Senior Evaluation Analyst

In the Digital Infrastructure Directorate, we work to create the conditions that will ensure world-leading communications infrastructure and services are available to every UK individual and business, in order to support economic growth and enrich lives.

Analysts in the Digital Infrastructure Directorate are a key part of the Directorate. They work collaboratively to support policy and delivery teams in using evidence, data and analysis to make better decisions. The successful candidate will work lead our Monitoring and Evaluation work across DI, providing direction and leadership to ensure programmes have robust monitoring and evaluations in place.

The role will primarily focus on evaluating our research and innovation programmes designed to promote the development and adoption of future telecoms technologies including 5G, OpenRAN and Advance Communication Technologies (ACT) programmes.

We are currently at different stages of evaluating (or implementing findings from the evaluation of) the following programmes that are driving telecoms research, innovation, and technology implementation across the UK economy:

Our £200m 5G Testbed and Trials (5GTT) Programme which was established in 2017 to stimulate market development and deployment of 5G technology and infrastructure in the UK. Testbeds were used to help industry understand the challenges of deploying new technologies and also provide evidence of different use cases, bringing ideas closer to commercialisation. A Process and Early Impact Evaluation was conducted in 2020, an Interim Evaluation was completed in 2023, and the Final Evaluation is ongoing and will be completed this year.

Our £250m Open Networks Programme was launched in 2021 to build a more competitive and diverse telecoms equipment supply chain following recent and ongoing changes in the market. A Baseline Evaluation was conducted in 2022, and an Initial Evaluation completed in 2024. We are in the process of launching the Interim Evaluation planned for 2026/27, with a Final Evaluation planned to take place in 2029/30.

Our 5G Innovation Regions: A £40m fund that was aimed to accelerate 5G adoption in regions by bridging the gap between the technical trials undertaken in the 5GTT Programme and using 5G in the real world. The initial and interim evaluation completed. We are currently making plans for the Final Evaluation.

Our Smart Infrastructure Pilots: A £3m allocation to Local Authorities for Local Authorities and Private Sector Companies to work together to implement Smart Lampposts (lampposts that deliver a range of smart services, e.g. public wi-fi, environmental monitoring, public safety, digital signage, geo-fencing, intelligent transport, electric-vehicles charging). The evaluation is completed and we are currently at the implementation phase of the findings.

UK Telecoms Lab (UKTL) which provides an independent testing environment to evaluate hardware and software (5G core, RAN equipment) used in UK telecoms networks. We are currently working with NPL on the plan to deliver the impact evaluation in 2027/28.

You will lead and manage the evaluations for these programmes, as part of our evaluation team with support from our wider team of analysts. This will include providing advice and assurance on Monitoring and Evaluation plans for Business Cases, supporting legislation with Impact Assessments, Post Implementation Reviews, and social research best practice for consultations, surveys and research specifications.

This is a fantastic opportunity to apply established and innovative methods to high-profile programmes, as well as build social research and evaluation expertise among colleagues. Due to the nature of our work, you will also get the opportunity to work on evaluations of other schemes, such as the rollout of gigabit broadband. And you will get the opportunity to travel to events and meet with project organisations and industry situated across the UK.

This is a unique opportunity to use analysis to build a programme-level evidence base, use insight from analysis and evaluation to influence important future policy decisions.

If you are inquisitive and excited about our digital future, and passionate about helping the UK become a world-leading digital economy, then we would love to hear from you.

Person specification

This is a high-profile analytical role, involving close collaboration with senior policy makers within DCMS and across the civil service. Some of the responsibilities will include:

• Overseeing evaluation work on individual projects and the programme, developing robust monitoring and evaluation plans for the programmes.
• Commissioning and project managing external contractors who are delivering evaluations for us. This involves writing research specifications, procuring research, managing delivery, and communicating findings to inform policy.
• Acting as subject matter expert on evaluation and benefit realisation - identifying what information needs to be gathered and analysis required to ensure that we have successful monitoring and sufficient evidence for future planned evaluations.
• Provide technical support and advice to policy colleagues on research methods, including advising on the relative robustness of competing sources of evidence and the interpretation of findings.
• Leading regular assessments of the Programmes against our key success measures communicating and promoting evaluation across Digital Infrastructure.
• Provide quality assurance on research projects and ensure they are focused on delivering insights for research questions most relevant to achieving the department’s objectives.
• Ensure regular reporting of market monitoring and performance of the Programme to the Digital Infrastructure Portfolio Boards and Delivery Management Boards.
• Mentoring junior analysts and contributing to analysis across DI, and wider Department Evaluation and Analytical Community, particularly providing peer review and sharing knowledge and best practice - with the possibility of line managing a junior analyst.

As a line manager, you will be responsible for working with your members of staff to define their objectives, as well as managing their development and performance., Memberships: Badged: (The role is reserved for badged Government Analytical Professions (Government Statistician Group (GSG), Government Economic Service (GES), Government Social Research Service (GSR), Government Operational Research Service (GORS)).

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process. This will depend on the profession you submit under and will be confirmed prior to the interview.

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace, Candidates who meet the minimum benchmark may be placed on a Reserve List for consideration for similar roles, including those at a lower grade. Candidates who narrowly miss the benchmark and are not placed on the Reserve List may still be considered for an offer in a similar role at a lower grade.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify., * 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

• Evaluation: Experience of evaluating projects or policy interventions according to best practice (Magenta Book).
• Delivering at pace: Ability to deliver high impact analysis to tight deadlines focusing on what matters most to inform decisions - using forward planning and good judgement to identify risks and issues and where to make trade-offs to address them.
• Analysis of data: Strong analytical experience in analysing costs and benefits of complex policy projects or government interventions, and presenting a range of information and evidence from diverse sources to inform decision making.
• Communicating and influencing: Experience of effectively communicating complex issues to senior colleagues or stakeholders. Experience of establishing relationships and influencing a range of people to build support for a common goal.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of evaluating government policies, programmes or investments using HM Treasury Magenta Book principles.
• Knowledge of telecommunications, spectrum and digital infrastructure policy.
• Experience developing Green Book business cases, Regulatory Impact Assessments, or cost-benefit analysis., You must hold a 2:1 or higher numerate degree (economics, social research,

mathematics, econometrics, statistics, Operational Research, etc), or a 2:2 with relevant work experience (which may consist of working in government, research agency, market research agency, or specialist research team), or other postgraduate qualifications., This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills., Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check .

Alongside your salary of £58,275, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £16,882 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides .

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

• A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
• Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
• An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
• Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.

At DSIT we’re all about improving people’s lives by maximising the potential of science & technology.

We accelerate innovation, investment and productivity through world-class science, research and development.

We use technology for good by ensuring new and existing technologies are safely developed and deployed across the UK, with the benefits more widely shared.

We are driving forward a modern digital government which gives citizens a more satisfying experience and their time back.

We do all this to enable the Government’s 5 national missions: kickstarting economic growth, making Britain a clean energy superpower, taking back our streets, breaking down barriers to opportunity and building an NHS fit for the future.

Above all, we focus on improving people’s lives. Whether it’s researching new treatments for disease, developing better batteries, reducing burdens through better public services, keeping children safe online, and much more, outcomes for citizens are at the heart of what we do.