Evaluation Officer: maternity cover | 12-month full-time contract

TASO; City of London; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading charity in higher education seeks an Evaluation Officer for a 12-month maternity cover. The role involves developing evaluation guidance, delivering training, and managing projects. Strong analytical and communication skills are essential. The position offers a starting salary of £37,474 per annum, with the flexibility of hybrid working. Applications are welcome from diverse candidates committed to improving student success.

Benefits

27 days annual holiday plus public holidays

8% pension contribution

Flexible working hours

Personal wellbeing budget

Training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in collating and analysing complex information.
• Experience in evaluating causal research quality.
• Strong ability to develop theories of change and evaluation plans.

Responsibilities

• Help develop high-quality guidance for evaluations.
• Deliver training to external stakeholders.
• Manage and monitor progress across multiple projects.

Skills

Collating and analysing complex information

Evaluating the strength of causal research

Developing theories of change

Analysing quantitative data

Using Microsoft Office and R/Stata/SPSS

Written and verbal communication

Understanding of widening participation policies

Experience in research and evaluation

Education

Undergraduate degree in relevant discipline

Postgraduate level qualification in relevant discipline

Tools

Microsoft Office

R

Stata

SPSS

Job description

Evaluation Officer: maternity cover | 12-month full-time contract

The Evaluation Officer will work on TASO’s research and evaluation programme to develop a better understanding of what works to support widening participation and student success

Transforming Access and Student Outcomes in Higher Education (TASO) is an affiliate What Works Centre, and part of the UK government’s What Works Network. Our aim is to help eliminate equality gaps in higher education through evidence-informed practice.

TASO was set up in 2019 and became an independent charity in April 2021. Our work focuses on the generation, synthesis and dissemination of high‑quality evidence about effective practice in widening participation and improving student outcomes. We primarily focus on developing and disseminating causal evidence and we encourage the higher education sector to do the same by providing higher education professionals access to research, toolkits, evaluation guidance, networks, evaluation training and more.

The role

The Evaluation Officer will work on TASO’s research and evaluation programme to develop a better understanding of what works to support widening participation and student success.

Under the guidance of a Research or Evaluation Manager, the Evaluation Officer will help develop a suite of high‑quality resources and step‑by‑step guidance to support universities and colleges to better evaluate the activities and programmes they deliver. This will include developing evaluation guidance documents, pages for our website, webinars and training materials. The officer will help deliver training based on these materials to a wide range of external stakeholders.

The officer may also help commission new projects designed to develop evaluation guidance for practitioners, evaluators and researchers from multiple institutions. They will work across these projects to manage and monitor progress, collate findings, analyse data and help steer the overall programme of work. They may also undertake internal research projects themselves, including synthesising secondary research; conducting qualitative, quantitative and/or survey research.

The role will involve substantial stakeholder management, liaising with various interested parties outside TASO, convening stakeholder groups and supporting training sessions. The Evaluation Officer will have strong communication skills and be able to convey their findings, including complex quantitative information and advanced evaluation methods (particularly causal impact evaluation methods), clearly and will support TASO to influence broader policy discussion. They will work both independently and –on more complex tasks – under supervision.

Among other responsibilities, the role will include the following duties:

• Helping develop a suite of high‑quality guidance to support universities and colleges to better evaluate the activities and programmes they deliver.
• Using these resources and materials to deliver training – in‑person and online – to a wide range of external stakeholders.
• Helping develop theories of change and evaluation plans for individual interventions and multi‑intervention programmes.
• Conducting desk‑based research, reviewing existing literature to synthesise the quality of evidence on a given topic and collate examples of sector good practice.
• Providing support to the Research and Evaluation Managers in the commissioning of external research and evaluation.
• Overseeing funded projects, ensuring delivery to timelines, value for money for TASO, and timely and proactive risk assessment and mitigation.
• Helping design, run and analyse the results of research projects in collaboration with multiple external organisations. This may include qualitative and quantitative research.
• Contributing to the administration and secretariat for a number of advisory panels formed of external stakeholders.
• Working with the Research and Evaluation Managers to develop TASO’s relationships with key stakeholders in the HE sector.
• Developing/maintaining knowledge of cutting‑edge research and evaluation which is relevant to TASO’s work. Use this knowledge to contribute to the delivery of blog posts, literature reviews and research briefings, working with the Research and Evaluation Managers.
• Contributing to the delivery of external training courses and events to disseminate the work of TASO’s wider research programme.

The attributes we are looking for in an Evaluation Officer

Applicants will be expected to demonstrate their skills and experience against the following criteria in their written application and at interview, for those shortlisted.

That said, we welcome applications from candidates with a range of skills and experience and encourage you to apply even if you do not meet each and every criterion specified below.

Criteria

Education/qualification and training

Undergraduate degree in relevant discipline or equivalent experience X

Postgraduate level qualification in relevant discipline (e.g. applied research, public policy) X

Knowledge and skills

Ability to collate and analyse complex information for reporting purposes. X

Ability to critically evaluate the strength of causal research/evaluation, particularly the quality and reliability of the research/evaluation X

Ability to develop theories of change and design evaluation plans X

Ability to analyse quantitative data X

Confident using software (such as Microsoft Office suite and R/Stata/SPSS) to analyse and present research findings in a variety of formats X

Confident and clear written and verbal communication, including report‑writing and presentation skills X

Understanding of widening participation and student success policy agendas X

Experience of research and evaluation relating to widening participation and student success X

Experience

Working on multiple projects and managing competing demands and timescales X

Collaboration and coordination of project stakeholders, communicating persuasively to ensure smooth implementation of research projects X

Stakeholder engagement including convening and running meetings X

Developing and delivering presentations and workshops for professional audiences X

Personal characteristics/other requirements

Ability to both use your own initiative and follow instructions and recognise when a problem should be referred to others X

Ability to work collaboratively in small teams X

Values

Commitment to eliminating equality gaps in higher education; a passion for the agenda of What Works Centres and the broader agenda around evidence-based policy and practice in public services X

Driven, with a personal style that supports the achievement of team goals X

A natural collaborator and convener who makes connections and brings others together X

Initial terms and conditions of appointment

• Remuneration: Starting salary of £37,474 per annum
• Location: Central London. This post will be hybrid with the expectation that the post holder will be in the office two days a week in addition to attending office‑based project meetings. Candidates must have the right to work in the UK.
• Term: Maternity cover: 12 months. Full‑time, 35 hours per week.

Other benefits

• Annual holiday – 27 days per year, plus public/bank holidays and a day off for your birthday.
• Pension scheme – TASO will contribute 8% to your pension.
• Flexible working – We are committed to flexible working where possible, with core hours of 10am – 4pm.
• Hybrid working – Currently, a two-day requirement to work from our London office.
• Team days – Regular team days in the office and team‑building days.
• Training and development – Systematic performance reviews, personalised learning and development objectives and access to a training and development fund plus team training days.
• Volunteering – One day a year off to volunteer for an organisation of your choice.
• Wellbeing – Free employee assistance programme which offers webinars, courses and counselling sessions. A yearly personal wellbeing budget.
• Sick pay scheme – 3 months full pay and 3 months half pay after probation has been passed.
• Staff discounts – Discounts available via Perks At Work from a wide range of retailers for shopping, dining, experiences, car maintenance, study, etc.

How to apply

To apply, please submit a CV (no longer than two pages) and your response to the four questions in the application form via our recruitment portal.

TASO is committed to fair and equitable recruitment practices. To support this, your application will be reviewed without any personal details visible to the panel.

While we recognise that AI tools can assist in drafting applications, we ask that you submit answers written in your own words. Authentic, personal responses are far more compelling and help us understand your true fit for the role.

We encourage interested candidates to inquire if you have questions or want to discuss your suitability for this role. We will facilitate brief online conversations with the TASO team, please email [e-mail] to request a call.

• The deadline for applications is 09:00 GMT on Monday 8 December.
• Shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview by 12 December.
• Interviews will take place week commencing 15 December.