About the job

Job summary

The Vulnerable People, Data and Evaluation Team provides high quality, innovative research and analysis across a wide range of DLUHC policies focused on vulnerable people (including homelessness and rough sleeping and domestic abuse). Our G6 led team has a reputation for being innovative in the use of analysis and for providing high quality outputs (e.g. the team won the Civil Service Innovation Award 2019). We aim to be authoritative in delivering our analysis whilst being creative and open to new ideas.

The advertised posts will lead on complex evaluation programmes to build on the existing evidence in the high profile policy areas of Domestic Abuse and adults experiencing multiple disadvantage. Both roles require close working with the policy teams to support the delivery of the complex evaluations.

Post 1: Domestic Abuse Duty Evaluation Lead

In 2018 a Duty was placed in local authorities to support those experiencing Domestic Abuse. Our team provides robust evidence of how well local authorities are meeting the requirements and the impact this has supporting domestic abuse victim-survivors. We have set up a combined theory-based impact, process and value for money evaluation to gather evidence on this.

Post 2: Changing Futures Evaluation Lead

Changing Futures is a 4-year, £77 million programme aiming to improve outcomes for adults experiencing multiple disadvantage – including combinations of homelessness, substance misuse, mental health issues, domestic abuse and contact with the criminal justice system. We work in partnership with public and community sector organisations across England, testing new ways to help people change their lives for the better. The evaluation is multi-stranded, taking a theory-based approach and combining system-level evaluation, quantitative analysis of key outcomes, qualitative research, a process evaluation of government delivery and an economic evaluation.

These are excellent opportunities to be part of an inclusive, welcoming team that is advancing our collective understanding of what works for improving the lives of vulnerable people.

Job description

• Supporting a large, innovative and complex evaluation of the Changing Futures programme or the Domestic Abuse Duty, including working closely with policy and managing contractors to deliver all strands of research and ensure our analysis feeds into policy making;

• Conducting ad-hoc analysis projects with programme data;

• Supporting and steering the development of a cross-government evidence base on multiple disadvantage and domestic abuse;

• Establishing relationships with analysts in other teams leading on evaluations across DLUHC, to share emerging findings, best practice and influence policy development;

• Championing and supporting the role and use of analysis, and in particular theory-based and system evaluation activity, with other analysts and policy colleagues;

• Leading engagement with the evaluation advisory group and collaborating with and maintaining a network of policy and analyst stakeholders within and outside the Department to share learning;

• Liaising and working with charities and other external evaluation experts e.g Trials Advisory Panel and the Cabinet Office Evaluation Task Force;

• Briefing senior civil servants, policy colleagues and local programme stakeholders on evaluation evidence and your own analysis, communicating key findings and implications.

As a team we take the development of our people very seriously, equipping and enabling them to make an impact by ensuring high quality evidence and analysis is at the heart of the policy-making process. We are committed to good management and the professional development of staff.

Person specification

• Strong technical knowledge and experience of different evaluation approaches, including the use of theories of change/logic modelling and designing and conducting impact studies using a range of approaches including experimental and quasi-experimental and theory-based designs.

• Strong awareness and practical application of legal and ethical aspects of data collection and disclosure control.

• Quality assuring the use and interpretation of data, analysis and research.

• Strong research and complex evaluation project management skills covering all aspects of design, delivery and reporting skills

• Ability to communicate complex analysis in a clear and coherent way.

• Ability to establish strong working relationships with a range of policy and analytical colleagues and relevant external agencies.

• Ability to communicate your ideas and decision making effectively, collaborate and partner with others and deliver results at pace.

Analysts in DLUHC must be affiliated to a Government analytical profession.

You will need to address the technical competences for your profession in the application and at interview. 

Please refer to the Guide for Analytical Candidates which provides: 

1 - The technical competences for each analytical profession 

2 - details of the entry requirements to each analytical profession 

3 – details of the entry process for each analytical profession 

Entry Qualifications  

The entry qualifications are listed below.  Please list FULL details of your degree in your application form. 

Government Social Research (GSR): 

Hold an undergraduate degree, at a minimum of 2:1 or 2:2 with a postgraduate degree, in a social science subject.  A qualifying social science subject is one which contains substantial social research methods training (comprising around one third of modules taken in the course).  It should cover quantitative methods and at least three of the five topics listed below. 

Mandatory: Quantitative methods, including research design, data collection (i.e. questionnaire design, sampling, weighting), data analysis (e.g. statistical analysis) 

Three of: 

• Systematic/literature reviews 
• Qualitative methods, including research design, data collection (i.e. interviewing, focus groups, ethnography), data analysis (e.g. thematic analysis) 
• Interpretation of data (qual & quan), presentation of results, provision of recommendations/ conclusions 
• Study design, hypothesis formation, testing and evaluation 
• Application of ethics to research 

 

Relevant degree subjects in the social sciences can be varied.  Potential members need to demonstrate the substantial social research methods training they have taken and not merely the social science degree subjects. 

OR 

Professional Experience route: Hold an undergraduate degree at a minimum of 2:1, or 2:2 with a postgraduate degree, in any subject, or a degree equivalent (e.g. an advanced Certificate or Diploma from MRS), plus have at least 4 years’ social research practice experience. The degree requirement for Main Stream applicants is an undergraduate degree at a minimum of 2:2 with no need for a postgraduate degree. In any case, social research practice experience consists of experience working in a research agency, market research agency or specialist research team. To enter the GSR through this route you must make explicit the breadth and depth of your research experience and skills, which must include quantitative research methods and three of the following: systematic/literature reviews; qualitative methods; interpretation of data and presentation of results; study design, hypothesis testing and application of ethics to research. 

Social Researcher candidates (entry test) : 

Candidates who ARE NOT members of Government Social Research service (GSR) will be invited to sit the Government Social Research Knowledge test.  This is the first part of the GSR membership process and you must pass this test for your application to progress to the next stage of the recruitment process. 

We will arrange for you to sit the GSR Knowledge Test as soon as possible.  This test must be completed prior to interview and if candidates fail the knowledge test their application is terminated at this point. 

Candidates who are EXISTING members of Government Social Research service (GSR) do not need to complete this test as part of their application. 

Candidates who do not pass the filter and eligibility questions will not move to the second stage. 

 

Competencies 

You will need to address the technical competences for your profession in the application and at interview. 

Professional technical competences are listed below: 

Social research competences 

Social research: technical skills 

Social research: using and promoting social research 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,679, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities contributes £10,457 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours.

We are for everyone 

At DLUHC we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce. We promote equality of opportunity in all aspects of employment and a working environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and victimisation. 

We would strongly recommend that applicants get in touch with the vacancy manager to find out more information about this role.  

As part of our pre-employment checking process we will be using your CV to confirm your job history. Please note that by providing us with your CV you are consenting to us using the information enclosed as part of the checking process. 

We are for everyone 

DLUHC want to bring in a diverse workforce at all levels.  

Our application system is designed to remove as much bias as possible from the recruitment system – this means that a hiring manager does not know your name, your details, see your whole application in one go (or have your CV at review stage unless stated otherwise).  

At application stage you will be asked to upload a CV document. Unless stated otherwise in the advert, your CV will not form part of the assessment but will be used for information purposes and only shared with the panel at interview stage. 

Your answers are randomised and chunked up. This means that each assessor views sets of responses to questions for example all candidates’ responses to ‘Seeing the Big Picture’ rather than seeing a candidate’s full application. The science behind this is that recruitment can be subject to ordering and fatigue effects and we want to reduce this as much as possible.  

Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors. 

When writing your application, remember: 

• The assessor won’t be reading your answers sequentially.  
• Do not assume that the same assessors will have read all of your answers.  
• If talking about something in your first answer, make sure that you write the second answer as if you had not written the first (and so on!) 

 

At sift, we will be assessing 

Technical (lead element) -  Please outline your experience of designing and delivering evaluations (including process and/or impact evaluations)

Behaviour 1 - Making effective decisions

Behaviour 2 - Working Together

Behaviour 3 - Delivering at pace

There is a 250 word limit per question. 

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift using the lead element listed in the advert. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

 

The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of the following success profiles elements:    

Behaviour – Making effective decisions, Working Together, Delivering at pace

Technical - Technical questions will be based on the analytical competences as listed in the advert.

Candidates invited to interview will be expected to complete an oral briefing exercise as part of the interview process.  The oral-briefing exercise is designed to simulate aspects of the job to be performed and provide a second basis for assessing the behaviours and competencies required in the job. 

The oral briefing is usually part of the professional requirements as government analytical professions require an oral briefing as part of the entry or promotion process.  The briefing will take one of the following forms: 

1.  A prepared on the day presentation to the interview panel which will be followed by questions from the panel.  You will be provided with all the information to use for your presentation on the day of your interview.  You will be given up to 45 minutes to read this information and prepare your presentation. 

OR 

1.  You will be provided with a question in advance of the interview and asked to prepare a presentation of a specific length addressing this question.  This presentation will be followed by questions from the panel. 

Candidates invited to interview will be given full instructions on the presentation being used. 

The presentation will be followed by a 45 minute competency based interview. 

 

In the full campaign we will test the below Success Profile Elements: 

Behaviours: Making effective decisions, Working Together, Delivering at pace

Technical: Technical questions will be based on the analytical competences as listed in the advert.

We do not consider direct CV applications to our Recruitment mailbox – you must apply for this role via the application link on Civil Service Jobs 

Please note that near miss offers may be made at the lower grade to candidates who do not meet the grade criteria for this campaign. 

 

Senior Social Researcher

• The salary for this role will be £41,679 (National). 
• For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply and is non-negotiable. If you apply for a role that requires a transfer of location, for example if you are transferring from London to a National location, your salary will be adjusted in accordance with our policy on transfer between HQ pay ranges. 
• In order to receive this specialist pay band, you must be fully qualified and in a qualifying post as agreed by the Finance Head of Profession. 

 
Please note that the average employer pension contribution is based upon the National minimum salary for this role. Should your agreed starting salary for this role be different, the average employer pension contribution will be calculated accordingly. If you are a Secondee, this will not apply as you will remain on your home organisation’s terms and conditions.   

   

BENEFITS: 

Transfers across the Civil Service on or after 4 October 2018: 
Any move to DLUHC 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 

For further information about the benefits available to DLUHC employees, please see the attached Candidate Pack. 

  

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION: 

• Birmingham
• Bristol
• Wolverhampton 
• Darlington* 

There may be opportunities for candidates to work flexibly depending on the business needs. This will be discussed with the vacancy manager on a case-by-case basis if you are successful for the role. 

*Please note: The Darlington Economic Campus (DEC) is a pioneering new cross-government hub which will bring together people across departments and public organisations to play an active role in the most important economic issues of the day. The work of the Campus will make a real difference to people both across the UK and internationally. There will be substantial career opportunities and exciting prospects - a career at the Campus means you will be working at the heart of Government, with access to the benefits and fantastic opportunities offered by the civil service.  

For further information on the DEC, please take a look at the attached DEC candidate pack. 

 

SIFT AND INTERVIEW DATES: 

Sifting is envisaged to take place from 15/03/24 with interview dates to be confirmed. All interviews are currently being held remotely via videocall. 

Reserve List 

 
In the event that we identify more appointable candidates than we currently have posts available, we will hold applicant details in a reserve list for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. This may include roles at a lower grade. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this. Those candidates who do not wish to remain on the reserve list should contact recruitment@levellingup.gov.uk to be removed from the reserve list. 

Candidate Pack Information 

Please see attached Candidate pack for further information. 

Before starting your application it’s very important to make sure that you are eligible to apply and meet the Civil Service nationality requirements. All candidates are expected to read the information provided in the DLUHC candidate pack regarding nationality requirements and rules 

 

Internal Fraud Database 

The Internal Fraud function of the Fraud, Error, Debt and Grants Function at the Cabinet Office processes details of civil servants who have been dismissed for committing internal fraud, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned. The Cabinet Office receives the details from participating government organisations of civil servants who have been dismissed, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned, for internal fraud. In instances such as this, civil servants are then banned for 5 years from further employment in the civil service. The Cabinet Office then processes this data and discloses a limited dataset back to DLUHC as a participating government organisations. DLUHC then carry out the pre employment checks so as to detect instances where known fraudsters are attempting to reapply for roles in the civil service. In this way, the policy is ensured and the repetition of internal fraud is prevented.  

For more information please see- Internal Fraud Register 

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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.