting forward key points, supporting evidence and data visualisation.
- HMG priorities external (non-Government) polling summary - weekly round up of external pollingdata relating to HMG policy priorities.
- Insight packs on priority themes and audiences, drawing in insight from internally commissioned research, research from other departments and research from reputable external sources.
- Supporting the team’s role in insight sharing and best practice across government, including, but not limited to: sharing core products across government and the cross-government Insight and Evaluation forum; provision of high-quality insight and evaluation for GCS priority campaigns; identifying ways in which insight sharing across government can be improved; developing strong working relationships with stakeholders within GCS
- Executing qualitative and quantitative research, including communications evaluation: managing research via contracted research agencies on behalf of Cabinet Office; supporting other departments in their research projects/programmes, helping internal clients identify research and evaluation objectives, supporting the [team] in delivery of research and analysis using data tables, data files, transcripts and analysis grids.
- Supporting the team’s role in review and monitoring of evaluation plans and KPIs submitted by campaigns teams as part of the PASS process.
- Working directly with team members across different disciplines and diverse backgrounds from within GCS, government departments.
- Delivering creative, innovative thinking and problem solving skills with the support of the team.
- Develop a good understanding of the specific challenges and pressures on government communications and consider this when preparing outputs.
Experience/Ability
- Experience working within teams to deliver research, insight and evaluation projects.
- Good time management and prioritisation of tasks to timetabled deadlines.
- 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 under guidance of colleagues.
- Playing a role in maintaining a positive and inclusive culture within the team, some initial experience of delegation and supporting junior team members.
Technical
Should have a solid foundation in technical research and evaluation skills, with experience of using 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
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
As part of the application you will required to complete the following;
- A CV setting out your career history and qualifications, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role, together with reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
- A Statement of suitability (no more than 500 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification.
- You will also be required to provide 250 word behaviour examples.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the applicatio
Both the CV and Statement of Suitability will be assessed against the essential criteria listed in the 'Person Specification' section.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken 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.
Selection Process
The selection process will be completed via interview. The interview will be based on a combination of experience and behaviours but may not include all behaviours as part of the questions.
At the interview stage a short test/presentation may be requested in advance and this will be assessed as part of the interview based on experience. 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 – tbd
Expected interview date/s – tbc
Interview location - remote via google meet
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 cabinet [email protected] 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.
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.
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.
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.
A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.
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 [email protected] 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 [email protected]
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.
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.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
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) (opens in a new window)
- 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
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).
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team
Further information
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at [email protected]. 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.
