Head of Evaluation

Details
Reference number

437868

Salary

£58,589

GBP

Job grade

Grade 7

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

MRC - Analysis

Type of role

Analytical

Strategy

Working pattern

Full-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Location

London, Swindon

About the job
Job summary

About the role

The Head of Evaluation will lead the development and delivery of a strategic, high-quality evaluation programme bringing together evaluation and insight on the outcomes of our funding, and the mechanisms used to award it. This role is central to ensuring MRC's investments in biomedical research are informed by robust evidence, learning, and impact assessment. You will work closely with colleagues across UKRI, government departments, other funders and the wider research and innovation ecosystem to shape policy, improve practice and understanding, and demonstrate the value of public investment in biomedical science.

Job description

Your responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership:

Develop and implement MRC's evaluation strategy and direction to demonstrate outcomes and impact from MRC funding in the context of UKRI and the broader life sciences sector. Lead evaluation across MRC, to ensure research and initiatives have suitable M&E activity, including adequate resources committed and appropriate oversight implemented.

Programme delivery:

Design and oversee a portfolio of monitoring and evaluation projects, including impact and process evaluations, M&E plans, support for Business Cases, and thematic and portfolio reviews across MRC's funding schemes and strategic initiatives. This will include evaluations delivered in house and externally commissioned.

Insight and Integration:

Provide strategic oversight to ensure analytical outputs are aligned with MRC's strategy and policy priorities and broader UKRI objectives. Translate complex evidence into clear, actionable insights that inform decision-making, bridge the gap between policy and analysis, and support the development of robust, intelligence-led strategies across MRC's funding portfolio.

Stakeholder Engagement:

Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including other funders and policymakers, to ensure methods are robust and up to date and insights from evaluation are relevant, credible, and used effectively.

Methodological Expertise:

Provide expert advice on evaluation design, theory of change, mixed-methods approaches, and data interpretation, presentation and messaging. Champion innovation and best practice in evaluation and ensure that evaluation outputs meet the needs of key stakeholders across Government.

Team Leadership:

Lead and develop a small team, to deliver the evidence base and impact narrative fostering a collaborative and inclusive culture.

Person specification

Personal Specification

The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).

Essential:

• Proven experience in leading complex evaluation programmes and analysis resulting in insights and recommendations, ideally within research funding, health, or public policy sectors. (S/I)
• Strong understanding and analytical experience of using evaluation methodologies (quantitative and qualitative) and impact assessment frameworks. (S/I)
• Proven ability to synthesise complex analytical evidence into strategic insights that inform policy and organisational decision-making, with experience in aligning evaluation outputs to broader priorities and translating data into usable intelligence. (S/I)
• Excellent data interpretation and presentation skills to translate data and inform decision-making of different audiences. (S/I)
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills. (I)
• Experience in managing teams and developing talent. (S/I)

Desirable:

• Knowledge or experience of the biomedical research and innovation landscape. (S)
• Experience of commissioning research and overseeing its delivery. (S/I)
• Experience working with government departments or in a policy-influencing or strategy role. (S)

Benefits

Benefits

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package. We are committed to supporting employees' development and promote a culture of continuous learning

A list of benefits below:

• An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme.
• 30 days' annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent).
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
• Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice.
• Flexible working options.

Plus many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance

For further information on our benefits please see:

Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

Things you need to know
Selection process details

UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.

Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record 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 baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

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)
• 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

Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

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 :

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Recruitment team

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Further information

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