Senior Evaluation Advisor

Senior Evaluation Advisor - Water Industry Enforcement - 32371 3 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants Job Description The Environment Agency are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We don't just talk about diversity; we seek it, embrace it, and live it, for the benefit of our staff, our communities, and our environment. The Agency is transforming its regulation of the water industry. The last two years have seen an investment in new resources, and new powers such as those in the Water (Special measures) Act. We need to make sure we maximise the impact and public value of these investments, which are a key part of our Corporate Strategy, EA2030. We are looking for a Senior Evidence Advisor to work in our Evaluation Team. You will: Focus on ‘what works’ in the sphere of or the Environment Agency’s water industry enforcement actions, providing evaluation leadership in this topic area; Design and implement evaluation frameworks covering process, impact and value for money; Build an evidence base, increasing the rigour of our evidence as measured against the Nesta scale; Implement qualitative and quantitative research methods; Make recommendations for change to senior leaders with the aim of improving our operational performance, efficiency and effectiveness. The role will involve working with managers across the Environment Agency who are responsible for our water enforcement strategy at conceptual and operational levels. You will help them to understand how effective and cost‑effective our interventions are, whether we’re using the best mix of interventions, and whether our interventions are generating deterrence which changes the behaviours of the industry. Sometimes you will need to use your influencing skills to present information that is new, complex and occasionally unwelcome or counter‑intuitive. You will also commission and manage work delivery through contractors, and sometimes in partnership with academia, or colleagues across Defra Group. The team The Evaluation Team is in the Environment Agency’s Chief Scientist’s Group, part of the Environment and Business Directorate. We use evidence, expertise, engagement, and innovation to enhance and support delivery, influence policy and legislation, and secure resources to do more for the environment. In E&B we promote a positive, inclusive, and supportive culture where everyone feels valued. We’re a dispersed team and work with a wide range of technical and project teams across the country. Experience / Skills Required You will need an excellent knowledge of current approaches to evaluation. Taking HM Treasury's Magenta Book as a foundation you will understand a broad range of evaluation methods including qualitative and quantitative techniques and how to deal with complexity. In this work area we expect to use robust, theory‑based impact evaluation and quasi‑experimental methods. You will possess good people skills (e.g. structured interviewing, workshop facilitation), along with the ability to distil and present key evidence‑based messages. You may ideally also bring specialist skills that are relevant to evaluation such as economics, statistics, or broader understanding of social/operational research methods. Our focus is regulatory enforcement and so if you have background enforcement evaluation experience from another sector, or an understanding of water regulation from an operational perspective, that would be a bonus. You will have exemplary project and contract management skills and ideally some line management experience. Contact and additional information You’ll have an inclusive incident management objective in your development plan. We’ll help you find a role to suit your needs. Appropriate training will be given. You’ll have an EA Office base location, and as a national role the working location is flexible/hybrid. We use smart tools to stay connected, but some travel and overnight stays may be required. Please read the Candidate / Additional Information Pack for information. Any queries, contact jon.greaves@environment-agency.gov.uk Applications are “blind” assessed using your answers to the competency questions, and we aim to hold interviews in early January. If you consent to being held on a reserve list, we’ll hold your details for 6 months and may offer you an alternative post. Competence 1: Scientific Knowledge Describe a time when you used evaluation to develop sound evidence, in order to answer a stakeholder’s questions and/or inform their decision making. Provide details on approach, methods used, considerations, and results. Competence 2: Influences and Persuades Others Describe a time when you have successfully persuaded a key stakeholder to follow your advice on the direction of a major project. Competence 3: Environmental Awareness Describe how you identify ways to protect and preserve the environment for the future and limit negative environmental impacts. Competence 4: Shapes organisational approach & delivery Tell us about a time when you discovered or created evidence, and used it to challenge existing thinking in an organisation. We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability who are seeking employment. We have committed to guaranteeing an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post. Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please review for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use. #J-18808-Ljbffr